Keeping and Caring

The Norfolk Terrier is not too demanding on the owner and is generally an easy-care dog that can also be kept in a small space if he is given exercise or something to do.

A well-fenced garden makes many things easier, e.g. training the dog to keep the house clean, and allows the dog to run around and dig freely when you don’t have so much time for him. But he can also live well in the home if you take him for enough walks.

Consistent training is necessary if the little terrier is not to develop into a house bully who dances around everyone’s nose.

Grooming

Grooming is manageable. The mature top coat is trimmed two to three times a year, which in this case means only plucking it out with your fingers – no scissors or clippers should be used. This is very important, as it is the only way to maintain the coat structure and colour typical of the breed. Otherwise, longer hair should be combed through occasionally with a coarse comb, but never brushed daily, as this would brush out too much undercoat. Some dogs need their claws trimmed from time to time, and tartar should be removed about once a year – if you teach your dog to keep still in good time, he will put up with it.

Norfolk Terriers should not be bathed, certainly not in the weeks before trimming! Showering dirty areas with clear water is perfectly adequate. When properly groomed, Norfolk Terriers shed relatively little.

Basic Equipment

The basic equipment for the puppy consists of:

  • A puppy playpen, placed in a central location in the house, preferably on an easy-to-clean surface (possibly with a piece of PVC underneath) with a sleeping area inside.

  • Food and water bowl, stable and easy to clean

  • Collar and lead – no chest harness or flexi lead, but a normal lead with a sturdy snap hook and possibly a drag lead for walking in the field

  • A plastic transport box that is large enough for the dog to stretch out comfortably in, with a small blanket inside

  • A coarse, sturdy comb for grooming

  • Toys: you can let your imagination run wild here, because you don’t have to buy them, but discarded socks knotted into a ball or a kitchen roll, a raw beef marrow bone, root wood etc. are a marvellous change for the puppy.

Feeding recommendation

The dog should not be fed exclusively dry food. You can either opt for a healthy variety of home-made food (fresh meat etc.), alternating tinned and dry food or for barfing, a natural form of feeding with lots of raw meat, but you should inform yourself well in advance so that the composition of the food is right!

The breeder will explain details on this subject when you collect your dog!