How Norwich Tales Can Help You Decide If a Norwich Terrier Is Right for You

Updated

Norwich Tales is a personal, enthusiast-run website built for people who love Norwich Terriers — including those who don't own one yet. Its stated goal is to help you determine whether a Norwich Terrier, or any dog, is right for you right now. It does this mainly by sharing one owner's long experience with the breed rather than by acting as a breeder, kennel, or professional advisory service. If you're weighing whether to bring a Norwich Terrier into your life, the site is best used as a starting point for reflection, not as a final authority.

What the site actually offers

According to the site itself, Norwich Tales is written by Barbara Huffman, who has shared her life with Norwich Terriers since 1998. She describes herself plainly: not a breeder, handler, or expert in the field of dogs. She founded the website in 2001 and later published a book, Norwich Tales – Exploring Life With Norwich Terriers, in 2012. She has also been interviewed by Dog & Kennel magazine and other terrier-specific publications.

That framing matters. The value here is lived experience and breed enthusiasm, not credentialed expertise or commercial breeding advice.

The site's content centers on:

  • Breed information for people curious about Norwich Terriers
  • Photos and videos of the breed
  • Personal stories about individual dogs (Nigel, Divot, Norman, and Sooner)
  • A recurring message that bringing a dog home is a big commitment

How it helps you decide

The site's core contribution to your decision is a candid framing of the question. It states directly that bringing a dog into your life is a big commitment and not something to be taken lightly, and that its goal is to help you judge whether a Norwich Terrier — or any dog — fits your situation at this moment.

That "right now" emphasis is the useful part. Rather than selling you on the breed, the site positions itself around honest self-assessment. You can use its breed material and personal accounts to test your expectations against the reality of living with a Norwich Terrier.

Questions worth asking yourself as you read

  • Does my current schedule allow for a dog that needs daily attention and activity?
  • Am I ready for a long-term commitment, not just the puppy stage?
  • Does the breed's temperament — described on the site as "adorable and feisty" — match what I actually want in a companion?
  • Can I meet this breed's needs given my housing, work, and travel situation?

What it is not

Norwich Tales is not a breeder, rescue, or veterinary resource, and its author does not present herself as a breed expert. So it shouldn't be your only source for health, genetics, or purchasing decisions. Treat it as one enthusiast's perspective — valuable for atmosphere and firsthand observation, but something to pair with breed-club, veterinary, and reputable-breeder information before committing.

A reasonable way to use it

  1. Read the breed and "about" material to understand what daily life with a Norwich Terrier looks like in one household.
  2. Compare that picture against your own time, space, and long-term plans.
  3. Use the photos and stories to gauge whether the breed's energy and personality appeal to you in practice, not just in theory.
  4. If you're still interested, seek out additional, more formal sources before making a decision.

If after that you find the breed fits your life as it is now, the site has done its job. If it doesn't, that's a useful answer too — and one the site explicitly aims to help you reach.