Breed Spotlight: What is a Biewer Terrier?

Lesson 40: The top three questions Keke is asked

Keke is mostly black and white with tan highlights (photo by author)

Hi! My name is Keke, and I’m a Biewer Terrier puppy. In this post, I’d like to answer some questions I’ve received from my legions of loyal fans. (Okay, maybe it’s more like a posse than a legion, but I usually get at least one email a month from my loyal followers.) So here are the top three questions I get.

What is a Biewer Terrier?

The third most frequently asked question is, “What the heck is a Biewer Terrier?”

If you don’t know the answer, it’s okay. My humans never heard of us either until they visited my breeder. Then, I ensured they never stopped hearing about us. You’ll thank me too someday.

The Biewer (pronounced “beaver” due to its German origins) began in the 1980s through the selective breeding of Yorkshire Terriers (aka “Yorkies”). The breed was initially called the “Biewer Yorkshire a’ la Pom Pon,” which literally means “I’m a French poodle with a froufrou haircut.”

Then came the historic Biewer Rebellion. The breeders were doggedly pursued and forced to change the name.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) did not coronate the Biewer Terrier breed until 2021, making it the second most recent breed added to the AKC. The most recent was the Mudi in 2022. Obviously, there’s no competition here. Who wants a dog named after a puddle of wet dirt?

So, how do we differ from Yorkshire Terriers?

Coloring is the first thing people notice: Whereas Yorkies are black and tan, Biewer Terriers are tri-colored, adding white to the mix. My coat is primarily black-and-white, with tan highlights around my ears and face. I’ve seen other Biewers with bodies that are more black and faces that are more brown, but they are obviously not as pretty as me. (Sorry, girls, I call it like it is.)

Typically, a Biewer Terrier has long, silky hair, but my mane resembles a chopped, home-groomed puppy clip right now. As a result, I have wild hair like a hedgehog - a perennial case of “bedhead.”

Physically, Yorkies are shorter with stockier bodies, whereas I’m longer and thinner. The word lithesome springs to mind. My mind, anyway. You may not be a proper dog connoisseur. You might even be one of those poodle lovers. It’s okay, I understand. You probably never met a Biewer Terrier.

If you’re talking show dogs, Yorkies must have a “docked” tail, whereas the Biewer Terrier’s tail is left long. The wagging gives us a friendlier reputation. Not to mention that sleek, lithesome look. But we make reputations the old-fashioned way (doing my best John Houseman impression): “We EARN them.”

Speaking of friendliness, Yorkshire Terriers are known to be feisty and tenacious. After all, they were bred to catch rats long before they became British royal lap dogs.

Are Biewers feisty? You bet we are! If you have any doubt, see Lesson 13 (“Getting the Best Treats”) from Keke’s Guide to Training Your Human. But Biewer Terriers are playful and family-friendly—the life of the party. The crème de la crème. Not a lap dog, although we appreciate a full-bodied cushion at nap time.

Speaking of which, I’m told I have two speeds: High and Off. I like to play hard—my favorite game is a cross between soccer and rugby, with a dash of Calvinball thrown in to keep ’em guessing. I have the spirit of a wild Mustang until I collapse and sleep with all the energy of a sloth having a bad day. 

Biewer Terriers are also loving, playful, intelligent, and occasionally spiteful. Which helps make this blog all the more interesting!

Are Biewer Terriers smart?

The second most frequently asked question is about how smart we are. One human recently asked me, “Keke, my dog can barely tell his chew toy from his foot, and here you are writing a blog and producing a podcast! How do you do it?”

Well, I’ll tell you, some mornings it isn’t easy. I drag my lazy human out of bed to get my coffee and fire up the laptop before I start working. I’m a slow typist, but this is where my dancing skills come in. I can do the Foxtrot, the Carolina Shag, and the Control-Alt-Delete.

I’m the fastest puppy typist in the West. And the East. See Lesson 32 (“Keke’s Fitness Routine”) to learn more about how I type.

The most frequently asked question

Keke is the cutest puppy, and she knows it (photo by author)

And the most common question I get (drum roll please) is, “How did you get so darn CUTE?” If I’m being totally honest, it’s a combination of good genes, good haircuts, and hard work at runway model training school. No botox; this puppy is au naturel. And did I mention lithesome?

To learn more about Biewer Terriers, check out my other blog posts in Keke’s Guide to Training Your Human, available on Medium or Substack. Or listen to my PAWDcast of the same name. You can hear it on any of the popular podcast apps, on YouTube, or sung by the Vienna Boy’s Choir.

Why does the world need a blog and podcast written by a dog? Because dogs are people too, you know!

What is your favorite breed of dog?

Please comment and tell me what you like or dislike about the breed. And, how fast can your dog type?