The Airedale Terrier
Narrated from: Dog Breeds
Lively, bold, adventurous, playful, intelligent, bull-headed and stubborn are all words that accurately describe the Airedale Terrier. These dogs need a good, strong trainer and could take control of you if you are inexperienced. They need lots of physical and mental exercise and will require an active owner to achieve this. Once trained and well-worked, this dog can be the best possible family pet. He is not likely to be a submissive dog and will like to be in charge if other dogs are in the household. He is the tallest of the entire terrier group and he has the usual terrier mentality. Otherwise known as the King of Terriers the Airedale will be protective to the death and is gentle, affectionate and a loving pet to its family.
The Airedale terrier is a very muscular breed. They have a silky undercoat and a wiry outer coat. In spite of the wiry outer coat these dogs do not need to be stripped like most other terrier breeds. During the stripping process the longer wiry hair is pulled out to make a smoother looking dog. Without the wiry coat the Airedale simply would not be an Airedale. They have an adorable face and they are so affectionate you simply must love them!
The Airedale Terrier was bred to hunt and they have a strong prey drive. They need activities that will allow them to utilize these skills and to burn off excess energy. They will require a creative owner that is as dedicated to him as he will be to them. They were once known as the Waterside terrier but were first named the Airedale in 1878. It didn’t take his ancestors long to gain worldwide fame as hunters. His good looks made him great for police work and for family life. Airedales also make wonderful therapy dogs as long as they are well socialized when they are very young. Unfortunately by the end of World War 1 their popularity suffered a decline but their reputation is still greater than their numbers today.
When kept inside his grooming requirements are relatively low but he will need a good combing at least twice each week. Every month or two he will need a good bath and a trim with scissors with accurate shaping to keep him looking as dignified as he should be. Being a very tall dog he may suffer from hip dysplasia which is a condition that plagues many of the taller breeds. He is generally very healthy and as long as he is exercised plenty and often, he will be healthy and happy.
If you are an experienced trainer you will still find training the Airedale to be a challenge due to their dominant side. They so want to please their owners but they have difficulty letting someone else be in charge. If you decide to take on the Airedale, do so with a gentle but firm consistency. As soon as he knows his place he will certainly be a dog to be proud of with his chiseled stance and predictable behavior. He will provide you with 10 to fifteen years of lovable playtime!
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