Norwich Terrier Grooming

The Norwich Terrier coat requires a lot of work — especially if you wish the dog to be in a show. Ironically, the desire is to have the dog look like he did when he ran free on farms to hunt down rats and other pests. You may even find some groomers who recommend a very long laundry list of grooming tools to get the dog to look natural. At the very least, you will need to spend a few weeks every year literally plucking the hairs from the dog's skin, or hire a groomer to do so. On this page, you'll find some tips on how to strip and groom your Norwich Terrier.

In olden days, the Norwich Terrier was a ratter. These distinct-looking dogs would essentially self-groom by hunting vermin, tearing through fields, and racing through stone walls. This kept their hard, wiry coat free of debris as well as essentially stripped and laid back along the grain. This also allowed the undercoat to grow anew as needed. There was no real need for Norwich Terrier grooming as we now know it.

These days, Norwich Terriers tend to be kept almost solely as companion animals. This means their coats require a great amount of grooming to make up for the lack of field activity. Failing to do so can cause the dog to itch and the hair to grow straight out rather than laid back. You can learn the basics at home, but it's best to get a Norwich Terrier grooming guide. They have double-coats, and they should never be trimmed, let alone shaved. Hand-stripping should be done at least twice a year. Many groomers, however, recommend four times annually.

There is basically just one Norwich Terrier haircut, and this one strives to maintain the dog's natural look from days of yore. These dogs have a wiry double-coat that works best when maintained as such. Trimming with scissors, shaving and most anything except for careful brushing and hand-stripping is not good for their coats. You don't want the coat hairs popping outward like an electrified look, and you don't want the hair being soft either.

Hand-stripping is especially important, and it should be done properly. This is not complicated, but it does require some knowledge as well as a good amount of time. The legs and head tend to have the longest hairs that need the most work. You'll also want to keep the hair along the back and underside short.

As you learn to hand-strip, you can also learn to "roll" the coat too. This is a bit complicated, however. To make sure you don't end up with a crazy-looking Norwich Terrier whose hair goes all ways but one, watch a video or visit a groomer to watch them. The goal is to selectively pull any hairs that disrupt the dog's silhouette.