Airedale Terrier

The birthplace of the Airedale Terrier is the Valley of the Aire in West Riding, Yorkshire. The history of the breed is not very long – it was developed in the middle of the 19th century. The original purpose of the Airedale Terrier was to hunt otter with Otterhounds. To create a new breed, several English Terriers (the Old English Black-and-Tan Terrier, the Broken-coated Working Terrier and the Rough-coated Black-and-Tan Terrier) were outcrossed to the Otter Hound and possibly, to the Border Collie and Bull Terrier.

Everything in the Airedale Terrier is designed for retrieving and fighting the game. Factory workers and miners sought to develop a dog which could compete with the dog of the other miners in retrieving rats and otters. It resulted in creating a breed which is swift, formidable, graceful, and big of brain. These dogs can be taught anything, if the owner has even a slightest gift of teaching. Airedale Terriers are multipurpose dogs; they are good at hunting small and big game, guarding the property, police work, agility, and obedience. Nowadays, the Airedale Terrier is first and foremost used as an entertaining, faithful and friendly family companion.

The Airedale Terrier, like all Terriers, is very dog-aggressive. Early socialization and obedience training is a must for every dog of this breed, even if you are not going to show it. The owner has to earn the respect of the Airedale Terrier, which may not be easy for a novice owner. Being independent thinkers, these dogs are intelligent enough to manipulate the owner. Often, Airedale Terriers refuse to obey a command, not because they don’t understand it, but because they don’t understand its purpose. Harsh methods of training and drill are absolutely inadmissible with this breed. Consistent rules, regular, creative and interesting exercises, patience, flexibility, and positive motivation make Airedale Terriers reliable and trustworthy. Still, it’s not the best idea to buy a pet of this breed for a child and leave the child with the dog unsupervised.

A dog of this breed doesn’t need any complicated grooming and trimming; occasional brushing and bathing are enough to keep their coat in a good condition. For a show ring, the Airedale Terrier needs to be trimmed and stripped by a professional. Airedale Terriers should not be left on their own devices. Being very affectionate creatures, these dogs suffer much without enough human attention. Regular walks and play will help create close bonds between the Airedale Terrier and the owner.