The Ups and Downs of Owning Biewers
Biewer Terriers are my absolute favorite dog breed! I have three—need I say more? They are just adorable and would love you to pieces. Lately, I’ve been getting questions on why I adore them so much and how life is living with my delightful Bixy, Luna and Lancelot. Well, life is perfect!
Since Biewer Terriers are a rare breed and still relatively new, I’ve decided to share some useful information on the breed for prospective owners out there.
Biewer Terriers originated in Germany. They are the result of a cross between two Yorkshire terriers that expressed a recessive gene. Their name can be pronounced exactly like Beaver, the animals known for building canals and dams. It is also sometimes pronounced as BeeVeyr. Take your pick.
The Ups…
Biewers are known for their sweet, cheerful and friendly personality. They are very devoted and make great companions. Biewers are also wonderfully playful and won’t fail to entertain you with their cute little selves. If you want a pet who will make you love their clownish antics, then the Biewer is your dog.
They love to be the center of attention and would prefer to hang out with you all the time. They’re not too difficult to train as they love to be the star of the show. Biewers may show their mischievous side once in a while. When I first got Luna, she was quite the diva and was a tad more difficult to potty train than the other two. Consistency, generous praises and positive reinforcement did the trick.
These toy terriers adjust well to apartment living and don’t need too much exercise. Well, they’re actually perfect, no matter the size of your home and family. They are good with children and not difficult to introduce to strangers. My nieces and nephews love my Biewers. Socialize them well and early and they will get on with just about everybody. Small body, big heart. Kids and other pets will make these tiny dogs happy. The more, the merrier for my trio. More people and pets equal more attention, right?
They are also active but unlike other terrier breeds, Biewers don’t generally have the overwhelming urge to chase prey or dig in the garden. They’d much prefer a leisurely walk or playing with you indoors.
And Downs…or simply, things be aware of.
Biewers are known for their beautiful and silky tri‐color coats that require great care. They would need to be brushed daily and bathed at least once a week. In all fairness, these dogs are itty‐bitty so grooming won’t really take as much time as other, bigger dogs.
Yes, they’re really tiny so they are also very fragile and should be handled with care. I make sure to always be around to supervise play between my dogs and other animals, and small children. They may be small but fearless terrier blood still runs in them. Biewers are known to overconfidently walk up to and confront bigger, meaner dogs. Be on the lookout and try to discourage rough play with other pets.
They are not typically yappy but Biewers do have a high‐pitched bark. This does make them good watch dogs but too much may irritate the neighbors. It’s best to train them well and nip excessive barking in the bud.
Biewers are clever but they can get a bit bossy. I never had a problem with Bixy and Lancelot but my Luna has had this issue. It’s important to establish that you’re the leader of the pack, early on. Behavioral problems are not unheard of with improperly trained or poorly socialized Biewers. Luckily for me, with proper training and lots of love, Luna turned into a lovely, affectionate angel.