About Us

Solange d'Orio Biewers is a small, happy home-based Biewer breeding program in Cape Town, South Africa. Our dogs have been selected from the best dogs available internationally and we strive to uphold the breed standard of the Biewer.

Companion dogs, like the Biewer, are very sociable and fun little dogs who just wants to spend time with you, whether you're working in the garden, watching TV or going out. These little dogs aren't fussy or aggressive, but they can be quite high strung. This makes them less ideal pets for houses with small children.

Our dogs are raised with love and care - we want them to get the best things in life. Our puppies start their training and socialization process as soon as their eyes open and by the time they are ready to go to their new home, they are absolutely ready for the world. Our puppies are usually ready to leave home when they are 10 to 12 weeks old. They will be able to sit, tolerate a harness and walk (loosely!) on a leash when they go to their new forever home.

We keep in touch with our puppies' new owners and we hope to make a friend out of every new Biewer owner. We take responsibility for our puppies for their whole entire lives.

We are a proud member of the BBC (Biewer Breed Club) and we strive to uphold their standards to ensure that our children and our children's children will be able to experience these remarkable little dogs. 

Biewers are fun, fluffy and flippin' adorable little dogs who are eager to please and easy to manage. 

Potential buyers

Occasionally, we have puppies available for adoption. We take great care to make sure that our dogs are adopted into loving, caring and healthy homes where they will have the life all dogs deserve. For a happy and healthy life, dogs need a species-appropriate diet, regular exercise, proper socialization and training, regular vet visits and a warm and comfortable home where they feel safe. If you can offer this to one of our puppies for the rest of its life, please complete our Adoption Questionnaire and submit via email.  

What is a Biewer?

The Biewer is that of a long-haired toy dog whose hair hangs evenly and quite straight down the side of the body, and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail. The animal should be very compact and neat. The tail should be carried up in a plume over its back. The outlines should give the impression of the powerful and well proportioned body.
     The hair on the body has a length ¾ down the sides of the dog, or long enough to reach the ground, and is absolutely straight (not wooly), shiny like silk and of fine silky texture, without an undercoat. Coloring of the coat of the trunk and the head piece are as follows; Black/blue-white broken up, without any brown coloring. No color other than white below the knees.  Hair on the breast, belly and legs pure white. The tip of the tail must be white. The head with black/blue, white and gold symmetrical colored.
 

Temperament

 
Biewers seem oblivious of their small size. They are very eager for adventure. This little dog is highly energetic, brave, loyal and clever. With owners who take the time to understand how to treat a small dog, the Biewer is a wonderful companion! Affectionate with their master, but if humans are not this dog's pack leader, they can become suspicious of strangers and aggressive to strange dogs and small animals.
     They can also become yappy, as the dog does their best to tell you what THEY want YOU to do. They have a true terrier heritage and need someone who understands how to be their leader. They are often only recommended for older, considerate children, simply because they are so small, most people allow them to get away with behaviors no dog should display. This changes the dog's temperament, as the dog starts to take over the house (Small Dog Syndrome).
 
Biewers who become demanding and dependant appearing to need a lot of human attention and/or developing jealous behaviors, snapping if surprised, frightened or over-teased, have owners who need to rethink how they are treating the dog. Owners who do not instinctually meet the dog's needs can also find them to become over-protective, and become neurotic. Biewers are easy to train, although they can sometimes be stubborn if owners do not set the proper boundaries. They can be difficult to housebreak.
     The Biewer is an excellent watchdog. When owners display pack leadership to the Biewer, they are very sweet and loving and can be trusted with children. The problems only arise when owners, because of the dogs cute little size, allow them to take over the house. The human will not even realize it, but if you have any of the negative behaviors listed above, it's time to look into your pack leader skills. These are truly sweet little dogs who need owners who understand how to give them gentle leadership. If you own a Biewer who does not display any of the negative behaviors, high five for being a good pack leader!
 

Personality/Temperament: 

The Biewer is elegant and self-assured with confidence. A sensitive and intelligent dog whose only purpose is to serve man as a companion. They are lively, determined and playful. They are quick to learn with consistent training but can be stubborn. They are brave and generally get along well with other household pets.
     They will always alert you to strangers and because of its active personality but small fragile body is not recommended pets for a busy household or very young children. They get very attached to their human family and may become very unhappy if left alone for long periods of time. The Biewer has a need to constantly be in the presence of its owner. Because the dog will follow its owner from room to room, owners often find they have to look before they step.
     Their agility also means that they will leap on and off beds and couches several times their own height, presenting a risk of injury. They will insist on sleeping directly next to their owners at night. The Biewer is highly sensitive to its owner's moods and will know they are about to be left alone even before you reach for your keys.
 

How big do they get?

Height -  Up to 22 cm
Weight - 2.5kg - 3.8 kg
 

What are their health problems?

The purebred Biewer is a strong, healthy and energetic dog with no apparent health problems. Please do your homework when buying a Biewer and always check the breeder's references. All dogs, especially small breeds, need a species appropriate diet for optimal health. Genetic illnesses include liver shunts, luxating patella and PRA (progressive retinal atrophy).
 

Living Conditions & Exercise

The Biewer can live in an apartment if it gets enough exercise. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a big yard. These are active little dogs who need a daily walk and/or active playtime.  Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, it will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks and/or active playtime are more likely to display behavior problems. If your Biewer zooms around the house like a speeding bullet, it is a sign that he needs to go on more/longer walks where he is made to heel beside or behind the human. Remember, in a dog's mind, the leader leads the way. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard.
 

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years
 

Grooming

Grooming can be demanding and time consuming but a wonderful bonding experience for you and your dog.  Show Coat: The Biewer will develop a coat that reaches the ground. Their coat is very similar to human hair and will continue to grow until it reaches the ground. It is best to always brush the Biewer that has been sprayed with a light mixture of conditioner and water. You can also try sprinkling cornmeal (Maizena) on mats in the coat to help untangle mats. Never brush a Biewer when it is completely dry as it may damage the coat. A daily brush and weekly bath is a must for this breed. (See our grooming section for the right grooming aids) As a companion pet, most owners prefer to keep this breed in a "perpetual puppy cut".
     Ears should stand erect at the age of 16 weeks. To keep them erect, the hair on top of the ears 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 the hair from the inner and outer ear surfaces to form a V. (See this Step-by-step Grooming Guide)
 

Quick Biewer Facts

Function: Companion Toy Dog
Appearance: Small, compact and well-proportioned body. Erect ears with a long silky coat. Alert, active and intelligent.
Coat: Hair on body moderately long, glossy with a fine silky texture 3/4 down the body to floor-length.
Color: The head must have three colours: black/blue, white and gold, in good symmetry. Only black/blue and white are allowed on the body with no color except white below the elbow on the legs with the white tip on the tail.
Compatibility: When correctly trained and handled, the Biewer generally gets along with other animals. If not well socialized, they can become aggressive and possessive of their owners.
Living space: The Biewer is ideally suited for a flat or small home.
Exercise: Need daily walks or vigorous playtime.
Suitability as watchdog: Excellent. They are very alert and will let you know when there is someone at the door.
Noise factor: They can be noisy and may whine when left alone for long periods of time.
 
Feeding: Only feed a high quality dog food and stick to one brand. They do not tolerate changing their diet every now and then and can have a sensitive digestive system. Do not feed from the table, they spoil easily and can be difficult to retrain to a dog food only diet. All dogs should be fed a species appropriate diet for carnivores.
Health: The Biewer is generally healthy and strong if cared for correctly. They do need to have their teeth checked at about 8 months of age as they may retain some of their puppy teeth. It is not recommended to walk a Biewer with a collar around its neck as their trachea's may be fragile. A harness should be used instead. Indiscriminate and unethical breeding may result in numerous health issues.

 

Our History

Solange d'Orio Biewers started in 2010 with our first imported Biewer baby, My Insatiable Love's Quite a Hero, or as we know him, Orio. With his impressive pedigree, exceptional good looks and amazing temperament, Orio is our foundation stud. Towards the end of 2011, we welcomed Tricolore Bobette from Amoureux, aka Joni, into our home and into our hearts. Joni (Mitchell) has what it takes to be our foundation bitch.