Monday, 17 January 2011

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.

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