Werner and Gertrude Biewer, longtime breeders of Yorkshire Terriers for about twenty years, found a puppy in their litter that they named Schneefloeckchen von Friedheck. This particular pup had an extreme amount of white in its coat. Heavily interested and curious, they started looking for a recessive gene in their breeding lines. The possibility of a piebald recessive gene was found and they shifted to producing more of these pups. It was a selective breeding process that was developed in time.
The pups they had helped rear was introduced to the ring in 1998. They were called black and white Yorkies. Intrigue and curiosity filled the eyes and hearts of the breeders that triggered them to do the same. The other kennels who were among the first to locate and breed the recessive gene were Agridesheim” and “Sonnenhof”.
Naming these new sensations Biewer Yorkshire Terrier a la Pom Pon, the recognition of the breed was denied by the VDH. The VDH declared them as the wrong color and not suitable for breeding. Frustrated, Mr. Biewer searched for a registry that would accept his beloved black and white Yorkies as a separate breed. He met his goals with the ACH (Allgemeiner Club der Hundefreunde Deutschland e.V.) that accepted them as a distinct and separate breed. The club also recognized and registered as Biewer Yorkshire Terrier a la Pom Pon.
While dining one evening the husband of singer Margot Eskens presented her with a Biewer Yorkie puppy on a platter as a gift. This incident is the very reason that the name “a la’ Pom Pon” was added. It translates from French to “a tassel or colorful ball of yarn,” which perfectly described the puppy’s hair.
Mr. and Mrs. Biewer’s Yorkshire Terriers were taken from Streamglen Kennels. Stramglen was riddled with speculation that it was irresponsible and accidental cross breedings that have lead to the Biewer Yorkie. The accusations were never proven.
Nowadays You can find the Biewer Yorkshire terriers in the US, Canada and of course Europe. They are not recognized by the AKC but are accepted by some groups like the APRI, ACR and WRV.
A Biewer cannot be treated less than that of a recognized Yorkie. After all, The Yorkshire Terrier, Parti Yorkie and the Biewer may have come from the same lines of the 1800’s where they were trying to perfect the Yorkshire Terrier.
Context Research Sources: AKC, www.dogbreedinfo.com and http://biewerhaven.com/4.html
April 17th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
While it is still very likely that the Biewers and the partis have come from the same British lines, it has been proven on over 100 Biewers that they are not pure yorkie. Because of these findings, the Biewer Terriers have been accepted as a breed unto itself by ARBA.
August 1st, 2009 at 5:04 pm
The Biewer a la Pom Pon is one of God’s unique creations and just adorable. We love our Biewer!
November 29th, 2009 at 9:58 am
The Biewer and the Parti are two different breeds. There was only one common ancestor which was five generations away from Schneeflocken. If Streamglen Shaun was responsible for the Parti color, then why hasn’t there been an influx of white dogs all over Europe? Because, Shaun did not possess the piebald gene. It takes two recessive genes to create a phenotype and Shaun is only one dog.
Nobody has ever said the Streamglen Kennel was irresponsible. Accidents can happen, it doesn’t mean they are irresponsible.
I wish someone could explain to me what a white gene is. I have heard this a few times for the Parti Yorkie breeders, yet no one has explained what it is.