Habits & Quirks

Oh where do I begin? These dogs have the most intriguing habits and little quirks.

The Art of Begging

The first thing that comes to mind is the insatiable begging. These dogs are professional level beggars. Not only are they tenacious in their begging, they are creative! Nigel and Divot sit on the floor by the counter where the treat jar is located. If you walk by while they are sitting there and you happen to make eye contact they quickly look up at the jar and back at you and back at the jar. This movement is a very rapid one as if they're motioning with their heads "hey, how about a treat?" They have no shame about trying to manipulate you to give them treats even if they have just finished a meal. For an in depth explanation of how smart they are and their ability to manipulate, see "Who Says Dogs Don't Think Logically?"

Sit Down And Stay A While

The Norwich "sit" is another charming thing about these dogs. Since their legs are short, they don't sit like a larger breed, with their "knees" up and bent. Instead, they tend to sit right on their butt with their feet out straight; some people say they look like bear cubs. They also have the cutest way of lying down. When they lay on their tummies, they lay with their feet out behind them or out to the side.

High IQ's Make for Spelling Bees and the Need For Smart Training

Terriers are known for their intelligence. Nigel and Divot both have pretty large vocabularies - that is, they understand many words and phrases and spelling certain words becomes a way of life. Norwich Terriers also have a habit of tilting their heads a lot so often times when you're speaking (and not even to them) they are observing and taking it all in, constantly tilting their heads this way and that way. All that intelligence means that you must be smarter! Intelligence can translate into stubbornness at times. Training a Norwich can be a challenge! Since all dogs vary in personality, intelligence and general temperament, my advice is not to attempt to train every dog in the same way. If you had a Golden Retirever before, chances are you're not going to train your Norwich using the same method. Nigel responds better to treats than he does to just praise and he has responded quite well to clicker training.

Divot responds quite well to lots of praise, so in training her I don't always have to offer treats. Each dog is an individual and you must find the method of communication that works best for him or her.

A Declaration of Independence... Or Not!

Nigel is quite independent and strong willed. He loves attention but it's on his own terms. I work at home and Nigel is content to know that I am somewhere in the house. If I am in my office too long however, he'll wander in to see what I'm doing. When I leave the house, he's content to stay in his window seat, glance over his shoulder when I say, "I'll see you later!" and go back to sleep or go back to watching the neighborhood.

He knows when he's ready to go to bed and will ask to be let out that last time, and get his bedtime treat. In the winter he'll stand on the landing for a dramatic pause, bid us goodnight, and then go upstairs and hunker down into bed. In the summer he's more content to stay on the main floor with the rest of the pack.

Divot is much more dependent and spends much of her day following me around from room to room and lying on my lap, behind me in my chair, or on a pillow under my desk as I work. She is the total opposite of Nigel when it comes to me leaving. She always wants to go and follows me right to the door and puts her paws on me as if to say, "Please take me with you!" She is my Velcro dog.

To Bark or Not to Bark...

One of the many wonderful things about the Norwich is that they're not given to senseless barking. In fact, there are only two things that cause my dogs to bark. One is the arrival of someone at the door. But this isn't "Warning! Someone has entered our turf!" This is "Yippee! Someone is here to see us!" These are not watchdogs - they like stranger too much. If you need security for your home, buy the electronic kind. Everyone who approaches them is viewed as a friend. The only other time that my dogs bark is at feeding time. I have been working on getting Nigel to be patient while I get their food and supplements together. He used to bark very impatiently but I've since gotten him to stop that habit. He now tries desperately to hold it together but will let out an occasional whine or whimper. Divot, who is a perfect lady, sits quietly staring up and me, not making a peep, but quivering in anticipation. Once I say, "Okay!" They bark and leap with joy. Nigel runs to his placemat and prances, licking his lips. Divot leaps in the air, trying to push me along faster. All 6 steps to their placemats must seem like miles to them.

Is It Prissy or Just Particular?

Nigel has particular quirks about his feet. First and foremost he doesn't like them to be touched. Also, he is very careful about where he walks and he watches the ground carefully and "picks" his way around. I pick up after each dog as soon as they "go" but he's still quite persnickety about his feet and careful where he steps. He does not like to walk in wet grass and if he must, you can see the discomfort written on his face. I have been told by other Norwich parents that their dogs respond to wet grass exactly the same way.

I'm Ready For My Close-up

Nigel loves to have his picture taken. He will pose any time, anywhere. If I get the camera out he is ready to cooperate and will sit for me for long periods of time without ever seeming to get distracted. Divot is not as fond of having her picture taken as Nigel is. She's not afraid of the camera, but she is simply too interested in everything else.

Big Dogs vs. Little Dogs

My dogs like big dogs. They don't really like many of the small dogs that they've met, (with the exception of other Norwich, a Norfolk and a Cairn Terrier that we know) Small dogs can be more "vocal" than Nigel and Divot are used to and perhaps they feel like their being yelled at.

Rub A-Dub-Dub

One of Divot's silly little quirks is to rub her face all over me when she's excited. If I'm putting on my shoes to go for a walk (yes, they know which ones are the walking shoes) she immediately comes running and starts rubbing her face on my legs and butting me with her head. If I've been out for a few hours, when I come home, after the initial greetings, she follows me around rubbing her face on me as I walk. Step... rub, step...rub, step...rub and snorting with happiness all the way.

Shaken Puppy Syndrome

No, this isn't a section on animal cruelty. It's what we call one of Divot's strange little quirks. Divot loves to have me hold her sitting upright on my lap, facing me, hands under her armpits supporting her, and gently move her back and forth or gently bounce her. It's like what you'd do with a baby. She loves this and will immediately go to sleep with her head slightly bobbing around. Sometimes she gets so relaxed, her mouth will drop open! She taught me this as she would maneuver herself onto my lap and then pop up into a sitting position. Somehow we figured out the rest from there.

Watch Me!

Divot is my very "visually oriented dog." Although both enjoy watching certain TV programs, Divot is fascinated by the computer and the aquarium. These two things can capture her attention for unusually long periods of time. Both Nigel and Divot enjoy watching dog shows, (The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an annual favorite at our house), and other shows with animals, such as "Emergency Vets." They both seem to enjoy the movie "Homeward Bound" and they also seem to be intrigued by animated movies such as "A Bug's Life."

Excuse Me, That's My Throne

Divot is the little princess of the house and every little princess needs soft pillows to lounge on. Any pillow left on the floor will certainly be occupied by her. If two are stacked, she'll climb up to lounge upon them like a little throne. She even likes to stretch out on pillows that are on the sofa or chairs. She is the epitome of a pampered pooch and a cushy lifestyle becomes her.

Norwich See Norwich Do

In writing about all of these individual quirks that Nigel and Divot have, I cannot end without telling you that one of the most fascinating things about living with 2 Norwich Terriers is that while they each do have their individual quirks, they also learn each other's quirks and integrate them into their own lives. For example, Divot didn't start off doing the head motions for advanced begging, she learned that from Nigel. On the other hand, Nigel had never lounged on a pillow until he saw Divot doing it and now he does it quite regularly too.

So, while living with one Norwich adds a sense of silliness and charm to your world, living with two doubles the fun.