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Dog picture taken by Bogart Handsome Devil.

Dog picture taken by Bogart Handsome Devil.

The Airedale Terrier is a people oriented dog with patience for children. He is affectionate and will protect his adopted family. Early socialization with children is important. They are large, strong dogs and they may play a bit rough. They have been used as police dogs and are alert and make excellent watchdogs. For safety reasons, never leave very young children alone with any dog.

*Temperament. His temperament is loyal and he will protect his adopted family. Many believe he has a sense of humor. Training can be a little difficult as he is more inclined to be a clown.
*Approximate Adult Size. Males weigh about 65 pounds and are about 23 inches tall at the withers (tallest point of the shoulders. Females weigh 55 to 60 pounds and are about 22 inches to the withers.
*Ideal Environment. The Airedale is a large size dog that is energetic and needs plenty of exercise. A properly fenced back yard would help in his exercise needs. He is not recommended for an apartment unless he has frequent, brisk walks. The Airedale needs a lot of exercise and attention or he will get bored and become destructive. If you have a cat, another dog or other small pets, they can be aggressive toward them as they were bred to hunt animals. Having a animal or pet run from this dog will get his hunting juices going. Early socialization will help considerably but it is hard to defeat his hunting heritage.
*How Much Time And Care. The Airedale needs plenty of exercise and fresh air. They are happy to take brisk walks, swim, play fetch the ball and even jog or run along while you bike ride. This is a breed needing a lot of attention and if you want an easy dog to deal with you might want to keep shopping.
*Special Health Considerations. Airedales are very healthy dogs and the only significant special problems are hip dysplasia, as is the case with large breeds, low thyroid function and von Willebrands disease. Dry itchy skin is another common ailment. Most people feed a little extra oil in the diet and this seems to help greatly. A side problem is that these dogs can withstand the pain of injuries stoically and you may not always know when your dog is hurting.
*Grooming. The Airedale is not a prolific shedder but his wiry coat needs regular care including clipping and brushing. His coat is a double coat, a soft undercoating with wiry dense hair on the outer. Prepare to possibly shoulder the expense of hiring a professional groomer service. The most popular groomed look for Airedales is the King of Terriers look.
*Life Span. They can live between 10 and 12 years.
*Airedale History. He originates from England and is considered a modern breed. They are a cross between Otterhounds and smaller terriers. World War I saw them serve both the German and British. They delivered messages and found wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Several president conspicuously owned Airedales including president Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge the Theodore Roosevelt.
*Training. Airedales are thinkers so be creative about your training activities. They can be a little difficult to train but they are highly intelligent. Harsh training methods will get you no where as they can out last you. These are tough, thinking dogs. They can learn to do about any job.
SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
Protective of his adopted family.
Great watch dog.
Good with older kids.
Very little shedding.
SPECIAL BAD POINTS
They are digging dogs, as are many terriers.
Will fight other dogs so be careful with retractable leashes.
Needs a lot of exercise.
Will bark when very bored.
Has a mind of his own.
They may be very aggressive to other animals, cats, etc.

Examples of the hunting style of an Airedale Terrier

Dog picture taken by Bogart Handsome Devil.

The Airedale Terrier is a medium 45 to 65 pound dog that usually reaches between 22″ and 24″. Known as the King of the Terriers, they are largest of the Terrier breeds recognized by the AKC. It is a compact little powerhouse that is all terrier when it comes to chasing little animals or appeasing its curiosity.

Airedale Terriers are typically tan on the ears, head, chest, undersides, legs, and sometimes on the shoulders. They are black or grizzle on the sides and upper parts of the body. Sometimes they have a red mixture on the black or white markings on the chest. Certain strains of the breed also have a small white patch on the chest. Their wiry, dense outer coat requires regular grooming.

If you are looking for a dog with plenty of stamina and energy, look no further. The Airedale Terrier is full of energy and needs daily exercise and play. Generally speaking, they do best with older well behaved children and are not ideal for homes with smaller pets as terriers have the tendency to chase small animals and vermin. They can do well with other dogs, especially if they are socialized from puppyhood. They are loyal and protective if their family. They love to learn and can be trained easily provided training is fun and not monotonous.

The breed dates itself back to 18th century England. The breed is a cross between an Otterhound and a Waterside Terrier. They were bred for hunting small game and were later used in big game hunting, police work and as an army dog in WWII. The Airedale Terrier is now considered more of a family pet than working dog. However, they do love to work and have tasks to do and still make good hunting and tracking dogs

For a family that enjoys outdoors and exercise, the Airedale Terrier is an excellent choice. Although they can work with other pets and dogs, a one pet household seems more ideal for their needs unless they grow up with other family pets. The Airedale Terrier is a great pet for the family on the go.

My dog Lotar on holiday

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5 Month old Airedale Terrier attempting to leave a dog biscuit!

amateur Airedales are the largest of the Terrier breeds and is called, "The King". animal.discovery.com bizzare

If you’re looking to have an Airedale Terrier as your dog, the best place for you to look for a puppy is from one of the many Airedale Terrier breeders. These breeders will have all the necessary information for you regarding the puppies, and if they are good and conscientious Airedale Terrier breeders, they will also have some questions for you as well.

This is done for a valid reason, and not only because they want to ensure that their Airedale Terrier puppies goes to good homes. Airedale Terriers need more care and attention than is given to it by the average family or dog owner. It’s not enough that you love your dog, you also need to be prepared to look after its various needs and this isn’t always the easiest of things when you have an Airedale Terrier.

This is why many good Airedale Terrier breeders will ask you questions pertaining to whether you will be suited to raise an Airedale Terrier or not. Of course they can’t stop you from getting an Airedale Terrier puppy to raise, but they can deny you any of their puppies if they don’t think you are able to handle the task of properly rearing their prized pure bred Airedale Terrier puppies.

You will also find that many Airedale Terrier breeders will ask you to sign a contract stating that if at any point in time you cannot take care of your Airedale Terrier that you will return the dog to them and not give it over to some shelter, kennel, or other person. This is because their dogs matter to them and they care about what happens after the puppies leave their care.

To find Airedale Terrier breeders might not be as easy you might wish it, and you might have to look around a little before you can find one or two Airedale Terrier breeders in your area. And if there are no Airedale Terrier breeders in your area you might even have to go further afield and find Airedale Terrier breeders elsewhere.

If this is the case then you do need to be careful about who you choose as most likely you won’t be able to scout out the breeder’s premises beforehand. This is vitally important if you want to make certain that the particular Airedale Terrier breeders you are looking at, aren’t cleverly concealed puppy mills.

When you finally do find a few Airedale Terrier breeders however who can help you to obtain your very own Airedale Terrier puppy, talk with them, learn their views on the subject of how to properly and happily raise your Airedale Terrier puppy, and then go home with your new Airedale Terrier puppy and watch as life takes on odd twists and turns that you never even imagined of before.

Airedale Terrier

The Airedale Terrier is not called the “King of Terriers” for nothing. This dog is the tallest terrier from the entire breed family. One of its primary progenitors are the Black and Tan and the old English Terriers. They were medium-sized dogs whom highly admired by Yorkshire hunters that would go after all sorts of prey, ranging from small rabbits to fox.

Not only were they reliable hunters of land animals, these Terriers were also prized as great bird retrievers. Sometime during the mid-1800s, many of these Terriers were bred with Otterhounds. The goal was to create a dog that had increased water hunting skills as well as a stronger sense of tracking. The result was a sharp looking dog that became excellent otter hunters.

These otter hunting dogs became the breed that we know of today referred to as the Airedale Terrier. Their name was actually called “Waterside Terriers” at first, but was changed to the Airedale in 1878.

Terrier enthusiasts began to show these dogs in ringside competitions. To further the appreciable beauty of the Airedale Terrier, they were mixed with both Irish and Bull Terriers. By the early 1900s, the well-known Terrier and champion “Master Briar” became the father of today’s Airedale Terriers.

Master Briar produced dogs that highly influenced the breed in the United States. They picked up popularity as strong hunters, proving themselves to be worthy at hunting big game.  However, after the end of World War I their numbers declined and today they are a rare breed to come across, yet their great reputation remains the same.

Personality

The Airedale Terrier is considered to be the most versatile of the Terrier dog breed group. They are adventurous, bold, and love to play. Highly intelligent and a bit stubborn, training may take some time. However, with the right amount of training time, these dogs are obedient, loyal, and make excellent watchdogs. And so long as the Airedale Terrier gets plenty of mental and physical stimulation, they can make obedient house pets.

Taking Care Of Your Airedale Terrier

Airedale Terrier dogs require a lot of exercise. Without enough physical exertion, they tend to get bored easily and can be quite destructive, if left alone inside the house. Long walks or active games should provide plenty of stimulation to can take care of these needs.

Airedale Terriers are able to live outside during cold climates but like all house dogs, it’s always best to have them sleep inside with the family. Grooming takes a bit of extra work than most breeds, due to its long wiry coat. A thorough combing 2 -- 3 times per week is ideal. Clipping and scissoring is also recommended about every eight weeks or so.

Health Information

The average lifespan for healthy Airedale Terrier dog is between 10 and 14 years. They are a very healthy breed in which CHD is the only major health issue that may come up. Minor concerns include gastric torsion and hypothyroidism.

History

The Airedale Terrier was developed by working people in the middle of the 19th century for swimming ability, scent ability, and outsmarting its prey, which was the otter in the dales of the River Aire. The Otter-hound was bred with the black and tan terrier.

The Airedale Agricultural Society put on a dog show in 1864, where the Airedale Terrier was shown. The dogs were registered for the championship show under different breed names like Bingsley, Rough Coated, and Waterside Terrier. Breed enthusiast dubbed them Airedale Terriers in 1879. In 1886, the Kennel Club of England accepted that name. In 1881, the first Airedale arrived in the U.S. and he was victorious in the terrier class of a New York dog competition. The original records of Airedales in Canada were in a stud book of 1888-1889.

General Looks

The Airedale Terrier has small, dark eyes, and a black nose. It is a large dog.

Is This Your Breed?

Though the Airedale Terrier has a sweet attitude, he can be disobedient and stubborn. He needs exercise each day.

Coat

The outer coat is thick, wiry, and coarse. The undercoat is more soft and short. The coat is fairly easy to take care of, but it needs brushing regularly and stripping.

Color

The appropriate colors are tan on the head, ears, and legs with the saddle black or a saddle that mixes black, gray, and white.

Locomotion

Airedale’s are fast and graceful. The movement should appear free.

Personality

An Airedale that works with livestock needs to be trained thoroughly, so they don’t aggravate the animals they herd. They are independent, smart, energetic, and have a sense of humor. They are easily bored because they have above average comprehension for obedience training and working. An Airedale should be socialized early.

The Airedale Terrier doesn’t always do well with other pets. Some do. It gets along better with a bred that is not dominant. It needs to be around cats while a puppy. They are affectionate, faithful, and protective of their families. They are good with kids, if they are socialized to them from an early age.

Airedale Terrier video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeNyhwhhrgM