American Rare Breed Association!

Breed Standard

Norwich Terrier

 

FCI-Standard N° 72 / 02.02.1998/ GB
NORWICH TERRIER.


ORIGIN : Great Britain.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.06.1987.
UTILIZATION : Terrier.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 3 Terriers. Section 2 Small-sized Terriers.
Without working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Small, low, keen dog, compact and strong with good substance and bone. Honourable scars from fair wear and tear not to be unduly penalised.

BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT : One of the smallest of the terriers. Lovable disposition, not quarrelsome, tremendously active with hardy constitution. Gay and fearless.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Slightly rounded, wide, good width between ears.
Stop : Well defined.

FACIAL REGION :
Muzzle : Wedge-shaped and strong (length about one third less than measurement from occiput to bottom of stop.)
Lips : Tight-lipped.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws clean and strong. Rather large, strong teeth with perfect, regular scissor bite, i. e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes : Small, oval-shaped, dark, full of expression, bright and keen.
Ears : Erect, set well apart on top of skull. Medium size with pointed tips. Perfectly erect when aroused, can be laid back when not at attention.

NECK : Strong of good length, commensurate with correct overall balance, flowing into well laid shoulders.

BODY :
Back : Short, compact. Topline level.
Loin : Short.
Chest : Ribcage long and well sprung. With good depth.

TAIL : Docking optional.
a) Medium docked. Set on high, completing perfectly level topline. Carried erect.
b) Tail of moderate length to give a general balance to dog, thick at root and tapering towards tips, as straight as possible. Carried jauntily, not excessively gay, completing perfectly level topline.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Legs short, powerful and straight.
Elbows : Close to body.
Pastern : Firm and upright.

HINDQUARTERS : Broad, strong and muscular.
Stifle : Well turned.
Hocks : Low-set, with great propulsion.

FEET : Rounded, well padded and cat-like. Pointing straight forward standing and moving.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Forelegs should move straight forward when travelling ; hind legs follow in their track ; hocks parallel and flexing to show pads.

COAT

HAIR : Hard, wiry, straight, lying close to body, thick undercoat. Longer and rougher on neck forming a ruff to frame face. Hair on head and ears short and smooth, except for slight whiskers and eyebrows.

COLOUR : All shades of red, wheaten, black and tan or grizzle. White marks or patches are undesirable.

SIZE :
Ideal height at the withers : 25-26 cm (10 ins).

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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