Airedale Terrier

History

The breed originated in the mid-19th century in the Aire valley of the West Riding of Yorkshire, where working-class people crossed the old English rough-coated Black and Tan Terrier with the Otterhound and other breeds. They were first exhibited at a championship dog show in 1864 sponsored by the Airedale Agricultural Society, under names such as Rough Coated, Bingley, and Waterside Terrier. In 1879 breed fanciers decided on the name Airedale Terrier, which the Kennel Club of England formally recognized in 1886.

The first Airedale imported to North America, named Bruce, arrived in 1881 and won the terrier class at a New York dog show. The patriarch of the breed is considered to be CH Master Briar (1897–1906); two of his sons, Crompton Marvel and Monarch, also contributed significantly. The first Canadian registrations appear in the Stud book of 1888–1889. In 1910 the Airedale Terrier Club of America offered the Airedale Bowl as a perpetual trophy, which continues today.

Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Hautenville Richardson and his wife established the British War Dog School at Shoeburyness, Essex, and in 1916 provided two Airedales, Wolf and Prince, as message carriers; after they proved themselves, Airedales took on additional duties including locating injured soldiers.

Description

The Airedale Terrier is the biggest of the British terriers. A fit dog weighs between 19 and 25 kilograms, with males standing 58 to 61 centimeters at the shoulder and females a bit smaller. The American Kennel Club standard calls for a slightly smaller dog. In North America, larger Airedales can reach up to 55 kilograms.

These big dogs are sometimes called Oorangs, after a kennel in Ohio from the early 1900s that bred them, or Roosevelt Terriers. The breed has a medium-length black and tan coat. The outer layer is harsh and wiry, while the undercoat is soft. This is a broken coat that lies straight and close over the body and legs.

The hardest coats are crinkly or slightly wavy; soft, curly coats are not wanted. Though often labeled hypoallergenic, studies show no major difference in allergen levels between Airedales and other dogs. Dogs with undercoats are usually groomed by hand stripping, using a small serrated knife to pull out loose hair. Most need clipping or stripping every six to eight weeks because they do not shed.

The AKC breed standard allows a black saddle with a tan head, ears, and legs, or a dark grizzle saddle—black mixed with gray and white. Non-standard black and red (tan) coated Airedales exist, as do short-coated Redline types. These Redlines still have a hard, wiry outer coat and soft undercoat, fitting the breed standard.

Health

Airedale Terriers typically live around 12 years, which is close to the 12-year average for crossbreeds but slightly below the 12.7-year average for purebreds. Cancer is the leading cause of death, accounting for roughly 39.5% of fatalities in a UK survey and 38% in a North American study. Old age follows at 14% and 12%, respectively, with urologic issues causing 9% and 17% of deaths, and cardiac problems at 7% and 6%. Hip dysplasia appears in about 6.22% of Airedales, compared to a 3.52% overall rate.

Notable Airedales

Notable Airedales include Ruff, owned by the Mitchell family of Dennis the Menace; Kitty, owned by John Jacob Astor IV, who perished on the Titanic; Laddie Boy, owned by U.S. President Warren G. Harding; Paddy the Wanderer; Muggs, 'The Dog That Bit People' owned by James Thurber; Duke, owned by John Wayne; Rufus from Open Season 2; an unnamed Airedale in Family Guy; Kipper from the 1996 live-action Disney film 101 Dalmatians; Hugo, owned by Geri Halliwell; and Princess Tina, owned by Theodore Wilson from Home and Away. The dog Myrtle Wilson buys in The Great Gatsby is said to be an Airedale, though Nick Carraway notes it has white paws.