General Information

Who will be the primary care giver?

Where will the puppy be kept during the night?

Is anyone home during the day?

How many hours average a day will they be alone?

Have you owned a dog before?

Currently what pets do you have?

Do you have children? Ages?

What sex are you looking for? Pet? Show? Breeding Stock?

How did you come to decide on this breed?

Do you have a fenced yard?

What type of home do you have?

Are you interested in training classes?

Have you ever returned a dog to the breeder or another place (humane society)?

Are you interested in showing in the conformation ring?

-obedience ring?

-agility ring?

-earth trials?

Do you want to breed the dog?

These are questions you should have answers to before you even start on your adventure of finding the right family member to add. Most breeders are going to ask you these as well as more breed specific questions as they interview you for adoption of one of their pups.

Can a Norwich terrier be trained to stay in my yard without a fence and to walk off leash?

Terriers are instinctive vermin hunters and except in very controlled circumstances, cannot be trusted off leash or in an unfenced are At any time. A rabbit or squirrel is enough to send them chasing, which may lead to being lost or hit by a car. A fenced yard (or dog run) is a must, unless you are committed to "potty" walks multiple times a day. Tying a terrier out in the yard is not recommended, because it leaves him open to attacks by other dogs or theft. Nor is an " invisible " fence recommended. Many terriers will take the shock in their determination to hunt and don't return. An invisible fence also leaves them open to attacks and theft. If you do not have a fenced yard your dog should always be on-leash when outside.

Are Norwich Terriers easy to train?

Any owner must make the effort to train their dog- for a terrier breed it is even more important. Norwich are willing dogs who wish to please, but as terriers they are independent-minded. If your ambitions are to compete in AKC obedience trials, training becomes more challenging, though very rewarding. Norwich respond best to positive motivational methods using praise and treats. A Norwich will always want to be with you so take advantage of this.

Are Norwich terriers easy to housebreak?

Norwich terriers are very willing breeds who wish to please, making basic housebreaking easy to train but growing up takes awhile. As with any puppy, frequent trips outdoors are in order, and puppies should always be crated or confined in a safe area when unattended. Consistency and a routine are extremely important in housebreaking. Your puppy should be taken out frequently especially after eating, drinking, playing and sleeping. Accompanying your dog outside will assure that he has done what you expected and hasn't gotten distracted by a leaf or some other object in the surroundings. Often, if a puppy is left out alone, he will be so anxious to come in again, that he will try to finish quickly and not completely empty his bladder causing an accident shortly after returning inside.

Should we crate train?

Crating is not cruel; most dogs see their crate as their "den" (doggy condo). Not only is a crate a useful housebreaking tool, but it gives your Norwich ( both young and old) a place to call home and get away from it all. Young puppies often need a break from zealous young owners, and as long as you do not use the crate for punishment, crating your dog for brief periods gives you a break as well. Additionally, a crate provides a safe environment for a Norwich in the house, car hotel and even airplanes. An open crate in the house gives the dog a safe den. Even very young children can learn to respect the dog's bedroom.

Do Norwich Terriers Shed?

Norwich terriers have a double coat; a soft, downy undercoat and a hard top coat. Any double-coated dog sheds, but shedding can be minimized with proper grooming. If you want a dog that does not shed, you might consider a Bichon Frise or any of the varieties of Poodles.

Do Norwich Terriers require a lot of grooming?

Norwich terriers require regular maintenance to keep a consistently groomed coat. They should be brushed or combed weekly. These terriers are usually "stripped" twice a year. "Stripping" involves pulling out the dead outer coat by hand or with the help of a stripping tool. Some owners choose the natural look, doing nothing to the coat except brushing it. With this look a Norwich can be mistaken for a scruffy mixed breed, and the coat will shed more as it ages. A few pet owners opt to have their pets clipped. Clipping is not a recommended method of grooming since it does not remove the dead hair, but merely shortens it, softening the texture and encouraging noticeable shedding.

How Much Do they cost?

You will find that Norwich Terriers are rather hard to find since they have small litters and have high incidence of complications in the whelp box. The prices vary but they usually start around $2000 for a pet and go up from there depending on where and from whom you find one. You will have to most likely travel to obtain one so you can add that to the cost as well.

Welcome to our website. Here you will find many pages of information about our beautiful companions the Norwich Terrier. We adopted our first Norwich Missy aka Lil Miss Prissy, in 1987 out in Hawaii. Since that time we have had 3 children and many more Norwich. We now reside in Wisconsin where we grew up before Jeff joined the Navy.

Below is the most common questions we get asked and the answers we give about the Norwich. Also a questionnaire about what you should be asking yourself before adopting any pet. Please enjoy visiting our site and all it has to offer. If you have unanswered questions when you are finished please email us and we will try to accommodate you with answers.

Enjoy!