Lurcher vs Biewer - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Biewer is, or was, a piebald Yorkie caused by a recessive gene in a breeding of two Yorkshire Terriers. On Jan 20, 1984 a piebald Yorkshire puppy was born in Hunsruck, Germany to Gertrud and Werner Biewer. The puppy was considered beautiful and the Biewer’s fell in love with it and began a process od selective breeding in an effort to breed piebald Yorkies. Based on a friend’s suggestion, they named this group of puppies, “Biewer Yorkshire Terrier a la Pom Pon”. By 1989 the Allgemeiner Club der Hundefreunde Deurschland (ACH) officially recognized the Biewer Yorkie as a separate breed. Today they are recognized world wide as two separate breeds.

Today there have been genetic studies done that have declared the Biewer Terrier to be a separate and distinct breed from the Yorkshire Terrier, not simply tricolored Yorkies. The BTCA (Biewer Terrier Club of America) changed the name and standard to an original one for the Biewer Terrier. Mrs. Biewer has accepted and signed this revised standard and it is the only one she has accepted. This new standard allows the Biewer Terrier to have a black coat and an undocked tail. In 2014 with the new standard the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service (ACK/FSS) accepted the Biewer Terrier. Some breeders still want the breed called the Biewer Yorkshire a la Pom Pon, but Mrs. Biewer has objected to this, insisting the dog is a terrier. The Biewer Breed Club of America (BBCA) insists on the breeding of Biewers only to other Biewers. This is opposed by others who are importing Biewers and breeding them with Yorkies. The result is not recognized as a purebred dog. BBCA breeders do not engage in this type of cross breeding or condone them. The BBCA breeds only dogs that meet the standard set by the BTCA.

The first two Biewers were imported to the States in 2003 by Donna Hall. They made history in 2003, when they were accepted by the IABCA (International All Breed Canine Association) and entered their first dog show. Today they are shown in rare breed dog shows around the world. Today there are two standards in operation for the Biewer as the American Biewer and the North American Kennel Club continue to follow the German standard while the BBCA follow the revised standard approved by Mrs. Biewer.

The Lurcher is a crossbreed dog that doesn’t seem to have too much certainty around it. There are stories that Lurchers may have been bred to produce a sighthound with more intelligence for hunting.

Hunters discovered that breeding certain breeds with sight-hounds produced a dog better suited for hunting and working purpose.

A Lurcher is a sighthound, a classic working crossbreed and some of the dogs used to bring about this breed were Greyhounds, Deerhounds, Whippets, Border Collies, Bedlington Terriers and Irish Wofhounds among others. This means that the Lurcher has many different looks as well. In the UK, Lurchers have their own shows, but no registry recognizes the dog.

This long-haired terrier is a neat and compact toy dog. Their hair should be as long as their body is high and hang straight from the bottom of his skull to the end of his tail which is carried upward. He is a well proportioned and powerful little dog. He has no undercoat, but his overcoat is very much like human hair and should be combed. The head is a signature of the Biewer, covered with symmetrical gold, white and blue/black hair. They have flat, small heads and a black nose with an average muzzle. They have intelligent, dark, medium sized eyes and small ears shaped as a V and standing erect. All four legs are straight, and the hips are well formed. They have round feet and an undocked tail.

It is difficult to put a size and weight to the Lurcher, This is because of the many dogs used in his development, so that they vary in size and coat type. Generally though, he is a deep chested dog that stands roughly between 50 – 75cm and weighs 25 – 32kg.

However, because Whippet was a dog used in his development, he could be as small as a Whippet, the size of a Greyhound or Deerhound.

Generally he has a shortish coat. Colours of the coat vary greatly so you can find fawn, cream, white, grey, black, tan, silver or grey and bi-colored. The ears are usually small and can be floppy or held erect or back and the tail is usually long.

Temperament:

The Lurcher’s temperament is much like that of the sighthound – loving and calm. It is a good idea to have the Lurcher trained and socialized to help prevent both timidity or aggression.

He is an independent and intelligent dog and can be easily trained. He is a gentle dog and will get on well with children and pets in the home as he is a fairly relaxed breed with a quiet temperament, loving to spend time with his human family. Another advantage is that he is low maintenance and makes a great pet when shown love and care.

The Biewer Terrier loves to be loved and he returns it in volumes. This is a dedicated, fun loving and charming little dog that you can carry around. They are loyal and friendly, athletic and alert. They are barkers when they need to be, but they are not “yappy dogs”. They love toys so make sure they have plenty. They will carry them wherever they go.

The Lurcher is a working- and hunting dog that won’t do well in the city, as he requires large spaces to run.

He is a dog that will need you to provide him with games and other activities as well as a walk every day to keep him fit and lithe. He will therefore require an owner who loves to be active and who is consistent, firm, fair, patient and kind.

With the right human family, the Lurcher is a loving, devoted dog who will make an excellent family pet.

The Biewer Terrier is not a cross breed or hybrid and so does have some of the very serious health issues of the Yorkshire Terrier including the bane of small dogs with liver shunts. Liver shunts are fatal if they are not treated. The breed does have sensitive stomach issues as well. They face other small dog issues like floating patella’s, ear and skin infections. Other than this the Biewer Terrier is a very healthy breed.

Every dog has the potential to develop genetic health problems, but the way you feed a dog and look after it will play a huge role in his wellbeing.

Lurchers are looked upon as being a pretty healthy dog breed and they can be with you for between 10 and 15 years.

Some of the main health concerns with this dog would be bloat, ear- and eye infections or heatstroke.

Remember that if you’re getting a new puppy, you can prevent some of the major life-threatening diseases by having your puppy vaccinated.

Heat Stroke:

Dogs pant heavily when they’re hot. When the panting isn’t enough, the dog’s body temperature rises and this can be fatal for your pet.

The signs of heatstroke in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, dullness and loss of consciousness. Being locked in a hot car, being over-exercised or left in a yard without shade and water can bring on heatstroke.

It is imperative to remove the dog from the hot place immediately and cool him down by spraying cold water gently over him while making sure no water enters the mouth or nose. Get him to the vet if you can because of shock and the fact that other problems could have developed.

Feeding

As previously mentioned the Biewer Terrier has a very sensitive stomach and intestinal system. He should be fed low protein dry dog food. Watch for signs of food allergies such as scratching or chewing on his feet. Feed 2-3 times a day but the Biewer Terrier is one of the few dogs that you can safely free feed unless you notice substantial gaining of weight.

Health issues

Health issues are few as mentioned previously. However, make sure your Briewer’s ears are free of debris and wax, make sure their teeth are brushed and they show no signs of allergies. Along with liver shunts, sensitive intestinal and stomach issues and floating patellas, these are the other minor issues that might occur. Watch for diarrhea and off colored stools.

Exercise and games

The Biewer Terrier is an active dog that needs regular exercise and walks. He is a speed demon as his ancestor the Yorkie is and needs an outlet for running as well as daily walks. They love to run, and they love to play. They do great in agility but love adventures. They are smart and love to learn tricks. Since they love hunting vermin they would also excel at Barn Hunt.

Brush your pet’s coat at least twice a week.

The Lurcher just loves to run and be free, so this is a dog that will want a long walk every day.

Check his eyes and inside his ears for ear infection. Find out how to clean inside the ears and make sure they are kept dry.

Keep his nails clipped, as long nails can hook and cause painful injury to the paw area. Check his teeth too and brush them because dental disease is the root cause of many other diseases.

Make sure your dog has a comfy, dry, warm place to sleep.

Encourage health and longevity by giving your pet high quality food full of vitamins and minerals. If you’re going be giving him commercially manufactured food, make sure its one of the better ones. Try and add in homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables and add this to his kibble as a tasty treat. Some raw meat added in when you can afford it will also be to his advantage.