AIREDALE RESCUE AND ADOPTION

Thank you for your interest in our rescue dogs. We think they are very special and hope you will too.

Because many people are not familiar with ‘rescue’ we would like to explain briefly what we do. Basically we find homes for Airedales whose previous homes have disappeared. This may happen for a wide variety of reasons; an owner dies, a dog gets lost and picked up by a shelter, a family moves and is unwilling to take the dog along, people get divorced (or married) and move to different living arrangement, an owner’s job starts to require a lot of travel, people have a baby and decide they can’t handle the dog, someone chooses a breed of dog which is not suitable to either his own temperament or lifestyle. If you are a dog person, you can’t believe the reasons that people give up a dog – but it happens all the time. Almost always, it is absolutely no reflection on the dogs and how super they are. They just get lost in the shuffle.

( Jack)

Since Airedale Rescue in the U.K. has been active we have learnt about Airedales in need from a variety of sources. We are notified by some of the animal shelters when an Airedale appears on their doorstep. Some people hear about us through The Kennel Club, groomers, vets, breeders or just ‘via the grapevine’ Thankfully many Airedales in need of a home have been placed with people who are willing to open their homes to a dog who is a bit down on his luck at the moment and we end up with ‘a lot of smiling faces on both ends of the leash’

(The photographs on this page are all dogs who are making the most of their new homes)

Obviously, most of our dogs are beyond the puppy stage and, quite frankly, we are always amazed by the number of people who think they want a puppy. Having lived with older dogs we have come to appreciate the many benefits of a mature dog, the most obvious being that they are already house broken. Puppies are made cute for a reason – to make you forget the shoes they eat, the plants they demolish, the messes they make and all the times they drive you crazy.

Most of the dogs on our register ten to be between
2 and 6 years old but occasionally we get younger
and older ones. We seem to get more males than
females – you know how curious male Airedales
can be, and they can be lost before they even finish
their adventure, so please, if you have any biases
about owning a female versus a male, talk to one
of our people about what kind of pet a male Airedale
makes. A lot of us are really partial to the boys so ask
about living with them.

 (Magnus)

Obviously we love Airedales and are dedicated to their well-being. Since we are Airedale people we can’t imagine life without an Airedale. But we also realise that Airedales are not for everyone and sometimes people who think they want an Airedale really don’t. That is who we want to be as honest as possible with you and hope you will be honest with us, especially if you have never owned an Airedale before, please hear us out with a open mind. If an Airedale isn’t the kind of dog who fits into your life, neither you nor the dog will be happy. It is better to realise this ‘up front’ than to allow a dog to think he has found his new life when he hasn’t. So please be honest and realistic. No doubt there is a dog out there for you, but we both need to determine whether or not that dog is an Airedale.

If you have never owned an Airedale before please pay special attention because what we expect is what we believe to be important for a safe and love home for an Airedale.

(photo Mille)

We require a fenced garden for our adoption dogs. We feel that an Airedale needs space to stretch his legs. We also know that Airedales are quite adventuresome and find it almost impossible to stay at home when there is a world out there to explore. Please remember that a few of our dogs come to us as strays. If they had had a secure, fenced garden we probably would never have met them. We do not allow our dogs to be chained outside, so this is not an alternative to a fenced garden. While we are usually quite firm about fences we do realise that sometimes there are special circumstances due to special owner or special dogs, when we need to consider our ‘fence position’

We expect you to provide all future inoculations for your dog and to maintain routine and necessary veterinary treatment. We expect you to obey laws relating to the control and ownership of a dog. We expect you to keep identification of you ownership on the dog at all times. New owner of our Airedales are not allowed to breed from them.

Airedales are very smart and curious. If you mind being outwitted every now and then you might not be enchanted by them. Because they are smart they can also be quite stubborn, so if you like a dog you can control completely you won’t like an

Airedale.

(Smithy)
 

If you want a dog who lies quietly at your side and never questions your judgement  you should consider another breed. Airedales do  not respond well to be excluded from the family
and you will be asking for trouble if you expect an Airedale to be happy restricted to the back yard or to a room or two in the house.

While Airedales are smart they are not always obedient. They usually have much better thengs to do than come when called. Airedales usually feel that when they have done something once they’ve shown you how smart they are – and drills on any exercise are met with less than an enthusiastic response. Airedales do not respond well to a heavy hand in training. Training efforts are most successful if they are based on praise rather than punishment. Airedales want to work with you, not for you, and your training efforts need to take that into account.

If you are neat person you may object to their drippy beards after a drink in the water bowl. Airedales being the ‘King of the Terriers’ are very often avid diggers, not so much out as down to build a ‘comfortable nest’. So think about these things, and think about what you really want and don’t want in a dog.

( Emma)

Many people are drawn to Airedales because of their appearance. Well groomed they truly are a stunning breed, but you should know that Airedales are a breed that requires grooming at least once a week. Show dog’s coats are hand
stripped (the old coat is pulled out and a new coat grows in), but most Airedale’s coats are clipped.
A totally ungroomed Airedale gets quite hairy and to many people this would not make a particularly pleasant house dog. Airedales should be clipped about 4-6 times a year. Of course you could learn to do this for yourself. Most dogs learn to enjoy the attention once they get used to the process and you will enjoy the result. Since it may be difficult to find a groomer we do encourage you to learn. Local Airedale Clubs may hold grooming sessions which help you learn to groom your dog, the NATA often hold a trimming class prior to the September Open Show.

Some people are impressed with the Airedale’s  reputation for courage and bravery. Much as this is obviously myth and lore (and has grown with Pinocchio’s nose) and some does reflect the spirit of Airedales. Airedales tend to be territorial.

(photo- Harry)

While this does make them ‘Watch dogs’ in a sense, dog owners today should realise that they are more likely to be sued by someone’s solicitor than be robbed by a burglar. Aggression in companion dogs should never be encouraged and anyway your Airedale would much rather be a couch potato and your best pal.

You should always be aware that some Airedales can be aggressive towards other dogs, while others live happily in multi-dog families. This can be true of both male and female.

If we do not have a rescue dog suitable for your family when you first contact us, please be patient.

(Emma)

We sincerely hope that if you decide an Airedale is the dog for you, you will consider adopting a rescue dog. They are wonderful dogs who have run into circumstance beyond their control and now find themselves in need of a new home and people who are willing to make a catring commitment to them for the rest of their lives. We hope that you will be one of these people and will join us in discovering the wonderful world of Rescue Dogs.

Please feel free to contact: Sylvia Hicks - 01302 770704 - between 10.00am and 7.00pm only please
or

Susan Seabridge - 01526 345374 - between 10.00am and 7.00pm only please.
 

 Or just click the Airemail