Airedale Terrier
The King Of Terriers
public domain photo courtesy of wikipedia
Personality And Temperament
Airedale Terriers are brave but not aggressive. They are intelligent, independent and can be a little stubborn at times. Mischievous and comical companions, they will do their utmost to cheer you up and make you laugh.
In fact, it's often said that your Airedale can make you laugh and can make you cry - sometimes at the same time!
Airedale's have a strong prey drive so shouldn't share their home with cats. Even cats which they grew up with shouldn't consider themselves safe!
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They are feisty and exuberant and, as the largest of all the terrier breeds, they can easily knock over and hurt small children without meaning to so it is recommended that they do not live with a family with very small children.
They can also be aggressive towards other dogs so two of the same breed should not be kept together.
They are extremely mischievous and will act like a young puppy for the first couple of years of their lives. They love to dig and chew and will try to destroy their doggy bed and toys.
There is no such thing as an indestructible toy to this dog breed! Although chews like the ones above should occupy him for a while at least!
Airedale's have a great longing for affection and need to feel part of the family rather than banished outside to live alone in a kennel.
flickr photo from Lulu Hoeller
Breed History
Originating from the Aire Valley in South Yorkshire, England, the Airedale terrier is the largest of all the terrier breeds thus gaining itself the title of "King Of Terriers".
They were originally bred from the uniting of the Black And Tan Terrier (extinct) with the Bull terrier. This was then crossed with the Otter-hound. Farmers needed a dog which was small enough to dig into the lair of pests but large enough to take on larger vermin such as foxes.
They hunted anything from otters, polecats, weasels, foxes, martens and rats. Airedale's hunted around the River Aire and up until the late 19th century they were known as the Waterside Terrier for this very reason.
They were also used in hunting and would run alongside the hounds before reaching the lair and being told to “go to ground” i.e. enter the lair to carry out the kill. This required a certain degree of bravery from the terrier, to fight alone underground in the dark without an human help.
Airedale Terrier were at their most popular during the First World World when they were used by the Red Cross to find injured soldiers and as messenger dogs to transport messages from command Headquarters to the troops on the front line. They were incredibly loyal and resilient.
flickr photo from Lulu Hoeller
There is a story of one famous Airedale called Jack who had a message tied to his collar around his neck. He ran half an mile through enemy fire to the main Headquarters. By the time he had arrived, he had suffered a broken jaw and one of his legs was badly splintered. He delivered his message then immediately dropped down dead. His dedication and loyalty to his mission saved an entire platoon from annihilation.
Before the introduction of German Shepherds, the Airedale Terrier was the dog of choice for policing and search/rescue missions. Their keen sense of smell, dedication and easy to maintain wiry coats made them an ideal choice. They have also been used as guide dogs for the blind.
The first Airedale to make it to America arrived in 1881 and was named Bruce. By the 1920s they were the most popular breed in the US. Their numbers peaked in 1949 when they were the 20th most popular breed out of 110 dog breeds recognised the the American Kennel Club.
Vital Statistics
Ease Of Training
Airedale's are fairly easy to train as they are very intelligent. However, they are also stubborn and their idea of training may be different from yours!
They should be exercised regularly to try to limit their destructiveness. Four walks per day of twenty minutes each is recommended.
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