The Norwich Terrier is one of the smallest of the working terriers, a hardy little prick-eared dog developed in East Anglia to bolt foxes and clear barns of rats. Do not let the size or the foxy, good-natured face fool you: this is a genuine terrier, fearless and tenacious underground, with the drive and energy of breeds many times its weight. What sets the Norwich apart is its temperament. It was bred to work in packs as much as alone, so it tends to be friendlier, more sociable, and more people-oriented than the scrappier terriers, which is exactly why it has become such a beloved companion.
That friendly streak is the key to training one. A Norwich is affectionate, adaptable, and more food-motivated and biddable than the average terrier, which gives you a real advantage. But it still carries the full terrier toolkit: a strong prey drive, a love of digging, real energy, and a readiness to bark. Channel those instincts and you have a spirited, devoted little dog that fits almost any home. Ignore them and you get a digger, a barker, and an escape artist with a big personality.
This guide covers what works with a Norwich, week by week, built around how a friendly but driven working terrier actually learns.
What Makes Training a Norwich Different
Four breed traits shape your approach.
1. Friendly and biddable, for a terrier. The pack-working heritage makes the Norwich more sociable and people-focused than many terriers, and it takes well to reward-based training. Use that cooperative streak; it is a genuine head start that scrappier terriers do not give you.
2. A strong prey drive. Beneath the charm is a ratter that will chase small, fast animals on instinct. Recall around moving prey is the hardest skill you will teach, and off-leash freedom near wildlife or roads is a real risk. Plan to manage the drive rather than expecting to erase it.
3. A love of digging. Bred to go to ground after fox and vermin, the Norwich digs because it is wired to. Without a sanctioned outlet, your garden becomes the project. Give the dog a place where digging is allowed and the rest of the yard survives.
4. Energetic and quick to bark despite the size. This is a hardy, athletic dog that needs real exercise and mental work, not just a lap to sit on. Under-exercised, it turns to digging and barking. Early management of the alert-barking tendency keeps a watchful breed from becoming a noisy one.
Week-by-Week Training Plan for Your Norwich
Below is the framework we use at TailorPup for a Norwich-specific 12-week plan. Run it at home; the structure and breed-appropriate emphasis are the point.
Weeks 1 and 2 : Foundation and Socialization
Build engagement and socialize widely, which is easy with this friendly breed. Run three to four five-minute sessions a day: say the name once, mark eye contact, reward with high-value food. For a prey-driven terrier, this attention base is what later lets you compete with a darting squirrel.
Weeks 3 and 4 : Core Commands
Norwich learn quickly. Lure sit and down, mark, reward, and add the cue once the behavior is consistent. Keep sessions short and fun to suit the breed's lively attention span, and start building a little duration on stay.
Weeks 5 and 6 : Leash Work and Prey Drive
Use stop-and-stand for pulling: stop the instant the leash tightens, advance only when it loosens. A harness suits the small frame. Practice redirecting the dog before it locks onto prey, rewarding a look back at you, so you build an "ignore it and check in" habit rather than a chase.
Weeks 7 and 8 : Recall and Barking
Build recall on a long line, starting in low-distraction areas and paying every success generously. Never call the dog for anything it dislikes. In parallel, shape quiet: reward calm at windows and the door, manage triggers, and teach an "enough" cue rather than shouting. See our barking guide for the full protocol.
Weeks 9 and 10 : Channeling Drive
Give the terrier instincts legal outlets. A designated digging box, flirt-pole play, fetch, earthdog-style games, and scent work all scratch the breed's natural itches. A Norwich that gets to dig in its box and chase a toy on cue leaves the flowerbeds and the cat alone. Add daily walks and thinking games.
Weeks 11 and 12 : Generalization
Prove the skills in the real world: calm loose-leash walking past distractions, recall in a fenced area with mild temptation, settling quietly in busier places. A Norwich that performs at home but not outside is only partly trained, and these last two weeks are where you finish the job.
Common Norwich Training Mistakes
Three mistakes show up repeatedly with this breed.
Mistake 1 : Underestimating the energy because of the size. People assume a small terrier is a low-effort dog. A Norwich that does not get real exercise and mental work digs, barks, and finds its own entertainment, usually at your expense. Treat it as the hardy working dog it is.
Mistake 2 : Trusting off-leash recall around prey. The prey drive overrides recall in an instant near wildlife or traffic. Until recall is heavily proofed on a long line, keep the dog leashed in open areas, and stay cautious even then.
Mistake 3 : Providing no digging outlet and ignoring barking. Suppressing these instincts without an alternative just frustrates the dog and ruins the garden. Give digging a sanctioned spot and shape quiet early. The full list is in our Norwich Terrier training mistakes guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Norwich Terriers easy to train ? Reasonably, for a terrier. They are friendlier, more food-motivated, and more biddable than many, so reward-based training works well. The challenges are prey drive, digging, and energy rather than trainability, so recall and quiet take the most work.
How much exercise does a Norwich Terrier need ? Around 60 minutes of activity daily plus mental work. The breed is a hardy working terrier with real energy despite its small size, and under-exercised Norwich dig and bark out of boredom.
Can I let my Norwich off-leash ? In a securely fenced area, yes. In open spaces near wildlife or roads it is risky, because the prey drive challenges recall. Use a long line outdoors until recall is genuinely reliable.
Are Norwich Terriers good family dogs ? Yes. They are friendlier and more sociable than many terriers, affectionate, and good with families, provided their exercise and terrier outlets are met. They adapt well to smaller homes when properly exercised.
Do Norwich Terriers bark a lot ? They can, as alert watchdogs with a terrier streak, but it is very manageable. Shape and reward quiet early, manage triggers, and meet the dog's exercise needs, and you will keep a watchful dog from becoming a noisy one.
Is positive reinforcement effective for Norwich Terriers ? Yes, and more so than for many terriers. The friendly, food-motivated breed responds well to reward-based training and does not need harsh handling, which only undermines the cooperative temperament.
Why does my Norwich keep digging up the garden ? Because it was bred to go to ground after vermin, so digging is an instinct, not misbehavior. Give it a designated digging box or patch, reward digging there, and the rest of the garden is far safer. Pair that with enough exercise to take the edge off.
Why TailorPup Was Built for Norwich Terriers
A generic plan treats your Norwich like an average small dog and ignores the prey drive, the digging, and the energy that make it a true terrier. That mismatch is why standard advice frustrates owners of the breed.
TailorPup builds a 12-week plan around your specific dog: its terrier instincts, its age, and the behaviors you are actually seeing. For a Norwich that means leaning on its friendly trainability, careful recall work around movement, a digging outlet, a real outlet for the prey drive, and an early barking protocol.
Daily 12-minute sessions plus weekly adjustments based on your dog's progress. Free for 7 days, no card required.
Start your Norwich Terrier's plan free at tailorpup.com →
Related: Norwich Terrier Training Mistakes · Recall Training · Barking Solutions · Leash Pulling