Norwich Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier

A Norwich Terrier
Photo: Svenska Mässan from Sweden
A Yorkshire Terrier
Photo: Joselodos

Side by side

Norwich Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
Adult weight
4.9–6 kg (11–13 lb) (estimated: ±10% around the AKC breed page's single 12 lb figure, one range for both sexes)
Males 4.1–7 kg (9.1–15 lb); females 3.6–5.9 kg (7.8–13 lb) (measured in UK vet records, n = 28,032, middle 50%)1
Lifespan
Median 14 years2
Median 13.3 years2
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes3
Group
Terriers4
Terriers5
Coat
Wire or harsh coat4
Long coat5
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Sheds through the year
Grooming
A brush once a week
Daily brushing
Exercise
A moderate amount
Health
No sourced figure
Dry eye (much more likely); Kneecap slipping out of place (much more likely)6,7
Class
Companion
Lap dog

Which suits you

Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Norwich Terrier holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out, the Yorkshire Terrier sheds through the year.
Grooming
The Yorkshire Terrier needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the Norwich Terrier needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on loyalty (Norwich Terrier: friendly with everyone; Yorkshire Terrier: sticks close to its people) and on independence (Norwich Terrier: cooperative, with its own ideas; Yorkshire Terrier: decides for itself).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 5.5 kg (12 lb) for the Norwich Terrier and 5.1 kg (11 lb) for the Yorkshire Terrier.
Alike
Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Norwich Terrier
Terriers · Small

The Norwich is affectionate, lively and fearless, with a strong urge to hunt and dig. It often worked in company with other dogs, and many get on well with them.

Yorkshire Terrier
Terriers · Small

In temperament the breed keeps much of the terrier in a small frame: alert, bold and quick to bark at strangers, yet affectionate with its household.

The Norwich Terrier page →The Yorkshire Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Norwich Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
Activity
A good daily walk and play
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
Norwich Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Friendly with everyone
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Decides for itself
Around the home
Norwich Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Likely to chase small pets
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 5.4 kg. The Norwich Terrier's weight is not a published figure.
Norwich Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
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More comparisons

Compare the Norwich Terrier with
Australian Terrier vs Yorkshire TerrierWest Highland White Terrier vs Yorkshire TerrierCairn Terrier vs Norwich TerrierNorwich Terrier vs West Highland White TerrierMiniature Schnauzer vs Yorkshire TerrierShih Tzu vs Yorkshire TerrierAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·