Dog breed · England
The Norwich Terrier is a breed of dog originating in England, and was bred to hunt small rodents. One of the smallest terriers, these dogs are relatively rare. Their drop-eared variety is the Norfolk Terrier.
Temperament: Occasionally, this breed will display barking and digging behaviours, which are reflective of their terrier heritage. Consistent and early training can help manage these habits.
Appearance: These terriers are one of the smallest working terriers weighing approximately 12 pounds ([dose — ask your vet]) and ideally not being above 10 inches (25 cm) at the withers, with prick ears and a double coat, which comes in all shades of red, tan, wheaten, black and tan, and grizzle. The skull is broad and slightly rounded with a well defined stop. The muzzle ratio to the head is 2:3. The eyes are small and oval-shaped. Ears are usually erect — but can be laid back when the dog is calm — and set apart with good width between them. The tips are pointed. The back is short with good depth and a well sprung loin. Legs are short with the elbows being more proximal than distal. Tail is of moderate length when not docked, thick at the base with tapering near the top. Tail should be 'carried jauntily' and 'not excessively gay'. The American Kennel Club standard calls for a 'medium docked' tail with enough of the tail being left on so that it can be held or grabbed.
Health: A study in the UK found a life expectancy of 14 years for the Norwich Terrier.
A US study of over 90,000 dogs found the Norwich Terrier to be the second most predisposed breed to portosystemic shunt with 7.41% of dogs being affected compared to 0.35% for mixed-breed dogs.
A retrospective study on cataracts using patient records from North American hospitals found a prevalence of 4.02% for the Norwich Terrier compared to 1.61% for mixed-breed dogs.
Origin: Fox hunting terriers resembling the Norwich have been described since the 19th century.
Two extinct breeds are often suggested as being the ancestor of the Norwich Terrier: the Cantab terrier and the Trumpington terrier.
