My Little Biewers Biewer Terriers BTCA Breeder in WA

Grooming Your Biewer

GROOMING YOUR BIEWER TERRIER

(from the BTCA site)

The Biewer Terrier just as the Yorkshire Terrier are a breed that most owners can easily groom themselves if they so desire.

Here are some basic grooming needs and simple tips;

Biewers are a "single" coated breed, meaning that they should not have an undercoat.

Their coat is very similar to human hair but, we suggest NOT to use people shampoo as Doggies have a different ph than humans. Using people shampoo can result in dry, itchy, flaking and sometimes allergic reactions in their skin. If you do desire to use a people shampoo, please make sure that it is of a good quality and a low ph balance. Remember to completely rinse the hair after shampooing & conditioning. It is best to always brush the Biewer that has been sprayed with a light mixture of conditioner and water.

Never brush a Biewer when it is completely dry due to this will damage the coat.

Bathing - Remember that this is a breed that requires frequent bathing and daily brushing. If your dog gets dirty then bathing once a week will help keep them nice and clean. The exception is the underside of the body where urine collects on a male. Wash this area daily with a damp cloth, drop of shampoo or conditioner and warm water.
Shampoo- There are number of really good dog/puppy shampoos on the market from which to chose. Remember to be careful around the eyes. Use a tearless shampoo for the head and around the eyes so you don't have to worry about getting soap in them. NOTE: Puppies are fairly wiggly in the sink and slippery when wet! Make sure you have a good hold on them and have all your bathing neccesities and towel right at hand. NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG/PUPPY UNATTENDED ON A COUNTER OR TABLE...THEY WILL WALK OR JUMP OFF BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK AN EYE...GUARANTEED! This can result in a broken leg or worse.
Conditioner - Again there are a number of good dog/puppy conditioners. Any of the premium conditioners will also work.
Tangles- Wetting tangles with warm water, a little conditioner and working them out with your fingers as you bathe the dog should help. You may also use this method with a metal comb as you work out the tangle carefully. Sometimes, a bit of hair oil also helps...
Brush- A good pin brush with a rubber back is an excellent grooming aid also because the pins are longer to reach through the coat. Do not use a brush with small balls on the end of the pins as these tend to pull the coat and break it.
Comb- A good metal comb with long teeth is the best. They can be a bit expensive but you won't find any rough spots to tear your dog's coat. Remember to ALWAYS finish your grooming by combing through the coat. You will be surprised at the tangles and knots you missed with the brush. DO NOT ALLOW TANGLES OR MATS TO REMAIN IN YOUR DOG'S COAT... Mats tighten with each passing day and can be very painful to remove. Removing painful mats is not fun for your doggy or you.
Fine Toothed Flea Comb - These are the best to use under the eyes to remove any "eye mucous" which accumulates in a very short time. Keep your doggy's under eye area clean at all times. You can use a damp washcloth or cotton ball to soften and remove any "eye mucous" then comb through with a flea comb. Dry carefully.
Dryer - When using the hair dryer to dry your dog, PLEASE REMEMBER TO WATCH THE HEAT!!! Remember that their skin is very tender and you can easily burn them. There is a hands free portable dryer available that has a stand so you are able to have both hands free to groom your dog as they dry. Keep a towel or rubber mat under them so they'll have good solid footage and won't slip and hurt themselves.
Scissoring - The only trimming that needs special attention is under the pads of their feet to remove the hair, on the top 1/3 of the ears and around the rectum. If you leave the hair on the ears and never trim them, then possibly the weight of the hair will cause the ears to droop. Cleaning the hair around the rectum will help with their bottoms cleanliness.
Teeth - Teeth should be cleaned on a regular basis and started at a young age so they become used to the handling. Ask your vet to recommend the best product and method for your dog. Your vet can also show you how to brush the teeth.

Ears- Biewer Terrier ears should stand erect as young puppies. To keep them erect they must be trimmed every few weeks. By beginning about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the ear, carefully snip or shave, with a Trimmer Finisher, the hair from the inner and outer ear surfaces. When all the longer hair has been snipped away, the edges of the ear may be trimmed/shaved being extremely careful not to cut into the ear leather. This is best done under a bright light, the contour of the ear is followed and any stray hair is then snipped away.

Taping Puppy Ears to Stand- Remember that some dog ears, no matter what you do, will just not stand. This could be due to heavy ears or the breeding.

This has been an effective method in training puppy ears to stand erect and not leave them too far apart. This should be done as a last measure if puppies ears are not up by 8 wks old.

First check the ear channel for any offensive odors, redness or a reddish brown discharge. These are signs of infection, and need to be treated by your vet.

Step 1-The ears of a Biewer should stand straight as you can see in figure one. If all looks good then proceed to shave and trim the ears off the front, back and edges. Make sure ears are clean by using a little rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball. Wipe down inside and back of ear down to the base on the back of the ear and allow to dry.

Step 2- Then use 2 inch masking tape. You tear off a piece big enough to fold around your puppy ear. Take the ear and hold it erect and flat then run your tape around the ear into a flattish circle as shown above. Make sure you donot fold in the edges of the ear with the tape.

Step 3- The above example shows you how the ear should look in the tape. The inside outline shows the ear shape. Proceed with the other ear in the same manner.

Step 4- Once you have both of the ears taped up separately, then run a support piece of tape around the two ears to keep them totally erect. You can use a piece of 1 inch masking tape for this part. Run the piece of tape around the two ears from back to clear around the front, taping it against itself in the middle between the ears. This is called a bridge around both ears to hold them in place. Make sure that you are not taping them too closely together.

Step 5- The example above and photo shows you how the ears should look when finished. The two ears should be covered with the tape leaving only a very small tip of the ear showing.

Do Not leave on for more than a period of one week. Check the ear tape every 2 - 3 days for signs of possible irritation. Or, change as neccesary due to siblings biting or pulling on the tape. After the week, take the tape off by sliding a small pair of blunt scissors up behind the tape from the back of the ears and carefully cutting the tape upwards from the back. Then very gently pull it away from the ears. Once again you will need to clean the ears well with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Let the ears stay without the tape for 24 hrs. Then even if the ears are standing upright the first time, put them back in tape for one more week. After the second week make sure you keep trimmming all the hair off the ears, back, front and edges until the ears are standing on their own. Try not to over handle the ears until they are nice and strong.

YOU MUST KEEP THE EARS WELL TRIMMED OR EVENTUALLY THE EARS WILL START TO FLOP DOWN AGAIN ESPECIALLY WITH HEAVIER COATS, EVEN AS AN ADULT...

Coat Wrapping -Coat wrapping is mostly done by people that desire the long show type coat or for Show Breeders. This is a bit time consuming but, worth while when you have show dogs or just want the elegant Biewer that causes people's heads to turn. And let's face it we all love that type of attention...

These are the necessary items you will need; Wraps, Rubber Bands, and a jacket (optional). There are two kinds of wraps that can be used one is the Donut Papers which are just that. Then there are the Rice Papers which are longer for the much longer show coats.

Donut papers can be purchased at Sam's Club or Costco for just a few dollars. You may even buy them from your local Donut shop along with some tasty donut's of course. The Rice Papers can be bought from many good dealers.

Okay, now down to business; It is easier if you fold the papers as shown in steps one, two and three ahead of time and just have them ready. You can do this part while watching a favorite TV program.

Step 1--This is how the Donut papers are folded because they have two sides. The Rice papers only have one side so you just apply the same technique to them. On the Donut paper you have a wax coated side and a flat side. You will want to fold the paper so that the flat side folds up on the inside and the waxy part is on the outside as shown in step one.

Wraps should be placed down the sides, in the tail, topknot (1 or 2), under the tail (males), females you part down the middle under the tail and pull it to the side including it with the back part of the legs (to keep from soiling) and on each side of the whiskers.

Part your Biewers hair into sections about an inch or so wide, put a latex band around the section to hold it in place, be sure to leave some space between the roots and band for their comfort. Also, keep in mind the dogs movement so you don't restrict their movement. These are the sections that will be wrapped and you'll remove the latex band to wrap each section as you go.

Step 2--Hold the wrap lengthwise and then fold the top and bottom about 1/4 inch. The Donut papers have an edge on them that may cut the hair. The light area is the waxy side and the shaded area is the flat side of the paper.

Step 3--Next fold the paper in half with the waxy side on the outside which, will put all the flat side of the paper along with the rough edges on the inside.

Step 4-- Now, fold the paper in three equal parts. Lay the dogs hair in the middle section and fold in one side of the paper and then the other.

Be sure all the hair is inside the wrap (especially the bottom part of the hair) and began to fold from the bottom up towards the top. This usually takes about three folds. Once you have folded to the top, place your rubber band around the middle of the wrap and you're all done with one wrap. Proceed with the other sections in the same manner. Once you get the hang of wrapping it is done fairly quickly.

Step 5--When you're finished with each band it should look like step number six.

Every Biewer as you know is an individual. Some will take to the wrapping while others will chew them out. WATCH FOR CHEWING OF WRAPPED COATS OR YOU MAY FIND THEY CHEW THEM OUT HAIR AND ALL...

Wraps should be checked daily for matting. Usually, you will not find matting inside the wrap, but right on the top of the wrap is the most common place for matts to sneak in and make a mess. If you do get a mat, which shouldn't happen if you re-wrap every day or every couple of days, first pick it apart with your fingers and get it as loose as possible. Then work from the bottom of the hair toward the top with a wide tooth metal comb, being very careful and extremely GENTLE as you work the mat out. Now, you can wrap back up again...

Okay, so now you know some of the tricks to wrapping a Show dog or your elegant Biewer pet. Congradulations and best of luck in showing or just showing off your pal...

How To Make A Topknot - These tips for a Topknot are for show breeders. You don't want to do a Topknot on your pet since it will cause hair breakage if you don't know what your doing. I would recommend that if you would like to do a Topknot on your pet ask a show breeder to show you and only put a Topknot once in awhile. Show Topknots are only for a little while during competition and most will be taken off right after a show. A plain pony tail is just fine for the Biewer pet but, remember to use latex bands that don't break the hair. I also recommend cutting them out instead of pulling them out to avoid losing hair or cause more hair breakage. Now, down to business...

After bathing and drying your dog the night before the show, apply a good mousse in the Topknot. Let it dry or blow dry it and brush through the hair thoroughly to make sure the Topknot has a coating. This will usually make it easier to work with for the next day.

Dogs should be trained to stand, sit or lie still on the table while working to make the Topknot. Placement of a Topknot is critical, too far forward and the dog will look like it is walking with it's head down, place it too far back and it will have No pouf. Usually, slightly forward from the ears is the ideal spot for your Topknot. Part the hair from the outside corner of each eye to just a bit behind the ears using a plastic Rat Tail comb with a metal tail. This also works great for parting the coat along the back. Angle the pouf so it's wider above the eyes and starts to narrow further back. Using a small, narrow pointed brush hold the hair up and brush the sides down to ensure no ear hair is caught in the Topknot hair. Divide the section in two parts, one front and one back part.

Use a metal mustache comb to section the hair across the top of the front section. Tease one slice at a time with the comb starting from the front. Tease only the hair closest to the head, not the entire section and only tease about three small rows. Hold the front section in one hand and gently brush the hair around the outside of knot smooth. Using a small latex band encircle the hair three times slightly back from where you want the bow, about half inch from the scalp. Using the Rat Tail comb, hold the ponytail in one hand and insert the Rat Tail in the front where the pouf will be set. Gently pull the hair forward and down. You must go deep enough to grab the teased hair in the center of the ponytail but, not too deep so as to pull the hair apart. Do this in small sections, starting in the middle and working toward the edges; always holding onto the ponytail as you work.

If your doggie has a shorter muzzle, you will keep the pouf small. Longer muzzles will need a larger one slightly over the muzzle to make the muzzle appear shorter. Once you are finished shaping the pouf, apply a light coat of hairspray being careful to cover the dog's eyes and nose. Place your thumb on the top in front of the ponytail to flatten it and the pouf will appear. Keep your thumb in place, and apply low heat with the hair dryer for a few seconds to dry. Stray hairs can be rearranged by spraying your finger and touching it to the stray hair to put it in place. At this point, you can safely adjust the pouf with the Rat Tail to position it perfectly. Be gentle so you don't undo all you have just done.

Next tease the back part of the hair lightly with your brush, brush it smooth, merge it with the front part, and curl it backwards over your finger. Apply light spray and dry on a low setting with low heat. Loop another latex band twice around your thumb and index finger, hold the dog's head in profile and placethis band over the small top pouf from front to back. If there is still a bit of ponytail left, blend brush and blend this in at the back and band it behind the dog's right ear. Finally, add your show bow and you are finished.

If you are showing a puppy, it is not necessary to make the top pouf and actually it is not correct. Just putting the top pouf over your finger and spraying and drying on low to hold it back is all that is needed. Add a ribbon or a small show bow and your all done. This is good for all puppy classes.

The final step is how to get this mess out of your doggies Topknot after the show. Until you can get them home for a quick wash and condition you can use a little oil and water. You can carry this in a spray bottle and spray onto your brush and working from the ends toward the head gently brush. The oil seems to make the hair spray melt and protects the hair til you can wash it out throughly. Remember, never just spray it on the doggie; spray it on your brush...

Topknots take practice and we all know that practice makes perfect. Don't be discouraged when you try the first few times and they just don't look as nice as the expierenced show peoples. If you have the previlage to watch someone make a Topknot and learn another tip or two go for it and share it with us. Be patient and practice, practice and then practice some more...

Well, there you have it all the grooming tips I know and have studied. I am in NO way an expert and will probably never be. And if anyone out there has some easier tips to share please do so. I would love to learn of other ways in grooming Biewers or simpler ways in making these Topknots.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask and if I can be of help I will and if not I will try and find out.

Final Tip-- " REMEMBER THAT GROOMING YOUR BIEWER OR ANY DOG IS A TIME TO BOND WITH YOUR DOGGIE AND TIME FOR SOME ONE ON ONE LOVING. GROOMING SHOULD ALSO BE A PLEASANT FUN TIME FOR THE DOG AND NOT SOMETHING HE/SHE HATES...

HAPPY GROOMING!!!