Starting with a Norwich is not really all that different from starting in agility with any other breed, but there are a few special concerns that you do need to consider. Visit classes and speak to instructors before signing up. Look for someone who is enthusiastic about training terriers. There are unfortunately still people out there who consider terriers ‘difficult,’ and that working with them “will not get you far.”

Make sure too that the trainer you find has experience competing in AKC agility and has had some experience working with small dogs. There are all kinds of different training techniques, styles, and methods. Finding the right one for you is more a matter of personal preference than anything else. But as a general rule of thumb, avoid any trainer who believes there’s only one right way to do things. Norwich, like many other terriers, are inventive little dogs. You need a creative and inventive trainer to keep up. When training any kind of terrier, I also look for an instructor who is comfortable with dogs who bark when they’re happy. While you might want to discourage excessive barking, don’t squelch your dog’s enthusiasm by asking for him to work silently. Most Norwich doing agility like to cheer themselves on with a happy voice.

To keep your Norwich excited about this new game and willing to work hard, keep sessions very short and be generous with rewards. Tugging and destroying squeaky toys are often seen as the ultimate rewards by our little rat catchers. But high value treats work wonderfully as well. It is not excessive to reward every three to five seconds with a dog who is just starting to learn the sport. But make sure your treats are very small since the calories add up quickly! Roast beef, chicken breast, and low fat cheese are all popular treats, easily cut into very small bits.

Corrections of any type are not necessary when you first start training. Until the dog really understands what the job is, there’s no way he can really be wrong. If something goes wrong just re-assess what you did and do things differently the next time.

Cut yourself plenty of slack as well. You’re learning a new sport too, and you’ll be making plenty of mistakes. Not to worry, no matter what you do wrong, you won’t ruin the dog. Every mistake is fixable and your dog will most certainly be too busy enjoying playing with you to even worry about what you’re doing wrong!

Thank you Sassie.
— Leandra Little, AKC Gazette Breed Columnist

© AKC Gazette, November 2008 · Norwich & Norfolk Terrier Breed Column · Reprinted with permission.

There are two different ways to provide for your Norwich. For owners who are confident that family members or friends can be relied upon to take good care of their surviving pets, a simple plan of leaving the animals to specified persons in the will (or revocable trust, which acts as a will substitute) may be satisfactory. Ms. Carlisle advises that it’s best if the will refers to “all animals owned by the client at the time of death,” rather than naming specific animals, as most people have a succession of animals during their lives.

The owner may wish to leave a bequest of cash or property to the person(s) taking the animals. This may be a token sum or a greater amount to cover projected expenses. It is crucial to name alternates as beneficiaries of the animals. Ms. Carlisle emphasized “it’s your job to find the appropriate people and to also select an executor with the competency and the compassion to place each pet according to your wishes.”

The second way to ensure your pet’s future is by establishing a pet trust. Statutes have been enacted in many states, which permit owners to create enforceable trusts for the care of their animals. Since animals are still considered to be property, and thus cannot inherit directly, the animal can be placed in a trust along with funds for its care. A trust provides more protection than an outright bequest.

For example, New York state’s statute, passed in 1996, (Estates, Powers and Trusts Law “EPTL” section 7-8.1) provides that the trust can be enforced in state courts. Ms. Carlisle advises, “When creating a trust under EPTL … the client should name a trustee, a caretaker, and a court enforcer (and alternates). The trustee and the caretaker can be the same person, or if the client wants a system of checks and balances, two different people. The court enforcer should be a different person who would go to court to enforce the trust, if the trustee is not fulfilling his or her fiduciary duties.”

There are various ways to fund a pet trust: through a cash bequest, through other assets or by a life insurance policy which would make the trust the beneficiary. Comments on care can be included in a side letter to the trustee.

It’s also important to make short-term arrangements for care during the time the will is probated. Be sure to give someone authority to enter your home to either feed and care for your Norwich or to take the animals out of the house if need be. Carry a card specifying whom to contact. The elderly or those with health issues may wish to even post a sign on the inside of a door specifying whom to contact in the event of an emergency, otherwise animal control authorities may be called in.

Since there are different types of trusts and state laws vary, seek appropriate legal advice in providing for your pets. Go to estateplanning.org for lists of attorneys who are competent in establishing pet trusts or making provisions in a will for your beloved Norwich.

Meanwhile Trouble, the Maltese, lives comfortably at an undisclosed location with round-the-clock security costing $200,000 a year. In Ms. Carlisle’s opinion, Mrs. Helmsley over-funded Trouble’s trust and that’s where all the TROUBLE began.

— Leandra Little, AKC Gazette Breed Columnist

© AKC Gazette, August 2008  ·  Norwich & Norfolk Terrier Breed Column  ·  Reprinted with permission.

According to Barbara Miller, it will then be up to the new Boards to scrutinize and then make any changes to their constitutions. But until then, the current NNTC Constitution will continue as the working template. Barbara anticipates that the new clubs will be in place within a year.

Division has been the result of much hard effort by many so perhaps this is a good place to reprise some of the history leading up to this milestone. In the early days, the appellation was simply the Norwich Terrier Club. Before Norfolks became their own breed the abbreviation D.E. was appended to designate the drop eared variety. But many members wished for more recognition—and their own separate classes at shows.

Mr. Philip “Tiny” Fell as the NTC Delegate to the AKC pressed for separation of the breeds. Under his leadership, this finally occurred in January,1979, fifteen years after the British Norfolk Terrier Club was formed in 1964. The US club felt at the time that there were not enough members to support two separate clubs so the AKC permitted the two breeds to shelter under the same umbrella. This was not a sentiment shared by all members however.

Joan R. Read, prominent breeder and former president of the NTC, was determined that Norfolks have “a room of their own.” So a year later Joan and fellow aficionados, (notably Barbara Fournier and Jane Anderson) formed ANTA, the American Norfolk Terrier Association, which has remained a separate club independent of the AKC ever since. Joan authored the definitive book, The Norfolk Terrier in 1989 (now in its third printing) and remained active in ANTA until her death in 1995. No doubt she would be saying, “Finally!”

It’s been a long road. The first vote for division took place in 1983. Subsequent votes were held in 1993; 1996; 1998; 2001-2 and finally 2007’s culminating referendum.
Long-time member Missy Wood noted, “the votes were usually brought to the membership by the membership rather than by Club leaders.” She recalled too that the early initiatives simply failed outright. In 1983, the NNTC Constitution required 2/3rds of Norwich members and 2/3rds of Norfolk members to be in favor of division for it pass.

Alison Freehling, current editor of the NNTC News, kindly looked up the vote count. “I did find in the Winter 1983 News (#46) the results of that division vote… Of the total 147 Norwich members voting, 108 (73%) were opposed to division; 39 (27%) were in favor. Of the 78 Norfolk members who voted, 61 (78%) opposed division and 17 (22%) were in favor. So division was very unpopular 25 years ago!”

A decade passed before the members were again asked to voice their opinions and again the initiative failed to garner even the popular vote. “…105 voted “Yes;” 108 voted “No.” So division still had a long way to go 15 years ago. At some point, members voted to change the NNTC Constitution to require a 2/3rds majority of those casting ballots rather than 2/3rds of each breed.” This was the crucial change which made the most recent affirmation possible.

Still the necessary two-thirds majority eluded proponents until the last referendum with more than twice as many members voting—a measure of both interest and a reflection of increased club membership.

Now it is time to draw on this equity as we form our new clubs and to implement the vision of those who have come before for the benefit of our respective breeds. And it is especially time to thank Barbara Miller, the current Board and all our past Presidents and Boards for all their hard work as we move forward with this challenging endeavor.

— Leandra Little, AKC Gazette Breed Columnist

© AKC Gazette, May 2008  ·  Norwich & Norfolk Terrier Breed Column  ·  Reprinted with permission.

Donna Housley, a postdoctoral research associate with Dr. Patrick Venta, a geneticist at Michigan State University, has found the key. After the publication of the dog genome sequence in 2005, Dr. Housley was casting about for a project when she came across a shelved study in Dr. Venta’s lab. It had to do with the genetic factors governing hair length in dogs. She was intrigued.

“Many of the hair cycle genes have been identified and studied, just not in dogs.” And that’s how she made an important discovery. In examining the sequences, she found that the gene FGF5 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 5) is responsible for whether a dog has a long (rough or fluffy) coat or a short, smooth coat. “Elimination of FGF5 was known to cause long hair in mice (angoras), so it was a perfect candidate to test for its association with long hair in dogs.” It is a recessive allele, an ancient mutation “that’s probably been around for hundreds of years.” It appears in a number of breeds including Dachshunds, German Shepherds and most notably in Corgis, where her conclusive research was centered.

Last year Dr. Housley expanded the study to include both Norwich and Norfolk and has found the same genetic marker. “All the fluffs and none of the normals had two copies of the longhair mutation (or allele). Although a small number of dogs were genotyped, the results are statistically significant and consistent with the association of this allele with fluffy terriers.” Since Corgis have the same marker, this means that a test is now in place to determine if your Norwich or Norfolk is a carrier.

It’s a convenient non-invasive cheek swab test, sent by regular mail to the lab. And it can be conducted at any age. Along with other genetic testing labs, DDC Veterinary offers the test. According to the DDC website, the “DNA Fluffy Test,” yields a diagnosis of 3 possible genotypes:

1. N/N Clear (those having 2 copies of the normal short-hair allele (N)
2. N/F Carrier (those having 1 copy of the normal allele (N) and 1 copy of the long-hair mutation (F)
3. F/F Affected “Fluffy” (those having 2 copies of the long-hair mutation)

“Fluffy is an autosomal recessive trait; therefore dogs that are carriers of the long hair mutation will appear to be normal but will likely pass on the … “fluffy” mutation 50% of the time.” Autosomal recessive means that two copies of an abnormal gene must be present in order for the trait (or disease) to develop. Genes come in pairs. Recessive inheritance means BOTH genes in a pair must carry the mutation in order for it to appear. Carriers have just one of the defective genes which they can pass to their offspring.

Now that breeders have a conclusive test for this trait, we can make informed decisions about future matings. However, is it really in the interest of the gene pool to only breed clear to clear? An otherwise terrific dog may be a carrier. This is not an inherited disease, but rather a charming anomaly. So I would caution breeders to test breeding stock, find out if there is a problem and make wise decisions accordingly. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater however.

NB: Dr.Housley is looking to expand her data base to other breeds. Contact her at housleyd@cvm.msu.edu

— Leandra Little, AKC Gazette Breed Columnist

© AKC Gazette, November 2007 · Norwich & Norfolk Terrier Breed Column · Reprinted with permission.

The breed standard is the blueprint.  The breeder is the builder.  And the judge is the building inspector.— Percy Roberts

This analogy was shared by respected author-judge Richard Beauchamp during his February seminar “The Five Elements of Breed Type.” Sponsored by The Dog Judges Association of America the lecture was part of the judges education symposium held in conjunction with the Westminster KC show.  According to Beauchamp, the five elements are:

1. Breed Character—whether or not it looks, carries itself and acts as it should for that specific breed
2. Silhouette—correct proportions
3. Head/expression
4. Movement
5. Coat

He stressed that breeders must first determine correct type and then make sure we are not drifting away from that ideal. 

When building the perfect Norwich it can be a difficult mission.  The dog which passes all the health tests and has the right pedigree may still be too big, lack proper head, have poor coat texture, or have a topline that resembles the best ski slope that Aspen has to offer.  On the other hand, an exhibit might possess all the right individual ingredients including proper movement but still lack that essential hard-to-define morphology (the external form) which adds up to ideal breed type.  It’s a classic conundrum.  Does a judge/breeder begin by selecting for soundness and then look for the best type amongst those?  Or does the judge/breeder first select for type, then look for soundness?
Peter Green in a recent interview stated, “I don’t think Norwich Terriers are as good as they were fifteen years ago.”   He went on to say that his 1994 Westminster BIS Ch. Chidley Willum the Conqueror was his ideal breed type.  “Willum was the most correct, absolutely beautifully made Norwich.”  When asked what he is seeing today while on the judging circuit, he commented that some have gotten big and long and that dentition is a major problem.  He added that a Norwich Terrier should be very compact and that head and expression are of critical importance.  “The joy is in the face.  Type is a combination.  If they don’t have a good head, you don’t have good breed type.”

As he sees it the problem lies partially in geography.  “In this country they don’t have a concentration of breeders as they do in England.”  British breeders may see each other every weekend and so their eye has developed in the same way.  In essence, UK breeders and judges seem to have reached a consensus on what a Norwich Terrier ought to look like.   

Scattered as we are across the US it is essential that breeders attend regional and national specialties.  These can be viewed as opportunities to train the eye—to see current dogs which are deemed to be very good—role models.  Upon returning one is then better able to discern where variations away from the ideal have crept in.

It is not an easy task.  Our breed is not etched in stone.  And not everyone agrees.  One has only to go to early photos to see how our ideal has changed.  Foundation dogs like “Smudge” and Ch. Farndon Red Dog look very different from some of the most successful dogs seen in the ring today.  In essence, our breed is in the process of “drifting.”  Of course health and temperament are absolutely crucial too and it is possible to make a case that some of the “typiest” imports come with skeletons in the closet. But we must keep in mind that without an agreed upon morphology which defines the breed, we are lost.  The challenge is to direct the “drift” and to have a consensus on our ideal while maintaining health, temperament and soundness.                         
 
— Leandra Little, AKC Gazette Breed Columnist

© AKC Gazette, August 2007 · Norwich & Norfolk Terrier Breed Column · Reprinted with permission.