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.