The Biewer Terrier

The Biewer Terrier is a quintessential example of the toy breed. At nine inches tall and seven pounds heavy, the breed sure packs a lot of charm into a tiny body!

A picture of two gorgeous Biewer Terrier dogs
Two cute Biewer Terrier puppies.

Appearance and personality

The Biewer terrier is visually similar to its closest relatives, the Yorkshire Terrier. In fact, this is a relatively modern breed compared to many other dog breeds. Mr. Werner and Mrs. Gertrude Biewer (pronounced “beevare”) raised and showed Yorkshire Terriers in Germany for twenty years, and in one litter, their line produced a recessive piebald gene.

This piebald trait results in a tri-colored coat of white, black, and gold spots on a white background. The unique coloring gives the Biewer Terriers a more whimsical feel than their formally-coated Yorkshire Terrier relatives. The Biewers began a foundation stock with two dogs with names that fitted this delightful new breed: Darling and Fru Fru von Friedheck.

The first Biewers stepped foot on American soil in 2003, and the breed’s popularity skyrocketed. It is no mystery that this breed has become popular, since Biewer Terriers carry their whimsical nature into their personality.

They are sweet, intelligent, and carefree dogs who enjoy walking around carrying toys in their mouth.

This breed is sociable and will play well with children who understand that toy dogs are fragile and should not be handled roughly.

They will make a fantastic family dog as they live approximately twelve to fifteen years and can grow with children.

Biewer Terriers are also perfect for families who are home often to play with them.

Intelligence and training

Families who want to train their dogs will find a wonderful companion in their Biewer Terrier, as they are one of the best dog breeds for first-time dog owners to train, quick to learn and eager to please.

Biewer Terrier shedding and grooming

Their fur is clearly beautiful and comes with another clear bonus: due to having a single coat rather than a double coat, it rarely sheds. Additionally, many claim that the Biewer Terrier is therefore hypoallergenic, but a person with allergies should always check their reactions around the dog before committing fully.

However, the Biewer Terrier’s coat is high maintenance, and should be groomed regularly. The Biewer Terrier requires daily brushing, weekly bathing with a dog shampoo or a high-quality, low pH human shampoo and dog conditioner, and regular clipping.

Correct care should also be extended to ensure the dog’s entire health. Their nails should be clipped or ground regularly to prevent splitting, their teeth should be brushed regularly, and their ears should be cleaned regularly to prevent infections.

Health

Working with a responsible breeder should minimize genetic health risks, and adopting an adult Biewer, although probably rare, would allow an owner to understand any health problems it could have rather than being surprised by them later.

Since this is a relatively new breed, there is not much data on diseases they are prone to, but they may be prone to typical toy conditions such as bronchitis, cataracts, allergies, loose kneecaps, and other conditions.

The breed from which they were developed, Yorkshire Terriers, also are prone to eye conditions, bone degeneration, and tracheal collpase. Therefore, on Biewers, as on all toy breeds, traditional collars must not be used and instead harnesses should be used to prevent tracheal collapse.

Summary

This sweet, happy-go-lucky dog would be a perfect companion for any family, from apartment-dwellers with access to a dog park, to folks who enjoy running around in the yard with their dog.

Bringing a Biewer Terrier into your home will give you many years of happiness with this charismatic breed, and together you will make many memories that will last a lifetime, as well as the opportunity to be at the forefront of a breed’s history.

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