Norwich Terrier breed guide

Happy-go-lucky, fearless and sometimes even bossy, Norwich Terriers are energetic enough to play fetch all day but affectionate too. AKC says they are usually eager to please and respond well to training.

Young dogs should be properly socialized to develop its amiable, outgoing personality and Norwich Terriers succeed in underground hunting tests, barn hunt and companion events.

Norwich Terriers live 12 to 15 years. Breeders screen for hip dysplasia, epilepsy, degenerative myelopathy and upper airway syndrome, a variable respiratory condition whose prevalence and inheritance are poorly understood.

Norwich are prone to plaque and tartar, so diligent dental care is essential.

A Norwich should have a double coat of a harsh, nearly weatherproof outer layer over a soft undercoat that insulates against heat and cold. Hand-stripping removes old outer hair and excess undercoat so new hair grows in.

The Norwich keeps its original hunting instincts and jovial temperament and needs ample exercise for its mental and physical health. Because of those instincts it must be walked on a leash or let out in a fenced area.

The Norwich is among the many terriers bred to control Britain's rodent population. It also ran in packs on foxhunts, so it was bred to be more sociable than the usual independent-minded terrier.

In the 1870s and 80s Norwich ownership became a fad among Cambridge undergraduates, who got the dogs from a livery stable on Trumpington Street and the breed became known as Trumpington Terriers.