over the rump. Once the groomer has made the topline level they then must create a straight underline. Th e underline of the dog (the area under the belly of the dog) is a re fl ection of the topline and ads to the overall outline of the dog. If the underline is not groomed evenly it will make the topline look uneven as well. Th e neck of the Norwich and Norfolk terrier is a “neck of medium length, strong and blending into well laid back shoulders” If the dog lacks length of neck a groomer must trim the front and sides of the dogs neck to create the illusion that the dog has a medium length of neck. Th e Norfolk and Norwich terrier should have feet that are round with thick pads. Th e feet should be trimmed underneath to remove all hair that would attract debris and distract from a round appearance. Th e outside of the foot should be trimmed round. Th e ears on the Norfolk and Norwich terrier should be stripped clean of hair. Th e Norfolk should have the hair in front of and under- neath the ear pulled close to allow the ears to lay fl at against the head of the dog. Th e Norwich terrier should have the top half of the ear cleaned both front and back and the remaining hair in front of the ear trimmed to lightly cover the ear opening. Th e hair on the Norwich ear should have a fanned appearance when fi nished. Th e tail of both the Norfolk and Norwich terrier should be stripped close and the area around the rectum should be kept clean of hair as well. Th e rear end of the Norfolk and Norwich terrier should be broad with strong, muscular thighs. Th ese dogs should have a rear end that extends past the base of their tail (a round rump appearance). When trimming this area it is important to tidy up the area but not to remove too much hair thus making the dog fall away behind or exposing the genitalia. Trimming these dogs for show can be a rewarding experience. Th e largest shortfall on grooming these breeds is when the groomer does not pull enough hair o ff the dog and they do not pull the coat often enough to create a rolled coat. Th e only way to perfect your grooming skills is to seek advice from people that have been trimming these breeds for years and have been very successful at it. I recommend looking at photos of top winning dogs and placing those photos in front of you when you trim your dog keep in mind those dogs probably had a fault or two themselves but the creative groomer has hidden them from sight with impeccable grooming. Another useful tip is to groom your dog in front of a mirror; this will allow the groomer to see what a person standing away from the dog would see. Most importantly do not be afraid to make a mistake… remember it is only hair and it will grow back!
BIO Lori has been a breeder of both Norfolk and Norwich terriers for 20 years. She won the Norwich terrier national specialty at Mont- gomery county Kennel Club in 2008 with CH Abbedale Brass Tacks “Rugby”. She has been at Norfolk Aggie since 1992. She has been teaching dog grooming since 1990 on the col- lege, post graduate and high school level. Lori
started her career in dogs at the age of 12 and it has continued ever since. She shares her home with Norfolk, Norwich and Border terriers as well as a Vizsla and a Golden Retriever. She breeds Norfolk and Norwich under the prefix Avalon and Borders and Goldens under the prefix Radland.
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