New Puppy Supplies

Here's a quick list of supplies to obtain before bringing your puppy home.

Adjustable Collar & Lead- ask your breeder the size of your puppy’s neck, Norwich puppies are usually 6-7”, toy breeds should wear harnesses rather than collars for leading, since they have fragile tracheas
Food & Water Bowls- stainless is preferred by some, but when washed and kept sanitary, crocks and plastic are ok too, match your décor!
Food- ask your Norwich Terrier breeder what brand they use, feed a premium puppy formula until 1yr of age
Crate- large enough for the puppy to stand and turn around comfortably (24-30" long for the adult Norwich Terrier), but not so large that they can potty on one end and sleep on the other, wire crates with a divider that can be moved as puppy grows works very well
Crate bedding- washable towels or waterproof liner, if puppy repeatedly soils their crate remove the bedding so that they are uncomfortably wet to encouraged them to hold it
Training Treats- small and easy to keep in your pocket for rewarding your puppy
Chew Treats- for teething puppies
Shampoo- dog shampoo only, never use human shampoo, they have a different ph balance
Between Bath Spray- handy to freshen up between baths
Puppy play pen and/or puppy gates- offer an appropriate play area to protect your carpets and keep your puppy safe
Potty accident clean up supplies- a carpet cleaner/ sanitizer to clean up accidents
Booster Car Seat, harness, or crate for safe travel in the car- appropriately restrain your puppy during travel
Dog Bed- used not only for comfortable sleeping outside of the crate, but for training purposes
Toys- appropriate for age and breed size, too small of toys for your breed is a choking hazard, puppies need comfort toys, chew toys, and things that are interesting and stimulate them
ID tag- all dogs and puppies should wear an ID tag with your contact information
Sweater, Jacket, or Coat- for cold or wet weather, dogs and puppies acclimated to indoor temperatures need protected from weather
Soft Sided Carrier/hand bag- handy for small dog breeds and puppies, used for airline travel or carrying in public
Books on Training- don’t wait for puppy classes to start training, learn how to crate train and start your puppy’s training before bringing them home

Obedience Training

Obedience training is a necessity with the Norwich Terrier to establish dominance and control. A disciplined, well behaved dog is going to be rewarding for you and your family. Dominating dogs can develop behavior problems such as growling, nipping, and biting to exert control of you, children, and strangers. The foundation of training, is to pair a verbal command with a behavior, and immediately reward the correct behavior. Key commands are 'sit', 'drop' (down), 'stay', and 'in your bed', in addition to walking on a lead, quietly riding in a restraining system in the car, etc. To establish dominance, they need household rules and limits such as staying off the furniture unless invited, sleeping in their crate or bed (not with you) and you should incorporate commands in their daily life. The Norwich is very intelligent and needs consistent obedience. There are a variety of training books and online information available. Training should start upon bringing your puppy home and I recommend that all families attend puppy obedience classes.

Potty Training Your Norwich Terrier

Potty training your Norwich Terrier: As a den animal, puppies will not soil the area that they consider their den if given the opportunity to go elsewhere. Our Norwich Terrier puppies use the doggie door and potty outside according to their instincts to keep their den clean. When they come to your home, they have to learn that the crate is their den and slowly expand the den area to include the rest of the house. Do not leave your puppy unattended, and return them to their crate when not actively watching them. This reduces the opportunity for accidents and increases successful potty trips. The most important part of training, is forming a schedule and sticking to it. Offer your puppy frequent opportunities to go potty, using the same spot in the yard and the same command. Offer potty trips first thing of the day, after eating, anytime they come out of the crate, and last thing of the day. Praise their success and offer play time in the house after successful trips. Tip: Bring your puppy back inside directly after going so they realize what the purpose of going outside was. Ignore them until they go, praise them upon success! Potty training is a process and the time it takes varies for each individual. We recommend a small crate for the puppy in training or a 24-30" wire crate with a divider that the puppy can grow into.