THE BIEWER TERRIER: A BREEDER’S VIEW
by Debarah Billings
O h Wow! What kind of dog is that? Can I take a photo? How do you pronounce the name? Is it full grown? Where do they come from? These are the questions from people that meet the Biewer Terrier for the first time always ask. The one question we all get is “How do you pronounce the name?” Here is your answer. Beaver like the animal! The Breed originated in Germany so the “w” is pronounced as a “v”. I was asked these same questions when I started my breeding program and Windsong Biewers with the Biewer Terrier over ten years ago. My very first show was in Orlando Flori- da in 2009 at an International Show and I fell even more in love with this little unique looking dog. My life’s goal never included being a dog breeder, but it turned out to be my passion. I wanted to help promote this wonderful little dog in order to gain full AKC recognition, so I began showing at every possible venue that would allow our breed to participate. We had to travel 6-12 hours in order to find the venues that allowed rare breeds, but we were determined to introduce this beautiful black, white and tan Toy dog with a silky flowing coat to as many people as possible. I didn’t consider myself to be a Han- dler or a Trainer , but it seemed easy enough to get my Biewer Terrier to go around a ring. I had a great mentor and traveled to seminars taught by the leading
authorities on breeding better dogs and I highly recommend that new breeders seek someone experienced with Toy breeds as a Mentor. When my first litter arrived, I was amazed at how different the color pat- terns were for each puppy. The col- ors were correct, but the black spots were in different patterns whichmade them even more unique. I kept the best structured puppy and moved for- ward, without regard to color place- ment on the back. As our breed prepares to move into the Toy Group, breeders should be breeding toward the Biewer Terrier Standard with emphasis on health, structure, and temperament being the priority. Biewer Terrier puppies may have a color fault such as a small amount of tan on a leg where the black meets the white, or black can sometimes run down an entire leg. Maybe the back doesn’t have any black or blue at all with a perfectly colored head, but with wonderful structure. Perhaps the body has a perfect black saddle and great conformation, but the head color is very light. Some may have minimal tan spots on the toes. The Biewer Terrier Breed panel in- cludes DM, PLL, PRA-PRCD and Uric Acid. The Parent Club recently conducted a Health Survey in order to update the recommended testing for the Biewer Terrier. Patellas and Eye Certification with OFA are recommended by the Parent Club in order to receive a
CHIC number. Several breeders are also doing Genetic Diversity testing which is another tool in selecting for a more diverse gene pool, but should never be the only tool utilized in plan- ning your breeding. While at the AKC Royal Canin Na- tionals in December be sure to visit the Meet The Breeds Booth to learn more about the Biewer Terrier! You will learn how the breed is doing since moving into the Miscellaneous Group for Conformation as well as Agility andDockDiving. Even though the Biewer Terrier is multitalented, they still serve countless families with love and companionship!
T op N otch T oys , N ovember 2019 • 59
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