Airedale Terrier
| Recognized By: |
ACR
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AKC
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ANKC
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APRI
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CKC
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CKC
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FCI
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KCGB
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NKC
,
NZKC
,
UKC
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| AKA: |
Airedale, King of Terriers |
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| Mispellings: |
Aierdale Terrier, Airdale Terrier, Tierier |
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Living with a Airedale Terrier
Family Dog: Airedale Terriers usually do well with children provided they are socialization early and raised around them. They tend to play rough and should be supervised at all times when around small children.
Shedding: Airedale Terriers are heavy shedders if their coat is not stripped. If their coat is stripped they will shed little to no hair.
Grooming: Airedale Terriers should have their hair plucked about two times a year. Excessive hair between the pads of the feet should be trimmed when necessary. They should be brushed daily. Their beard should be washed daily to remove food particles.
Training: Airedale Terriers are intelligent, obedient dogs that take very well to training.
Exercise: Airedale Terriers need plenty of exercise. They should be taken for long walks daily. They enjoy a game of fetch or a nice swim. If not provided with enough time for exercise the Airedale Terrier may become restless and bored which may lead to destructive behavior.
Living Conditions: Airedale Terriers are not recommended for people living in apartments or with small yards. They are very active dogs and need ample room to run.
Airedale Terrier Appearance
Appearance: The Airedale Terrier is a large tan dog with black markings. The Airedale Terrier's head is long and flat. The body is balanced with a square outline. The ears are folded forward.
Size: Male Airedale Terriers should be approximately 23 inches tall and weigh between 50 to 65 pounds. Females are just slightly shorter and weigh around 40 to 45 pounds.
Head: Airedale Terriers have a long flat head where the length of the skull and foreface are approximately equal. The head should not be too broad between the ears and narrow gradually approaching the eyes. There should not be any wrinkles on the top of the Airedale Terrier's head.
Nose: The nose of an Airedale Terrier should be black in color and not too small in size.
Eyes: The Airedale Terrier's eyes should be small and dark in color. They should give the expression of intelligence.
Ears: The Airedale Terrier's ears should be v-shaped and set off to the side of the head. They should be small yet proportionate to the dog's body size.
Teeth/Bite: The teeth of an Airedale Terrier should be strong and white. They should meet in a level or vise-like bite.
Neck: The neck of the Airedale Terrier should be moderate in length and thickness. It should gradually become wider nearing the shoulders.
Body: The Airedale Terrier is a well-balanced dog with a square overall appearance. The Airedale Terriers back should be strong and level. The ribs should be well sprung and the chest deep. The loins should be muscular. The shoulders should slope into the back with the blades flat.
Forequarters: The Airedale Terrier's forelegs should be straight and muscular. The elbows should be perpendicular to the body.
Hindquarters: The Airedale Terrier's thighs should be powerful. The stifles should be well bent and turned neither in nor out. The hocks should be well let down and parallel to each other.
Feet: The Airedale Terrier's feet should be small in size with a round shape. The pads should have good depth to them. The toes should have moderate arch to them and face straight ahead.
Tail: The tail of an Airedale Terrier should be of moderate length, set well up on the back, carried upright but not curled over the back.
Color: The coat of an Airedale Terrier should be predominately Tan with Black markings. The ears should be a darker shade of tan than the rest of the coat. There may be dark markings on the sides of the head. The side and top of the body should be black or dark grizzle in color. There may be a white blaze on the chest.
Coat: The Airedale Terrier's coat is harsh, dense and wiry in texture. The coat is straight and may be slightly wavy in spots. Airedale Terriers have a soft undercoat.
Airedale Terrier Facts
Category: Terrier, AKC Terrier
Life Expectancy: The average life expectancy of an Airedale Terrier is 10-12 years.
Characteristics: Airedale Terriers seek love and respect. They are courageous dogs who can be very protective of their family but are normally friendly with strangers.
Airedale Terrier Health
Health: Airedale Terriers are a generally healthy breed. They some may suffer from eye problems, hip dysphasia and skin infections. If dry skin is an issue feed your Airedale Terrier an adjusted omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the diet.
Litter Size: The average litter size of an Airedale Terrier is 9 puppies.
Airedale Terrier History
History: The Airedale Terrier has been around about 100 years. They were originally developed from the ancient Working Terrier. The Airedale Terrier originally a vermin hunter and was named after the Valley of the Aire in England where small game was always present. They were originally known as the Waterside Terrier and later crossed with the Otterhound to increase their swimming abilities. There is believed to be some Manchester Terrier in bloodline as well. The Airedale has also been used to hunt large game in Africa, India and Canada. They have a history of being used as police dogs and as army sentry dogs in World War II. Airedales today are primarily a companion dogs kept as pets.
