Introduction

Their low-maintenance, rough hair and their people-oriented nature give Norfolk Terriers a friendly, natural charisma that absolutely matches their character. They are easy to train, curious and cuddly. Cheerful, funny, fond of children and with a tousled charm, they are real goblins, ready to join in with any activity.

As a rough-haired dog, they are trimmed twice a year. Otherwise, Norfolks are easy to care for and, thanks to their manageable size, are easy to take anywhere. Norfolks make excellent family dogs, especially because of their uncomplicated, charming nature. Their small size and people-oriented nature also make this lively, friendly dog suitable for a city apartment, provided they get enough exercise or activity.

However, he is not intended as a pretty decoration for the corner of the sofa, but wants to be a fully-fledged member of the family. He is only small on the outside. He wants to be treated like a big dog and know what he is allowed to do. Originally bred to hunt mice for a rough life on farms when there were no cars to endanger him, he is and remains a real buddy for beautiful walks through woods and fields, going through thick and thin with his master.

The Norfolk Terrier: A real buddy for beautiful walks through woods and fields, who goes through thick and thin with his master!

How Experienced Breeders Describe their Characters

The Norfolk Terrier is a family dog by nature, whose ancestors lived on farmers’ farms at the end of the 19th century and earned an extra income by fighting the plague of mice and rats of the time.

From this time, the Norfolk and the Norwich Terrier were able to retain character traits that are probably unique, at least among terriers.

Joy Taylor from the well-known kennel Nanfan said about it:

“A steady temperament was essential to the work they had to do and this temperament, combined with a loving disposition, was a unique combination.”

Joy Taylor (Nanfan)

The lovable nature of these dogs is still particularly important today, and this is especially emphasized in the standard. Norfolks and Norwichs are the only terrier breeds for which the words “not quarrelsome” have been written into the standard and the Norfolk is one of the few terriers that can be kept in a larger pack without scuffling, despite their terrier spirit. In the picture on the right they are playing with each other.

If you ask a breeder why they chose this particular breed, it’s usually not because of their pretty, natural looks or their small size, but because of their extremely lovable character and even temperament. This was also the case with Mrs. Marjorie Bunting, owner of the influential English kennel “Ragus”:

“What was it that so attracted us to these little red dogs? Well basically I suppose it was their character, their tough, sturdy independence, their ability to work out a sticky situation and find the answer for themselves; their great love of people, they more than any other breed I have ever had to do with, can make you feel important and loved. They are great flatterers. They are a very sporting little dog which was important to my father, as to him a terrier was no good unless it could at least catch a rat.”

Marjorie Bunting (Ragus)

In an article in the Swedish magazine “Terrier Post” 2/1971, Elisabeth Matell characterized the nature of the Norfolk Terrier as follows:

They are robust dogs, bred for a rough life and by no means intended as a nice decoration in the corner of the sofa. They are very devoted to their owners, affectionate, intelligent and docile, always lively and ready for anything, whether it’s playing with children or chasing mice. It is incomprehensible that he does not yet have more followers. He gets on very well with other dogs and is well suited as a second dog to a larger breed.

Elisabeth Matell (Cracknor)

Norfolk Terriers are small dogs with big personalities: some like to watch TV, some like to dig, some are fascinated by their reflection in the mirror, many would love to go hunting, some are good climbers and are good at agility, many love to meet new people and many Norfolks love to play.

Summary

In short, Norfolks are:

  • bright little boys,
  • little goblins and ready to take part in any undertaking,
  • cheerful and charming,
  • real personalities,
  • always there for you and
  • the best thing that could have happened to us!

They are suitable

  • for families with children who are at least 9 years old,
  • for singles who always want to have them with them, and
  • also for older people whose garden is fenced in.

However, there is no such thing as the ideal dog for everyone. Which puppy you should choose depends on whether you are looking for a pithy, showy show dog, a cuddly, people-oriented family dog or a robust farm dog, for example. The character traits of a breeder’s dogs depend not least on the breeder’s priorities when selecting his breeding dogs. The older the puppies are, the better the breeder will be able to assess their future character.

Literature

  • Hinsch, F. (2002): Appearance and Character
  • Matell, E. (1971), in: Terrier Posten 2/1971
  • Read, J.R. (1989): The Norfolk Terrier, Livermore, Calif.
  • Peper, W. (1995): Norfolk und Norwich Terrier, Paul Parey
  • Taylor, J., Matell, E. (2005): How short-term interest became life-long devotion, The Norfolk Terrier Club of Great Britain, Year Book 2003-2004