| Training | |
| Sensitivity to strangers | |
| Affection for family | |
| Suitable for first-time owners | |
| Ease of grooming | |
| Energy level |
Contents
The Biewer Terrier is a sweet little ball of fur, but also, we must say, it is an wonderful dog.
Yes! The adorable Biewer Terrier is truly a sweet little ball of fur; it is almost completely covered by long and silky hair. We can differentiate it from the Yorkshire Terrier by its type of coat, which is tricolor (gold, black and white) instead of bicolored.
This dog breed comes from Germany, and its origins are quite recent; it was selected from specimens that had the recessive gene of the Yorkshire. Nowadays, this dog breed is not recognized by the FCI or the German Kennel Club, but it is recognized by the American Kennel Club. The Biewer Terrier is a small-sized dog from the group of miniature dogs; it has long hair that falls softly all over its body, this feature gives it an elegant style.
It is a lively and smart dog that needs to be in constant movement. If it is trained properly since puppyhood it can be extremely affectionate and devoted to its family, including older people and children. On the contrary, if it does not have a well-defined owner, who acts like a guide and trains it correctly with strictness, coherence and perseverance, this little dog could become distrustful with strangers, aggressive with other dogs and it could behave in an impulsive and childish way with its family.
The Biewer is also known as Biewer Toy Terrier, Biewer Yorkshire Terrier or Biewer a la Pom Pon (a reference to its little ball of fur aspect).
Biewer Terrier: Origins
First of all, we must say, that the Biewer Terrier is a type of Yorkshire Terrier, and it is known by many names.
But let’s go in order to understand the history of this little dog. The Biewer has German origins, and it was developed quite recently, in fact the first specimen appeared in 1984 in Germany, when Gertrude and Werner Biewer started to breed and select some Yorkshire Terriers that had the recessive gene (this is the reason the Biewer has white hair).
From purebred Yorkshire Terriers, some puppies with white spots were born. These little baby dogs were adorable and beautiful to look at, so the Biewer family started to raise and breed them. Nowadays, this dog breed is recognized by some Clubs and international organizations, but it is not accepted by the FCI or KFT. The first Biewer German Club was founded on May 24, 2003.
This dog breed is getting more popular every day, especially in the US, but despite its rising popularity, we can say that it is unknown in many countries.
Biewer Terrier: Coat
The Biewer Terrier is a small-sized dog that has an adorable and elegant style. We can differentiate it from the traditional Yorkshire Terrier by its type of coat. The Biewer Terrier, unlike the Yorkshire, has tri-colored hair instead of bicolored.
The coat is white, black and golden colored. The colors are placed without any particular patterns. The hair is long, soft, silky and tricolored; it is split in the middle of its body and falls gracefully to the sides.
The hair is straight and it does not have an undercoat. On the top of its head it has long and flowy hair which can be styled in a ponytail. The chest, stomach, legs and tail are always white-colored.
Biewer Terrier: Physical Characteristics
The head is quite small and round-shaped; the nose is completely black-colored. The Biewer Terrier’s eyes are medium-sized and they can be rounded or almond-shaped; they are always dark-colored and have a smart and lively expression.
The ears are small and V-shaped; they are always straight and covered with soft hair. The body is slim and it can be slightly longer than taller. The tail is curved and placed in a high position; it ends in a funny lock of hair. Its front legs are well-muscled and straight; the posterior legs are also straight if you see them from the back, and slightly bent if you see them sideways.
As for the dimensions of our four-legged friend, we can say that the height of males can be around 6-9 inches (15-23 cm.), and 4-7 inches (10-18 cm.) on females. The weight can be 4-6 lb (2-3 kg) on males and females. This dog breed has a lifespan of 12-15 years of age.
Biewer Terrier: Health
In general it is a very healthy dog; we can say it is very robust and resistant. On some rare occasions it can develop some of the following diseases:
- Patella or Knee Luxation
- Dental Problems
- Epilepsy
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Distichiasis (a disease in which a new row of eyelashes grow behind the normal eyelashes and cause retinal irritation)
- Sensitive stomach (a proper, nutritious and healthy diet is recommended)
Biewer Terrier: Temperament
The Biewer is a companion dog, it adapts perfectly to life in an apartment, but keep in mind that it has a lively and energetic temperament, so it needs to exercise and have a place to run freely. If you live in an apartment, you must take it on frequent walks so it can run and unwind.
Therefore, we can assure it is not the proper dog form lazy or sedentary owners. The lack of physical exercise could lead your dog to develop an uneasy and restless behavior.
Another skill a Biewer owner must have is strictness and perseverance during the training period, without being aggressive. When you see the adorable Biewer standing all alone, the urge to hug and cuddle it rises immediately, but it would be a mistake to give it a free pass whenever it misbehaves. Your dog must understand who the leader of the family is, in order to show its true cheerful, sociable and affectionate temperament.
If you do not train it properly since puppyhood, it can behave in an impulsive and childish way. Maybe it will become possessive and demanding, always fighting to be the center of attention. It could become distrustful with strangers and aggressive with other dogs, so it is very important to provide the proper training to this little ball of fur.
The Biewer is a smart dog, so it would not be difficult to train, and it can actually become into a wonderful and truly affectionate companion dog to all the family, including older people or children. Besides, it can also be a great guardian dog, taking into account the limitations of its small size.
Biewer terrier: Price, and Puppies
A Biewer Terrier puppy can cost around 900-1200 dollars, 700-900 English pounds. You can find some puppies online from 700 dollars, but be very careful whenever you purchase them online.
We recommend providing your little friend with clothing whenever you take it to walks during the winter; it could suffer enormously from cold temperatures.
Biewer terrier: Breeders, and Puppies for Sale
In this section you can find the best registered breeders in countries such as: the US, Canada and UK; but also Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, India and South Africa; where you can find all the information you need. It is important to purchase from a reliable breeder, to insure that your puppy has been:
- Raised to have good character and good health;
- Carefully selected (its parents were chosen without any genetic diseases);
- Properly socialized, so that it is not too aggressive or fearful;
- Vaccinated and well-cared for
When you adopt a puppy, a reliable breeder provides you with an official veterinarian certificate, in which it is formally stipulated that the animal is in perfect health and dewormed.
You can ask for a pedigree certificate, which allows you to check your dog breed´s purity. An animal with pedigree has certain characteristics that distinguish it among the others.
Now that we have mentioned the most important aspects, you can go to your new four-legged friend, who is certainly waiting for you.
