Protection Dog Breeds we offer For Sale:

German Shepherd Dog | Boxer Dog | Doberman Pinscher | Belgian Malinois

Bouvier des Flandres | Giant Schnauzer | Dutch Shepherd Dog | Rottweiler | Airedale Terrier

(Click on the above links to learn about each breed)

Airedale Terrier

(Airedale) (King of Terriers)

The Airedale Terrier in Brief:

The Airedale Terrier (often shortened to "Airedale") is a terrier dog breed originating from Airedale in Yorkshire, England. It is sometimes called the "King of Terriers" because it is the largest of the terrier breeds, 50 to 70 pounds (23-32 kg). The breed has also been called the Waterside Terrier, because it was bred originally to hunt otters.

The Airedale Terrier was developed in England in the 19th century. It is the largest of the terrier group, standing about 23 in. (58.4 cm) high at the shoulder. Its dense, wiry, close-lying coat is a mixture of tan, black, and grizzle in color. Although little can be said with certainty of its history prior to 1850, authorities generally believe the airedale was produced from crosses of the extinct black-and-tan terrier and the otterhound. It has been used to hunt a variety of game, trained as a police dog and dispatch bearer in war, also bred for show competition, and kept as a pet and family guardian.

Pronunciation of the Airedale Terrier:

Temperament of the Airedale Terrier:

The Airedale Terrier will usually do okay with children if they have early exposure and socialization, however they may play too rough for small ones. The Airedale Terrier breed needs to feel loved and respected. The Airedale Terrier is naturally courageous and protective. The Airedale Terrier is generally friendly with strangers as long as the strangers are passive.

The Airedale Terrier is intelligent, pleasant and loyal. Sensitive and responsive, the Airedale Terrier can be obedience trained at a high level. Airedale Terriers are fun-loving and playful when they are puppies. Airedales are very happy to please their owner. The Airedale is naturally lively and can be very rowdy unless properly trained. The Airedale Terrier needs proper obedience training and an owner who knows how to be 'Top Dog' (as with any Protection Dog Breed). The Airedale Terrier may have dominance challenges toward family members he sees as submissive. This can lead to willfulness and disobedience if left uncorrected. They are not difficult to train, but they do not respond to harsh overbearing training methods. The Airedale Terrier is intelligent enough to perceive quickly what is required of it, but if you ask it to do the same thing over and over again it may become bored and refuse on principle. Try to give it some variety to its training, making the exercise a challenge. With the right handler, the Airedale Terrier can do well in various demanding activities including agility, guard-dogging and extremely advanced obedience. The Airedale Terrier breed generally gets along well with household cats and other animals. The specific temperament of each dog depends upon their training and the individual dog.

Description of the Airedale Terrier:

The Airedale Terrier is a large terrier with a harsh wiry coat, long flat head, and a deep chest. The Airedale Terrier's hair is bristly and resistant to dampness, but it needs stripping. The well-balanced dog stands square, with a level top line and very straight front legs. The Airedale Terrier's v-shaped ears fold slightly to the side and forward. The nose is black. The teeth should meet in a level or scissors bite. The Airedale Terrier's tail is carried high and is customarily docked; left undocked it should be carried gaily, but should not curl over the back. The wiry outer coat is lined with a soft undercoat. The coat should be tan with black (or dark grizzle) markings. A bit of red in the black and/or a small white star on the chest are permitted. The Airedale Terrier's legs (all the way to the thigh), chest, undersides, head and ears should be tan. Sometimes tan also extends up to the shoulders.

 

Height & Weight of the Airedale Terrier:

Height: Dogs (Males) 22-24 inches (56-61 cm.) Bitches (Females) 22-23 inches (56-58 cm.)
Weight: Dogs (Males) 50-65 pounds (23-29 kg.) Bitches (Females) 40-45 pounds (18-20 kg.)

Health Problems of the Airedale Terrier:

The Airedale Terrier is a very hardy breed, although some may suffer from eye problems, hip dysphasia and skin infections. If your Airedale Terrier has dry skin, he should be fed an adjusted omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the diet. European breeding programs are extremely particular about the health of every dog that is bred and will not breed a dog that shows signs of any genetic related issues. Most North American breeders do not take such precautions.

Living Conditions of the Airedale Terrier:

The Airedale Terrier is not recommended for apartment life unless they are given several hours of exorcise each day. They are very active indoors and will do best with at least an average-sized yard.

Exercise Requirements of the Airedale Terrier:

Airedales were bred for active work, and therefore need plenty of exercise. Most of them love to play with a ball, swim, or retrieve objects and once fully grown will happily run alongside a bicycle. Without enough attention and exercise the Airedale Terrier will become restless and bored and will usually get itself into trouble... they feel this is more along the lines of turning lemons into lemonade. The exercise requirement can go down somewhat after the first two years (as with many dogs) but the first two years with an Airedale are very strenuous on the human. After the first two years or so they start to get much more mellow.

Life Expectancy of the Airedale Terrier:

About 10-12 years.

Grooming of the Airedale Terrier:

Airedales have a hard, short-haired, double coat. The hair should be plucked about twice a year, but for dogs that are to be shown, much more intensive grooming is needed. Trim excessive hair between the pads of the feet when necessary. If you keep the coat stripped it will shed little to no hair, however if you do not strip the coat, you will most likely find fur gathering around your baseboards, even with trimming, and brushing almost every day. The Airedale Terrier requires an above average amount of grooming. Burrs easily stick in the coat and beard. The beard should be washed daily because of food residue.

Origin:

The Airedale Terrier was developed about a hundred years ago in the country of York from the ancient Working Terrier. 'The King of Terriers,' the Airedale was named for the Valley of the Aire in England, where a lot of small game flourished. Originally known as the Waterside Terrier and used primarily as a vermin hunter. The breed was later crossed with the Otterhound to make him a better swimmer. In addition to his role as a small game hunter, the Airedale has been used to hunt big game in Africa, India and Canada, and as a police dog and army sentry dog in World War II. Today the Airedale is primarily a companion dog, but there are still working lines out there. Some of the Airedale's talents are guarding, watchdogging, hunting, tracking, military work, personal protection work, security work, police work, and competitive obedience.

 

Groups of the Airedale Terrier:

Terrier, Working Terrier

Recognition of the Airedale Terrier:

FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CET, CKC, APRI, ACR

 

Photographs of the Airedale Terrier:

The Airedale Terrier

Airedale Terrier Puppies

Airedale Terrier snuggling with a Lamb friend

Airedale Terrier with Children

 

Airedale Terrier Working:

Airedale Terrier Hunting for Foul in Europe

 

Airedale Terrier Agility:

Airedale Terrier running an Obstacle Course

Airedale Terrier Jumping over Agility Fence/Wall

Airedale Terrier Walking an Elevated Agility Plank

Airedale Terrier Advanced Agility

 

Airedale Terrier Playing:

Airedale Terrier Playing with Toy

The Airedale Terrier Playing in the Snow

The Airedale Terrier Swimming

 

Airedale Terrier Advanced Obedience

The Airedale Terrier Advanced Obedience

 

Airedale Terrier Personal Protection

Airedale Terrier Protecting an Automobile

Airedale Terrier Protection Trained

The Airedale Terrier can also be Trained for many other tasks:

Airedale Terrier Search & Rescue Training to find Missing Persons