Airedale Terrier - Dog Breed Profile

Author: Dooziedog.com

Key Facts:

Size: Medium

Height: 56 - 61 cm (22 - 24 inches)

Weight: 22 - 24 kg (49 - 53 lb)

Life Span: 14 years

Grooming: Medium

Exercise: Reasonable

Feeding: Medium

Temperament: Courageous & friendly

Country of Origin: England

AKC Group: Terrier

Other Names: Waterside Terrier

Temperament:

Airedale Terriers are good-natured, confident, lively and intelligent. Airedale Terriers are very affectionate and loyal towards their family and are good with children. Airedale Terriers tend to tolerate other household pets and strangers, although they are known to be dominate towards other dogs. Airedale Terriers need to be handled in a firm manner to avoid stubborn behaviors and to curb their keen hunting instincts.

Grooming:

Airedale Terriers require regular grooming and ideally need occasional professional stripping. However pet owners can easily keep them looking presentable by learning to clip them themselves. The coat of the Airedale Terrier sheds twice per year and the excess hair between the pads of the feet needs to be trimmed.

Exercise:

Moderate daily exercise is needed for Airedale Terriers. These dogs enjoy playing and retrieving objects and will happily run alongside a cycle.

Feeding:

Airedale Terriers are not greedy eaters, but are well-built and do require a sufficient supply of nutrition.

History:

Airedale Terriers were originally known as Waterside Terriers and are believed to have descended from the old English black and tan terrier crossed with Otter hounds. Early breeders developed this breed for the purpose of hunting rats and vermin on the land and otters in the water. In the mid 1800s at the Airedale show in North England, a judge was so impressed by the numbers of this particular breed of terriers, that his praise and the resultant publicity earned the breed their own title of Airedale Terrier.

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Well proportioned and symmetrical body with alert expressions.

Color: Tan on the head and ears except for dark markings on each side of the skull. Tan colored feet up to the thighs and elbows. The body is black or dark grizzle.

Coat: The outercoat is dense, stiff, wiry and water resistant. Sometimes it is slightly wavy and crinkling. They have a shorter and softer undercoat that is dense but not curly.

Tail: Customarily docked. Stands erect without curving over the back.

Ears: Small, folded ears in a ""V""-shape

Body: Short, strong, straight back. A deep chest (but not broad). The shoulders are long and sloping to the back, with flat shoulder blades. The ribs are prominent and there is little space between the ribs and hips.

Additional Comments:

Airedale Terriers have the nickname ""The King of the Terriers"" as they tend to be one of the largest terriers and also have an expression suggesting total command of any situation.

About the author: This article provided courtesy of Dooziedog.com, for more pictures visit http://www.dooziedog.com/dog_breeds/airedale_terrier/