A Norwich Terrier has a coarse and wiry coat and as such they are low maintenance in the grooming department. A weekly brush is all that's needed to keep their coats tidy and tangle-free. However, they do need to be hand stripped at least twice a year, which is best left up to a professional dog groomer. This makes it that much easier to keep on top of things in between visits to the grooming parlour.
Puppies need to be introduced to all the tools needed to keeping their coats and skin in top condition and it's important to touch their ears, paws and other parts of their body which makes it a lot easier to trim nails and check an adult dog's ears further down the line. It's important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary. If too much wax is allowed to build up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.
Norwich Terriers are known to be high-energy little dogs and much like other terriers, they need to be given the right amount of daily exercise and mental stimulation to be truly happy, well-rounded and obedient dogs. They need at least one hour's exercise every day and as much "playtime" as possible to prevent dogs from developing unwanted and often destructive behaviours around the home.
A shorter walk in the morning would be fine, but a longer more interesting one in the afternoon is a must. These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. However, the fencing has to be extremely secure to keep these lively, active dogs in because if they find a weakness in the fence, they will soon escape out and get into all sorts of trouble, bearing in mind that there is nothing these little terriers enjoy more than digging.
With this said, Norwich Terrier puppies should not be given too much exercise because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives. They should not be allowed to jump up or off furniture nor should they be allowed to run up and down the stairs because this puts too much pressure on their still growing joints and limbs.
If you get a Norwich Terrier puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
