The following is a list of items you may want to acquire prior to bringing a new
Biewer companion into your home.
Crate - Vari-Kennel, plastic airline type crates are light weight and easy to
clean. The more open, epoxy coated wire crates with a removable tray may be
nice for females - - but are ineffective for housebreaking male dogs (they leg lift
and piddle out through the wires); metal crates are also rather heavy for travel
use. Airline type crates also provide a den like atmosphere for the pup.
Leash - We prefer the nylon leashes, which can be purchased in a variety of
colors to match the adjustable dog collars. Do not use retractable leads as they
have a tendency to hit the dogs in the head if they accidentally are let go of.
Collar – We do not recommend collars other than for bling! We suggest extra
small harnesses. The newer nylon adjustable harness’s that "grow" with the
puppy are great. The extra small is a good fit for the typical Biewer throughout
his/her lifetime.
Identification tag for collar/harness.
Food and Water Bowls - Stainless steel works well, and is light weight for ease
of cleaning and travel. We find the 1/2 qt. size works nicely for Biewers. Ceramic
bowls are wonderful for home use, especially for water, but too heavy for travel
convenience. Plastic bowls are not a good choice because they tend to grow
algae and are not easy to sanitize.
Treats - Healthy, bite-sized treats for training and rewards.
Dry Kibble (dog food) – Eukanuba high quality dry kibble petite race (small
breed puppy) is acceptable for the Biewer. Just remember to make any changes
in diet gradually to avoid digestive upsets, and feed a puppy/growth formula until
your Biewer reaches maturity. Totally avoid generic brands as they are usually
not nutritionally complete.
Safe "Chew" Items - Nylabone, gumabone and nylafloss products are excellent,
safe outlets for your puppy's need to chew, as are smoked cow or lamb ears,
and cow hooves in moderation. Heavy knotted or pressed rawhide chews will
also keep your Biewer entertained for hours; however, rawhide products must
be used with caution, as some dogs will try to swallow large pieces and could
choke or experience digestive problems. Pig ears and related items; these can
cause upsets due to the excessive grease, and recently have been shown to
carry salmonella bacteria.
Toys – Anything that does not have anything they can choke on. Beanie Babies
are not a good choice because of the beans.
Chris Christensen Brushes - For regular grooming of these long hair Biewers.
www.chrissystems.com
They are expensive but well worth it. Here is the reason for the difference!
Do The Tip Test: Take the brush you have been using and run the pins down
your arm and you will see scratches on your arm. This is because those
brushes have not been ground and polished and they are very damaging and
irritating to the skin of your canine and not only to the skin, for if you were to look
at those tips under a magnifier you would find that they look like blades of a saw
and they do break and cut hair. In many cases when you see dander after
brushing it is not dander at all, it is skin that you have grated off while brushing,
just like the scratches you now have on your arm. Take that brush that you
have just scratched your arm with and do it a hundred strokes like you brush
you canine and see how irritated and flaky your skin will be after that
experiment. Now, take any of Chris Christensen Systems brushes and run the
pins down your arm and you won't find a scratch, no matter how hard or how
many times you run that brush down your arm.
I use the MARK II SMALL HEAD SIZE, and the 20mm OBLONG BRUSH.
I am a hair stylist … these are the best of the best brushes.
Baby gate - or possibly an exercise pen. Look at Goodwill for baby gates. You
can get one there for around $3.00!
Cleaning Supplies for accidents! - Cleaners, disinfectants, odor neutralizer, air
freshener, carpet cleaner; consider getting a hand-held spot cleaning machine.
Nail Clippers - Toe nails need to be clipped every one to two weeks, depending
on the Biewer and how much they naturally wear them down during daily
activity. Plier types are the best. Make sure the blade remains sharp, and
discard or change blades when dull, as a dull blade will pinch the nail and not
cut as cleanly.
Kwik-stop Styptic Powder - Used to control bleeding, should you accidentally cut
the "quick" when trimming nails.
BOOKS Book’s about breed information, home-medical reference for dogs,
puppy care and training, dog behavior.
The following items are ones which you may not immediately need, but may find
helpful for the future:
Dog Shampoo - Any tearless puppy shampoo is good to start with.
Dog Conditioner – I use Eufora which is a salon quality shampoo and
conditioner that is aloe vera based. For something that is more economical get
Pantene Sleek and Smooth.
Bitter Apple - discourages chewing of inappropriate items.
Tooth Scaler - for occasional tartar removal.
Tooth brush and doggie toothpaste – Brush regularly for good oral hygiene.