Airedale Terrier dog breed

Other Names:  Airedale, King of Terriers

Country Of Origin: England .

Dog Group Kennel Club:  Terrier

General Appearance:
Airedale Terriers are often just referred to as 'Airedales' although they do fall into the Terrier group, of which they are the largest example. They are known as muscular active dogs with dense wiry outer coats and shorter softer undercoats lying close to the body of the dog, and with a distinctive beard around muzzle. Airedales are powerful dogs and have a sturdy, practical appearance .

Colours: Black and tan

Size:
Bitch           56-59 cms
Dog             58-61 cms
(Heights taken from top of shoulder)

Weight:
                             Min                 Max

Bitch           22kg (48lbs) 22kg (48lbs)
Dog             22kg (48lbs) 22kg (48lbs)

Temperament:
Airedales in general have outgoing and friendly temperaments and although not generally aggressive, they are known for their fearless attitude. Proper training is a must. An intelligent breed, the Airedale Terrier should have an experienced owner. They need firm handling as they are naturally dominant and can be stubborn. This dog loves to chase small animals, but can do exceptionally well with cats and other dogs. They are not very aggressive towards other dogs but will stand their ground if challenged. They are fun-loving dogs and good with people. They make excellent family dogs particularly good with children and always ready to join in their games.

Care And Training:
The hair of this breed is a hard wiry coat which is hard to groom. Dead hair should be plucked but, daily grooming can prevent occurrence of skin irritations. The coat is shed twice yearly.The feet and mouth should be checked and cleaned daily. This breed can be very willful and stubborn at times, but with variety can do very well in sporting events. This dog is very lively and requires an experienced handler. Firm but gentle training is required.

Overall Exercise:  100 - 120 minutes per day
The Airedale is an active dog who needs a reasonable amount of exercise daily, preferably with some time spent playing games.

Feeding requirements:
This Breed is easy to feed as they are not particularly when it comes to feeding.
They will however require reasonable amounts of good quality food to fuel their energy levels.

Exercise:  High

Grooming: High

Noise: low

Personal Protection: Medium

Suitability As Guard Dog: Medium

Level of Aggression: Medium

Compatibility With Other Animals: Medium

Suitable For Children: High

Often Docked? Yes

Average Litter Size: 8

Life Expectancy (yrs):12

Health issues: Airedale Terriers may suffer from eye problems, hip dysplasia, skin infections, and bloat (also known as gastric torsion or twisted stomach). Bloat is a common health issue to dogs, being the second largest killer of dogs other than cancer. Deep-chested dogs are more susceptible to it.

History: The Airedale Terrier was originally known as the Waterside Terrier and sometimes the Bingley Terrier. Named after the Valley of Aire in Yorkshire, England, where they derived from crossing the old English black and tan terrier with the Otterhound in the mid-1800s. They hunted otter, fox, weasel,  badger and water rat in England. The breeders of the Airedale wanted a breed that would be a large terrier willing to go to water if needed. The Airedale was used in the 19th century for big game hunting, vermin killing and police and military work. They were used in Africa, India and North America for hunting. When they were shown in classes in the Airedale agricultural Show in 1879, their name was born: Airedale Terrier, due to the immense amount of Waterside Terriers shown. The dogs were previously known as Waterside, Bingley, or Working Terriers, depending on where they lived. The agricultural show unified the breed.

Afghan Hound dog breed

Other Names:  Tazi, Baluchi Hound

Country Of Origin:  Afghanistan

Dog Group Kennel Club: Hound

General Appearance:
Afghans are part of the hound group and are known for their elegant, sleek oriental looks. Their coat is long and flowing a very fine texture to it on the ribs, the legs, and hindquarters. There are many requirements for the coat, one being that it should never be trimmed, and should remain natural. The hair on the ears and feet are feathered and, in general, Afghans have a majestic and proud appearance. Their features are generally fine and functional but don't be fooled, Afghans are also powerful dogs.

Colours:
All colours are acceptable
Size:
Bitch              63-69cms
Dog                68-74cms

Weight :  
                             Min                   Max
Bitch             25kg (55lbs)    28kg (62lbs)
Dog                23kg (51lbs)   25kg (55lbs)

Temperament:
Afghans can be aloof and dignified but are happy when playing and are also good with children. The Afghan is an intelligent, confident dog, however they are not known for their obedience or ease to train. Their sensitive nature means that they need to be involved with family and socialisation, specially between the ages of 7 and 16 months as this is when their personality develops.

Movement:
Afghans have a springy and smooth movement with long, powerful strides.

Care and training:
An Afgan should be groomed weekly as this prevents the coat from getting matted. Brushing the coat can make it more easily matted and can cause problems. Special grooming tools are required for this breed. Baths are needed once a week to keep the coat from matting.

This breed must be trained gently, yet consistently, patience is of the utmost importance due to there sensitive nature as they can become irritable, spooky or shy. Obedience classes are recommended.

Overall Exercise  > 2 hours per day.
Afgans Should have monitored exercise when they are puppies until they grow older, then the exercise can be increased.  Once exercised, they will quite happily curl up and sleep.

Feeding Requirements:
Afghans can easily become fussy eaters and a strict eating regime should be enforced when they are puppies.

Exercise:  High

Grooming:  High

Noise:  Low-med

Personal Protection:  Low

Suitability As Guard Dog:  Low

Level of Aggression:  Low

Compatibility With Other Animals:  High

Suitablity for Children:  High

Often Docked?  No

Average Litter Size:  8

Life Expectancy (yrs):  11.5

Health issues: This is generally a healthy and robust breed. There is potential for juvenile cataracts and possible hip dysplasia. They may also have a sensitivity to drugs, flea powders and tickicides. There have been rare cases of progressive paralysis. Cryptorchidism, monorchidism and heart problems may also pertain to this breed.

History: One of the oldest breeds, the Afghan Hound dates back thousands of years. Some even believe this is the type of dog that accompanied Noah on his Ark! The Afghan Hound is a member of the Greyhound family. Their ancestors were originally from Persia moving to Afghanistan where they worked protecting sheep and cattle. Afghans were once a harsh hunter in their native land where they used to hunt leopard, wolves and jackals. They have now been breed to be an obedient, gentle dog. The Afghan Hound was introduced into Western civilization late in the nineteenth century. Much credit to the breed is given to Major Amps and his wife Mary who, while living in Ghazni, Afghanistan, established their kennel "Ghazni". Mary also did much research and writing on the breed. Their hounds are found in most American Afghan Hound pedigrees. In the 20th century the breed was brought  to England by the British Captain Banff. He brought a hound named "Zardin", and from there the breed spread into England. He was exhibited in the Crystal Palace Show in 1907 and began a strong interest in the breed. Today the breed is not an extremely popular pet due to the intense grooming needs, but they do very well in dog shows.