Interim Originally from the country of Norfolk, this breed has only recently been recognized. The Norfolk and Norwich Terriers started out as one breed, but were officially separated in England in 1964. The AKC followed suit in 1979. The Norfolk has dropped ears and the Norwich has prick ears; also Norfolks are angular and the Norwich Terriers are more round. Some other differences are: the Norfolks are more apt to suffer from jealousy than the Norwich, and they frequently become hunting or racing addicts with great power of concentration. Norwich Terriers adapt more easily to urban life, preferring the company of humans over the other dogs. The breed was officially developed in England as a small ratting dog. Later they were also used to bolt foxes that had gone to ground during a fox hunt - so the horses and hounds could resume the chase. This small terrier could get in and out of a small burrow quite easily. As they were bred to hunt in packs, the Norfolk and Norwich Terriers tend to be more sociable than many other terriers. Today the Norfolk Terrier serves primarily as a companion dog, but can still take care of vermin. This lovable little dog is among the smallest of the working terriers. It has a short, strong, sturdy body with strongly boned legs and a fox like muzzle with large solid teeth. The eyes are dark and expressive. The ears are hanging and tight to the cheeks. The tail is docked by half. Their coats are wiry and straight and come in red, wheaten, tan, black & tan, grizzle, and occasionally with white markings. The faces sport jaunty whiskers and eyebrows
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| General
Appearance *** The Norfolk
Terrier, game and hardy, with expressive dropped ears, is one of the
smallest of the working terriers. It is active and compact, free-moving,
with good substance and bone. With its natural, weather-resistant coat
and short legs, it is a "perfect demon" in the field. This
versatile, agreeable breed can go to ground, bolt a fox and tackle or
dispatch other small vermin, working alone or with a pack. Honorable
scars from wear and tear are acceptable in the ring.
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| Size ***
Height at the withers 9 to 10 inches at maturity. Bitches tend to
be smaller than dogs. Length of back from point of withers to base of
tail should be slightly longer than the height at the withers. Good substance
and bone. Weight 11 to 12 pounds or that which is suitable for
each individual dog's structure and balance. Fit working condition is a
prime consideration.
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| Head ***
Eyes small, dark and oval, with black rims. Placed well apart
with a sparkling, keen and intelligent expression. Ears neatly
dropped, small, with a break at the skull line, carried close to the
cheek and not falling lower than the outer corner of the eye. V-shaped,
slightly rounded at the tip, smooth and velvety to the touch. Skull
wide, slightly rounded, with good width between the ears. Muzzle
is strong and wedge shaped. Its length is one-third less than a
measurement from the occiput to the well-defined stop. Jaw clean
and strong. Tight-lipped with a scissor bite and large teeth.
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| Neck,
*** Neck of medium
length, strong and blending into well laid back shoulders. Level topline.
Good width of chest. Ribs well sprung, chest moderately
deep. Strong loins. Tail medium docked, of sufficient
length to ensure a balanced outline. Straight, set on high, the base
level with the topline. Not a squirrel tail. Forequarters *** Well laid back shoulders. Elbows close to ribs. Short, powerful legs, as straight as is consistent with the digging terrier. Pasterns firm. Feet round, pads thick, with strong, black nails.
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| Hindquarters
*** Broad with strong,
muscular thighs. Good turn of stifle. Hocks well
let down and straight when viewed from the rear. Feet as in
front. Coat *** The protective coat is hard, wiry and straight, about 1½ to 2 inches long, lying close to the body, with a definite undercoat. The mane on neck and shoulders is longer and also forms a ruff at the base of the ears and the throat. Moderate furnishings of harsh texture on legs. Hair on the head and ears is short and smooth, except for slight eyebrows and whiskers. Some tidying is necessary to keep the dog neat, but shaping should be heavily penalized.
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| Color ***
All shades of red, wheaten, black and tan, or grizzle. Dark points
permissible. White marks are not desirable. Gait *** Should be true, low and driving. In front, the legs extend forward from the shoulder. Good rear angulation showing great powers of propulsion. Viewed from the side, hind legs follow in the track of the forelegs, moving smoothly from the hip and flexing well at the stifle and hock. Topline remains level. Temperament *** Alert, gregarious, fearless and loyal. Never aggressive.
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Faults *** Any departure from foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact propotion to its degree. Note**** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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Norfolk Terrier and 
