Grooming Grooming a Biewer involves not only taking care of the coat, but taking care of the entire dog. Your Biewer should be introduced to the idea of being groomed at an early age, around two or three months old.  By familiarizing the puppy with this it will grow to enjoy it and will also be accustomed to the long hours of grooming as it grows older.  It is not necessary for your Biewer to have long hair, in fact many owners prefer to have the short "puppy cut" because it is less to maintain and easier to groom. Any hair type grows best when the Biewer is in good health and being fed a correct diet.   Everyone hears about the Biewer’s silk coat. What is meant by that is that it has one layer and no undercoat making it very similar to human hair strands.  The breed is considered hypo-allergenic as it does not shed. Unfortunately, not every Biewer will inherit a silk coat and you will find them cotton. The cotton coat is thicker, will mat easily and is not an easy coat to grow out.  A daily brushing will help this coat as will using a conditioner with a slight oil base. Many people find the easiest is to cut this coat into one into of the many clipped styles. Cleanliness is very important as dirty hair cannot grow well.  A biewer should be bathed once every week or two. Some need a bath more often than others.  Any good dog shampoo is recommended along with a good conditioner.  First make sure you have all the tangles out of the coat.  A wide tooth metal comb is good for this along with a good brush.  Don't pull mats out, gently work them out with your fingers first and then the comb.  Always work from the ends of the hair to the part closest to the body.  A little detangler on the mat will make it easier to get out and also save coat.  A good brushing every day keeps the tangles away. When all the tangles are out, then shampoo and rinse.  After you have rinsed, rinse again to make sure every bit of soap is out of the coat. Left in, it will dull the coat and might cause itching.  Then use a good conditioner.  A small sponge works really well for rinsing the face so as not to get water in their nose and mouth.  The corners of the eyes should be cleaned every day if your Biewer tears a lot.  Some tear more than others and cleaning this area will help prevent staining around the eyes.  Tears will also cause the whisker hair to rot.  The ears of most Biewers are erect which means they stand up on their own.  Always use care with your Biewers ears and do not use cotton swabs etc.  If need be, use a good ear flush or powder.  A dog's ear canal curves into the head which is why using q-tips or swabs are not recommended.  Any unusual smell about the ear or continued scratching should be checked by a qualified veterinarian. The hair on the Biewers ears are shaved 1/3 down from the tip. The hair on the pads of his feet should be kept clipped so he does not slip on slippery floors.  Trim around his feet and coat as needed.  For clean, white teeth and sweet smelling breath, clean your Biewer’s teeth.  It can be handled in numerous ways from the pet toothbrushes and tooth pastes on the market, to pretreated pads, to using a gauze pad wrapped around the finger.  Gently wipe or brush the teeth front and back.  Done on a routine basis, you will find that the teeth stay much cleaner and healthier for years. If the teeth get too dirty, you will need to have them cleaned by your veterinarian.   Toenails should be cut regularly, at least every two weeks.  If cut at the curve they should not bleed and if cut on an angle like the natural wear of the nail, it will help keep the cuticle back. Essential grooming supplies ~ A pin brush, one without balls on the ends of the bristles, as these catch and tear the hair, a buttercomb, small clippers for ears and feet, scissors, nail clippers.

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