Norfolk Terrier

The breed emerged in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire in the late nineteenth century among students and stable staff at Cambridge, who kept small ratting terriers around their lodgings and later on hunt stables. Norfolk and Norwich Terriers were considered a single breed with two ear types until 1964, when the Kennel Club split them, giving drop-eared dogs the Norfolk name. Both types were bred to bolt foxes from earths and to keep stables and barns free of vermin, work that demanded a fearless, compact dog able to squeeze into tight spaces.

Living with a Norfolk Terrier means living with a dog far tougher and busier than its small size suggests. It is affectionate and sociable, generally good with children and other dogs, and less prone to scrappiness than some terrier breeds, though it retains a strong prey drive and will chase anything that runs. It is intelligent but can be single-minded, so recall around wildlife needs careful, early training and a secure garden is essential.

The wiry coat is weatherproof and needs hand-stripping two or three times a year to maintain its harsh texture, plus a weekly brush to prevent tangles. Exercise needs are moderate — brisk walks and time to dig and explore suit the breed well, and it enjoys earth dog trials and other terrier activities that let it use its natural instincts.

Today the Norfolk Terrier is kept largely as a companion, valued for its cheerful, unflappable temperament and its manageable size, though it remains a true terrier at heart, always ready to investigate a hole in the ground.