Overview
The Biewer Terrier began as a colour variation in a German Yorkshire Terrier kennel in the 1980s and has since been bred as a separate companion breed. It keeps the Yorkie's cheek and brightness, often with a softer temperament, under a long blue, white and gold coat that reaches the floor if the owner lets it.
For a walker this is a dog you carry responsibility for rather than muscle. At two to four kilos it can be hurt by a bouncy Labrador greeting or a slip off a kerb, and it chills quickly in rain. The walk is still proper exercise to the dog, so take it seriously, just at a different scale.
Exercise and walking needs
Two outings of twenty minutes cover most adults, with some indoor play on top. They have more stamina than their size suggests and enjoy a brisk trot, but short legs and a low chest make long grass, deep mud and big puddles hard going.
Build the route around pavements and short grass, and finish before the dog starts lagging rather than after. Puppies and elderly dogs want far less.
On the walk
- Lead: A harness is non-negotiable. The neck is delicate and a collar on a dog this light can do real harm if it lunges. Keep the lead short near traffic.
- Other dogs: Most are confident and will approach a dog ten times their weight. The danger runs the other way, so step in before a big dog's play turns rough.
- Weather: Cold rain goes straight through a silky coat with no undercoat. Carry a jumper in winter and skip the long route on wet, windy days.
- Terrier streak: There is still a ratter in there. Expect a sudden dash at a pigeon or squirrel, and keep the lead clipped on anywhere near a road.
Tips for professional walkers
- Pick the dog up if a loose, boisterous dog charges in. It is quicker than any training in the moment.
- Agree a top-knot or tie-back with the owner so hair stays out of the eyes during the walk.
- Check between the pads for mud balls and grit afterwards; they form fast in a long coat.
- Keep treats pea-sized. A few grams of extra weight shows on a dog this small.
What to ask the owner
- Does the dog wear a coat in cold weather, and where is it kept?
- Any history of a slipping kneecap, a sensitive windpipe or dental trouble that changes how you handle it?
- Is the coat kept long or clipped short, and how much mud are you allowed to bring back?