GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 56-61cm (22”-24”).
Colour: Black or grizzle on the body, top of neck and tail — tan on the rest of the dog.
Coat: Dense, hard, wiry and water resisting.
Gait: Fore and hindlegs moving straight and effortlessly with strong hind propulsion.
Airedale terriers are strong upstanding dogs and deservedly carry the title of the King of Terriers. This breed has the appearance of being both powerful and elegant. They have long strong heads with semi prick ears, an arched neck which runs into a short, strong, straight back and the tail is carried erect.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
With the reputation of ‘What a Terrier can do, the Airedale can do better’, the versatility of this breed is amazing. They are excellent hunters, have carried out tours of duty as despatch carriers during wartime, have been used as police dogs and are courageous when guarding their family. Their qualities of friendship and loyalty are limitless. Show dogs need professional groomers to strip their coats by hand, however pet owners can easily keep their terriers presentable by learning to clip their dogs themselves.
HISTORY
Originally known as Waterside Terriers, these dogs are believed to have descended from the old English black and tan terrier crossed with Otter Hounds. Early breeders developed this strain for the dual purpose of hunting rats and vermin on .the land, and otters in the water. At the Airedale show in North England during the mid 1800s, a judge was so impressed by the numbers of this particular strain of terriers found at the show, that his praise and the resultant publicity earned the breed their own title of Airedale Terrier.