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Airedale Terrier Dog Breed Introduction
Airedale Terrier (nicknamed King of Terriers or Airedale) is a terrier type of dog that originated in the valley of Dale of the River Aire. This breed earned the nickname King of Terriers since it is the largest of the terrier breeds. Airedales are also referred to as Waterside Terriers and Bingley Terriers.
These dogs have also contributed to other dog breeds such as Yorkshire Terrier. The popularity of this breed greatly increased after World War I thanks to the stories of their bravery on the battlefield. Airedales also became popular because Presidents Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Theodore Roosevelt owned this breed.
Origin
Airedale dogs are originally from a valley in the West Riding of Yorkshire that was named for the River Aire that runs through it, Airedale. This dog was created in 1800 by working-class people by crossing Otterhound with the old English rough-coated Black and Tan Terrier( now Welsh Terrier) and an assortment of other breeds.
Airedales were first exhibited for the first time in 1864 at a championship dog show. They were classified under different names such as Waterside and Bingley Terrier as well as Rough Coated. The breed was named by its fanciers Airedale Terrier, a name that was accepted by the Kennel Club of England in 1886. It was recognized formerly by the club in 1886. The first imports of Airedales to North America were in the 1880s.
History
The first dog of this breed to come to the American shores was named Bruce. However, the patriarch of the breed is considered CH Master Briar (1897–1906) as well as two of his sons Monarch and Crompton Marvel who also made important contributions to the breed. During World War I, Airedales were extensively used to carry messages to soldiers behind enemy transport mail and lines. Red Cross also used these dogs to find wounded soldiers on the battlefield.
There are tales of Airedales delivering messages despite terrible injuries. For instance, Jack, an Airedale, ran through half a mile of enemy fire with a message attached to his collar. Jack arrived at headquarters with his jaw broken and one leg badly splintered. After he delivered the message, he dropped dead in front of the recipient. Before the adoption of the German Shepherds as the dog of choice for search and rescue, Airedales often filled this role.
These dogs were also used to accompany officers for protection on patrol at night. The Oorang Airedale offshoot was developed in the 1930s when Airedales were farmed like livestock. The United Kennel Club recognized this breed in 1914 while American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1888.
Airedale Terrier Lifespan
According to the Canadian, USA, and UK surveys, Airedales have an average lifespan of 10 to 13 years with a median lifespan of about 11.5 years similar to other breeds of their size.
Airedale Terrier Grooming
Airedales are a low-maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. This breed has a short and wiry coat that needs weekly brushing to look good and remove dead hair that will be confined in a brush rather than spreading around the house. If you notice mats or tangles while brushing the coat, use your fingers to break the mats and then tease them apart using a comb.
Stripping or Clipping the coat may be done once every 6 to 8 weeks or four times a year as they rarely shed to remove the dead coat and stimulate fresh and healthy coat growth. While bathing your pet, use a hypoallergenic shampoo and thoroughly rinse the coat to remove any excess product before removing your Airedale from bathing. A bathe once every 8 weeks will do for this breed.
Remember to brush the teeth of your pooch at least twice a week using a dog formulated toothpaste or finger tooth brush. Regular brushing maintains oral hygiene, good breathe, and removes excess tartar buildup. Nail trimming should done once a month. Overly grown nails make waking and running for Airedales.
Clean the Airedales ears at least once a week using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls to remove excess dirt and wax. Wipe the face of your pet using a clean damp washcloth.
Grooming Tools
The common grooming tool used for hand stripping Airedale is a small serrated-edged knife for dogs bearing undercoats in order to remove loose hair from the coat.
Haircut
- Puppy Cut – This is the most preferred haircut for several breeds of dogs. With this grooming style, your pet gets a youthful appearance by trimming one to two inches in length on the coat, tail, face, body, and head. The puppy coat keeps matting to a minimum. For this haircut, regular trimming is necessary to keep the coat short and nice.
- Show Cut – This is a grooming style for Airedales that participate in conformation shows. To achieve this look, the hair is hand stripped using a small serrated-edged knife to remove loose hair from the coat. The dog is also trimmed following the line of the body while also keeping the hair short around the tail, torso, and head. However, the coat is slightly longer around the nose and legs for a look that is synonymous with this breed.
- Full and Shaggy – this grooming style allows for a bit of added length giving the pet a fuller appearance.
Coat Type
An Airedale has a double coat that is short, hard, and wiry. The coat is also not kept so long so as to appear ragged and lies straight and close. The undercoat is soft while the outer coat is stiff, hard, and wiry. The hardest coat is slightly waved or crinkly. Curly soft coats are not the required breed standard.
Shedding
Airedales shed minimally and, therefore, their coat should be stripped at least four times a year to promote new hair growth. Weekly brushing of the coat also helps to confine loose hair on the brush that would otherwise spread around the house.
Hypoallergenic
Airedales are considered hypoallergenic since some dog owners with dog allergies have found out they may share a living space with a regular brushed dog of this breed without exhibiting any allergic symptoms. These dogs are also minimal shedders.
Airedale Terrier Training
Training an Airedale may be easy since they are intelligent and bond seamlessly with family members. At the age of 8 to 16 weeks, socialize your dog by exposing it to a wide variety of experiences, people, other dogs and animals, sights, smells, and sounds such as lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, sirens, washing machines, and whistles. Enrolling your Airedale pup in a puppy classes will also serve as a form of socialization.
Obedience training is highly advisable because of its strength and difficulty in handling. Teach basic command words one at a time to avoid confusion. Some of the basic commands that this pet may learn include stay, sit, come, lay, and leave it. This breed also has a generally long puppyhood and it tends to be more difficult to train in their youth hence early training is key.
A highly intelligent dog is easily bored, and dog owners of this breed should keep in mind that varied training sessions are more productive than repetitive ones. Keep the training sessions for a period of 5 to 10 minutes. Use positive reinforcements methods while teaching an Airedale instead of harsh correction methods.
Crate training is highly recommended for a pup that is not fully housebroken. This device will help to keep the pup safe when your are not home and prevent it from developing undesirable behavior such as chewing furniture and accidents in the house. A crate should be a safe place where your pooch retreats to. Use treats, toys, and praise to encourage an Airedale to get into the crate. Make it comfy by lining a blanket inside the crate. At no time should a crate be used as a form of punishment.
Training Tips
For effective potty training, remember that at the age of 12 to 16 weeks, puppies can hold for 3 to 4 hours before eliminating. Therefore, take it to the designated elimination area every 2 to 3 hours, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, immediately it wakes up, after naps, and before bedtime.
If you get an Airedale eliminating in the house, utter a firm No and take to the toilet area. Avoid harsh correction method such as yelling or biting your dog. Remember to clean the mess using enzymatic detergents to get rid of the odor. If the odor stays intact, an Airedale will keep eliminating in that spot after sniffing.
Once your take your dog to the elimination area, remain there for 15 minutes to allow the bladder and bowel muscles to relax for a pee or poo. If the dog doesn’t eliminate, go back to the house and take it after 15 minutes.
Barking
This is a stoic, independent, and athletic dog with a lot of stamina. Airedales are prone to chasing and digging true to their heritage. Most dogs of this breed are not barkers. However, barking may be frequent due to lack of exercise and boredom. Exercise helps your pet release some pent-up energy.
Aggressive
A well-trained Airedale will work with livestock and cattle without annoying the animals. However, this breed may be aggressive to other dogs and animals such as cats if they were not socialized early in their life.
Biting
Puppies are prone to nipping and biting as they explore their surroundings, texture, and people. Biting habit may be rapid during teething due to discomfort. An Airedale pup biting may seem adorable but not anymore after it matures into a medium-sized dog that has serious biting issues. Pet parents are encouraged to curb biting before it develops into a habit through redirection and bite inhibition training.
Airedale Terrier Temperament
- Independent.
- Intelligent.
- Stoic.
- Sometimes stubborn.
- Strong-minded.
- Loyal.
- Fearless.
- Outgoing.
- Alert.
- Friendly.
Exercise
Airedales are highly energetic and that energy should be channeled into safe outlets such as mental stimulation and physical activity such as walking. Two hours of exercise each day will do for this breed. This dog also loves to play with family members and daily play sessions of moderate length and walks will meet its exercise requirements. Airedales also play well with children, however, interactions with toddlers and smaller children should be supervised.
Airedale Terrier Size
An adult Airedale male has a height of 22.8 to 24 inches ( approx. 58 to 61 cm) with a weight of 40 to 50 pounds ( approx. 18 to 23 kg) while a female counterpart has a height of 22 to 23 inches ( approx. 56 to 59 cm) and weighs 35 to 40 pounds ( approx. 16 to 18 kg).
Height
A female Airedale has a height of 22 to 23 inches ( approx. 56 to 59 cm) while a male counterpart of this breed has a height of 22.8 to 24 inches( approx. 58 to 61 cm).
Weight
A male Airedale weighs 40 to 50 pounds( approx. 18 to 23 kg) while a female Airedale has a weight of 35 to 40 pounds ( approx. 16 to 18 kg).
Some of the other breeds of dogs include:
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Pug.
Health Issues
Some of the common health issues that Airedales suffer from include:
- Eye problems.
- Cancer.
- Cardiac issues.
- Hip dysplasia.
- Gastric dilatation volvulus.
- Skin dermatitis.
- Acral Lick dermatitis.
Allergies
Airedales are prone to allergies caused by skin, food, contact, and environmental allergens. The most affected body parts are the belly, feet, paws, ears, and folds of the skin. Some of the common symptoms that your pet may exhibit if he has allergies include itchiness, rubbing the paws, redness, chronic ear infections, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. The allergies that affect Airedales are discussed below:
Food Allergies – This allergy is often confused to food intolerance. However, true food allergies result in an immune response that cause a wide range of symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal stress such as vomiting and diarrhea and skin conditions symptoms such as hives, dermatitis, and crusting lesions. On the hand food intolerance occurs as a gradual response to an offending ingredient in the diet of an Airedale such as beef, eggs, wheat, soy, corn, additives, chicken, lamb, turkey, dairy products, etc. However, food sensitivities don’t result in an immune response.
Skin allergies – Contact, food, and environmental allergies affect the skin since Airedales are prone to lick granuloma and skin dermatitis.
Environmental allergies – some of the environmental allergens that result in inflammation includes fleas, ragweed, pollen, mites, dust and dust mites, grass, and mites. This allergy causes itchiness on various body parts including armpits, ears, paws, muzzle, groin, around the eyes, and between the toes.
Contact allergens – Once the skin comes in contact with allergens it causes allergic reaction. Some of the contact allergies that cause inflammation to Airedales include plastics, bed linens, carpet cleaning detergents, lawn chemicals, grooming products, latex, and medication.
Airedale Terrier Colors
American Kennel Club states that the correct coat color is either a black saddle with tan ears, legs, and head or a dark grizzle saddle, that is black mixed with gray and white. Grizzle is a mix of red hair in black often found on the tail before the back is considered the best and harshest coat.
Names
Once a dog owner gets an Airedale puppy from a responsible breeder or a rescue center, the next big thing is getting it a name that it will use for at least a decade. Some pet parents may get name inspirations from the origin of the dog, its personality, coat color, movies, food, books, celebrities, and songs.
Regardless, you should ensure that the name you chose freely rolls off your tongue and won’t make you embarrassed once you utter it out loud in public parks and malls. Airedales and other dog breeds easily understand names that have vowels.
Giving your pooch a name that rhymes with the command words would create confusion. It is highly recommended not to give an Airedale a name that is used by other family members or guest who frequent your house to avoid confusion. Dog owners name their Airedale pets different names ranging from Beast, Warrior, Karla, Speedy, Bruce, Dracula, Superman, Isla, Dolly, Helena, Lady, Bronte, Victor, Bobby, Nina, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are Airedale Terrier Hypoallergenic
Yes, they are considered hypoallergenic since they are low shedders and weekly brushing has been reported to help people with dog allergies.
How Big Do Airedale Terriers Get
A mature adult female Airedale has a height of 22 to 23 inches ( approx. 56 to 59 cm) and weighs 35 to 40 pounds ( approx. 16 to 18kg) while an adult male counterpart has a weight of 40 to 50 pounds ( approx. 18 to 23kg) and a height of 22 to 23 inches ( approx. 56 to 59 cm).
Can Airedale Terrier Be Aggressive
Yes, they may be aggressive to other animals such as cats, cattle, and dogs if not properly socialized.
Airedale Terriers Quick Facts
- Stanley Coren ranked Airedales 37th in The Intelligence of Dogs.
- Airedales have a stoic temperament and injuries may go unnoticed for a time as the dog will not give obvious signs of distress or pain like whining.
- They are also known as the King of Terriers due to their large size.
