Supposing you've decided to adopt a new dog, and furthermore, you've perhaps settled on adopting a terrier, the next question will probably be; which terrier is right for me? The various breeds of terrier all have common characteristics as well as a wide variety of traits and features that make them unique from one another. For this reason, the decision of exactly which breed of terrier to adopt is not one to be made hastily.
Being the smallest working breed of terrier, the Norfolk might just be the best choice for small apartment owners, however, a small apartment shouldn't default the decision to Norfolk, either. As said before, the decision has to be made carefully. Although, if after reading this, the potential future terrier owner is still set on a Norfolk, they should be advised that the Norwich terrier shares an almost identical definition save for the minor difference of their ears standing erect.
Unlike some terrier breeds, the Norfolk tends to work just fine with first time owners. The Bull terrier and American Pit Bull terrier, for example, are both known to be especially difficult to raise for first time trainers. That is not to say that the Norfolk terrier is for the casual dog owner, they are certainly demanding of competent training and a lot of attention, however, they are not known as an especially difficult breed, being relatively flexible when it comes to training. As long as the amateur is serious about learning the craft, the Norfolk is a fine choice for someone still learning the ropes of caring for a dog.
While their appearance is superficially similar to other breeds of terrier such as Scottish and English terriers, the Norfolk is differentiated from the crowd by their small stature as well as their being characterized as perhaps the most fearless of all recognized dog breeds, terrier or otherwise. Thanks to this reputation as such a courageous breed, the Norfolk terrier may be the only breed of dog for which the American Kennel Club accepts scars without penalization, defining the scars as badges of honor rather than as imperfections.
Although, for all the differences the prospective adoptive owner might find in terriers from breed to breed, they'll find even more incredible difference from dog to dog. Before adopting any pet, the would-be owner absolutely needs to take the time out of their day to get to know the individual animal before hand, as, even within a single litter, every dog is born inclined to their own unique personality and will develop its own unique identity depending on how he or she is raised and treated throughout their life, and you are not likely to find two identical dogs anywhere in the world.
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