Airedale Terrier

Overview

The Airedale Terrier is the largest of the AKC terriers, a versatile black-and-tan from the Aire valley, used on otter, vermin, and later as a wartime messenger. Sporting and upstanding, it is a thinking terrier that needs work and a sense of humor.

Origin

Nineteenth-century working men in Yorkshire crossed the old English Black and Tan Terrier with Otterhound and perhaps other blood to produce a waterside ratter and otter dog larger than the fox terriers. The breed was recognized by the Kennel Club and, in 1888, by the AKC. Airedales served in World War I as sentries and messengers.

Size & weight

Males should be about 58 cm, females slightly less. Substance is expected; they are not a toy terrier on stilts. Some hunting lines are leaner than show dogs in full furnishings.

Temperament

Intelligent, loyal, and terrier-bold without the extreme fire of some smaller earth dogs. They can be clownish at home and reserved with strangers. Same-sex dog aggression appears in some individuals. They invent jobs if you do not assign one.

Energy

High. This is a sporting terrier: hikes, swimming, training, and retrieving all suit it. Under-exercised Airedales become noisy and destructive. They mature slowly.

Intelligence

The largest terrier, the Airedale was used as a wartime messenger and police dog and typically takes to training better than smaller earth-dogs.

Intelligence here means typical trainability, not a ranking of the dog.

Coat & grooming

A hard, dense, wiry saddle of black or grizzle over tan legs, head, and ears. Furnishings on the face create the characteristic beard. The coat is broken, not silky.

Hand-stripping for a correct hard jacket, typically a few times a year, or clipping for pets. The beard collects dinner. Weekly brushing keeps the furnishings from matting.

Health notes

Hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and umbilical hernias occur. The breed has a notable cancer rate, including lymphoma. Gastric dilatation-volvulus is possible in deep-chested individuals. Skin allergies appear.

Care

Give them a job and a fence. They swim well and often love it. Training should be varied; they outwit boring repetition. They generally want to live indoors as partners, not yard ornaments.

Fun facts

• Airedales are often nicknamed the King of Terriers for their size.
• An Airedale named Jack was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross–style honor for delivering a message under fire in World War I.
• Presidents including Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge kept Airedales in the White House.