THE AIREDALE TERRIER

The Airedale Terrier is known as the King of the Terriers not merely because it is the largest, but also because of its many qualities and characteristics.

The breed was formed in the second half of the 19th century by fanciers in the Aire and Wharf valleys of Yorkshire. The exact origins are uncertain, however it is generally accepted that the Otterhound and Rough-Coated working terriers of the day were involved in the effort to produce a larger and gamer type of terrier to deal with larger vermin.
 

In the past the Airedale has been a favourite with organisations who need intelligent, fearless working animals. The first police dogs were Airedales and they are still used as such in some countries. During the First World War the Airedale was trained by Ltnt Col. Richardson to work in the trenches carrying medical supplies and messages, he found this breed was the best for this purpose. Unfortunately many Airedales were killed during this time.
There are some books written by L.Col Richardson which give the full details of this work, unfortunately they are now difficult to obtain, if however, you ever have the opportunity to buy or borrow one of them you will be fascinated by the work the Airedale carried out.

Since the early days the breed has been much refined to produce the handsome Airedale of today. The breed has a reputation for being an excellent guard dog whilst not being of an aggressive nature. His intelligence and temperament have earned him a place of affection in the minds of all those who have been fortunate enough to live with him.

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The breed is naturally affectionate and will never be happier than when with its owner. As the largest of the terriers they enjoy an active life but provided they are sufficiently exercised are equally suited to a rural or an urban setting. Their waterproof coat benefits immensely from a daily groom and will require stripping or clippering two or three times a year, this is normally a job for a professional groomer but the owner benefits greatly from learning how to do this at home.
 

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The Airedale suits many types of people; he prefers company so is best with someone who has plenty of time for him. They can be very good family pets, great with children as long as the children have also been trained how to treat him. They can be ‘sparky’ with dogs they don’t know but not usually with dogs they have been brought up with from being a puppy.
They are extremely intelligent and quickly learn how to gain the owner’s praise. They can however try to see how far they can push their owners and know how to ‘act the fool’ if they think they are in trouble. As they get older some lose the boisterousness of puppyhood, but many stay very young at heart. Dogs mature more slowly than bitches.

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The best home environment would be a house with a secure garden (minimum 5ft fencing), the gate should have a good fastener and it is always best if visitors do not use the gate from which a dog could escape. The Airedale is a large terrier and does have a loud bark; he will use it whenever he thinks someone is approaching his home. He should not be left home alone for long stretches as he will become bored and either bark or find something to amuse him which will not amuse his owners on their return.
Some Airedales are destructive, particularly if they are bored or needing exercise, some are so laid back they never do damage.
Life expectancy is approximately 12-13 years.

There is an element of HD in Airedales, as there is in many breeds of this size. Reputable breeders have their breeding stock Xrayed under the BVA/KC scheme. This is something potential owners should ask about when buying a puppy.

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