Description of the Airedale Terrier breed
Popularity 101st among 263 dog breeds
Lifespan:
11-13 years old
Breed group:
Hunting
Height:
males: 58-61 cm, females: 56-59 cm
Country of origin:
Great Britain
Average price:
25-40 thousand rubles
Weight:
20-25 kg
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Advantages and disadvantages
- Pros:
- cheerful character and high communication skills;
- high protective instinct;
- suitable for living in an apartment;
- weak shedding;
- developed intelligence.
- Minuses:
- stubborn and willful character, complicating the training process;
- not suitable for keeping with rodents and birds;
- a high sense of ownership that interferes with warm relationships with other pets;
- spoils property during times of severe loneliness;
- requires special coat care.
Key facts
The country of origin of the breed is considered to be Great Britain, so Airedale Terriers are suitable for laconic nicknames in English with a meaningful meaning. The short name, says the characteristics of the Airedale Terrier breed, comes from Airedale, a valley in the English county of Yorkshire, where the breed was bred. The average lifespan of an Airedale Terrier is at least 11 years.
The size of adult animals is considered the largest among all English terriers. The height of male Airedale terriers can reach 61 cm, and the height at the withers of females is 59 cm. The maximum weight of males is 29 kg, so a female can be distinguished by its smaller dimensions. Its weight should not exceed 20 kg.
Erdeli are loyal pets, combining independence and excitement in their character. Earning the trust of dogs is not easy. The description of the Airedale Terrier breed warns that they do not like manipulation and authoritarianism and prefer to build trusting relationships with people only with mutual respect. The breed is suitable for athletes, hunters and other people leading an active lifestyle.
Additional information about the breed
Airedale Terriers are energetic and active, so they require frequent walks and regular exercise. The love for water is inherent in this breed at the genetic level. They are excellent swimmers and love to swim, so they will be happy to swim in the river. It's also a good idea to spend time with your dog during a bike ride. To do this, you will need a springer, with which you need to tie the dog to the bicycle. They are quite fast and resilient, so such a walk will bring pleasure to both the dog and the owner.
History of the origin of the Airedale Terrier
The origin of the breed occurred in the Airedale Valley, located between the English rivers Worf and Aire, therefore international cynological organizations indicate Great Britain as the country of origin.
In the 19th century, English workers whiled away their time by baiting river otters. Old English terriers took part in this cruel game, but their working qualities were not enough. Experiments with crossing terriers, basset griffons, Irish wolfhounds and otterhounds have led to satisfactory results. A new type of gun dog acquired a keen sense of smell, was not distracted by the foreign smell of gunpowder, and skillfully pursued prey on the water.
The breed achieved official recognition in 1886. The gradual expansion of the habitat and acquaintance with other nationalities strengthened the working qualities of the Airedales. Interesting facts related to the history of the breed include participation in the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War. During the war years, dogs provided assistance to those injured on the battlefield and courageously delivered letters and parcels to the front and beyond.
Amazing devotion to man was accompanied by precise fulfillment of assigned tasks even with severe wounds and a direct threat to his own life.
Application
The Airedale Terrier is an energetic dog, it is very strong and resilient, able to withstand low temperatures thanks to its specific coat.
Today the terrier breed is most often used as a pet.
Also, thanks to its athletic build and intelligence, the dog will be an excellent protector and guard, no worse than a Groenendael or Hovawart .
- I’ll still get through!
Appearance of the Airedale Terrier
General impression
The Airedale is the largest of the British terriers with an optimistic outlook on life and a funny, long coat on its chin.
Despite its superiority in size, in the photo the Airedale Terrier does not give the impression of a large dog and is quite suitable for city life. Harmonious proportions, shaggy hair and a penetrating gaze are the basic features of the breed, which captivate you at first sight when you meet the dog.
Head
Airedales have a voluminous muzzle and a small head with a weakly defined stop. According to the standard, the description of the head includes:
- small triangular ears that fit tightly to the head;
- small dark eyes with an attentive gaze;
- medium-sized black nose;
- strong jaws with a scissor bite.
Folding ears, too high set ears, overly pronounced cheekbones, protruding or deep-set eyes and any malocclusion are unacceptable.
Neck
The head is set on a dry but muscular neck of medium length.
Torso
Pedigree dogs have a compact body with a deep chest and convex ribs, a muscular loin and a short topline without convexities or concavities.
Forelegs
The front legs have an even and straight stance. The movement of the elbows along the body is smooth and free, and the shoulder blades are strongly drawn back.
Hind limbs
Massive thighs with strong hocks and good articulation angles provide confident springy thrusts. The shape of the paws is compact and round.
Tail
Tail docking has been stopped, so Airedales grow a long, thick tail that assumes a vertical position.
Movement
In the video, Airedale Terriers demonstrate a springy gait and free running without ambling. Long swings and smooth pacing are not allowed.
Wool
Moderately soft and short undercoat should not resemble puppy fluff. The coarse and hard guard hair resembles a wire. Longer sections of fur (dog fur) fit tightly to the body, protecting the animal from injury and hypothermia during the hunt.
Color
In the photo you can see that the main color of the Airedale Terrier is reddish-brown. The black or brownish-brown hair covering the back of the Airedale resembles a saddle cloth - a special blanket placed by the rider under the saddle.
In addition to the back, a darker color is noted on the neck, the outside of the tail, the ears and the sides of the skull. White hairs are undesirable, but a small amount on the chest is acceptable.
Size
Adult males reach 58-61 cm in height and 23-29 kg in weight. You can even distinguish the female from the picture, since her size is much smaller and amounts to no more than 59 cm and weighs 20 kg. The weight of the Airedale Terrier is small relative to its size.
By the way, the size of the Airedale terrier should not be scary: the dog gets along well in an apartment if you give him a spacious bed.
Character of the Airedale Terrier
Airedale Terriers are suitable for apartment living, but require frequent and varied walks. The bearded dog loves to play pranks and does not lose energy as he grows older. The life of a decorative dog is not to his liking, so the lack of activity leads to property damage. The pet will definitely destroy the wallpaper, destroy furniture that is not in the right position, and eliminate the owner’s shoes if left alone for a long time.
Dogs or cats are suitable as playmates. The dog will treat other animals with smaller dimensions, including birds and rodents, as game. Friendship between such pets cannot be fostered, so select a new family member with caution.
Erdeli enjoy playing with children, but never take on the role of nanny. Any rash action on the part of the child will be strictly stopped. Do not allow too young children who like to pat animals near the dog, and be sure to explain to them the rules of communication.
The character of the Airedale Terrier is complex, requiring patience and understanding. The breed is not suitable for lovers of phlegmatic and silent pets. Airedale Terriers have developed protective and territorial instincts. If you have an English Terrier, be sure to take advantage of its special features. It is absolutely impossible to penetrate the territory entrusted to the Airedale unnoticed. From the very first days, the puppy protects its property from trespassers and makes no exceptions even for its owners.
Animals do not like provocative fights, so they get into altercations with other dogs on the street only to protect their owner. If you are often absent from work, then you are clearly not on the list of those who are suitable for an Airedale. Long periods of loneliness and being cooped up at home have a destructive effect on such a sociable animal.
How to choose a puppy
It is important to choose an Airedale terrier puppy from an experienced breeder who is ready to provide you with a pedigree, a medical passport with marks of vaccinations already given, and also give practical advice on care.
The puppy must be active, eyes and ears must be clean and healthy.
When choosing a puppy, decide what you need it for: for exhibitions, competitions or as a pet.
The choice of nursery depends on this; for example, for competitions, puppies are taught working qualities from the first months.
Because of its emotionality and habit of dominance, the Airedale Terrier breed can often be stubborn. You can achieve obedience from her through regular and proper training. From the first days it is important to let the puppy understand that you are a fair but demanding owner.
Education and training
The main problem that Airedale owners face is damage to their shoes. If your pet chews on abandoned shoes, then try to figure out the reason. Most often, unwanted actions are caused by a lack of attention or activity. Don’t rack your brains trying to figure out how to wean a dog from damaging property, but give it what it is deprived of.
Raising and training an Airedale Terrier is reminiscent of communicating with a teenager. Dogs are smart, but very lazy and resourceful. Lack of discipline, instilled from childhood, leads to a rapid loss of concentration. The pet begins to get bored and does its best to stop attempts at training. The main thing in education is calmness and confidence. You should not put pressure on your dog or try to persuade him to do the exercise with treats. Such attempts will have the opposite effect.
If home workouts reach a dead end, go outside. The more space for activity, the more initiative from the dog. Educational walks can be carried out at any time of the year. Airedale wool protects against temperature changes in both summer and winter. In spring and autumn, do not forget to wear a special anti-flea collar to prevent infestation by parasites.
In puppyhood, dogs are less cunning, so they are easier to raise and train. A well-mannered pet, trained in basic commands from early childhood, is easier to concentrate on new exercises. Start your first training at 3-6 months in a familiar environment, free of distractions.
Airedale terriers are not suitable for full-fledged protective guard service, so it is enough to teach the dog the information contained in the UGS and OKD courses.
Airedale Terrier Health and Diseases
Possible diseases
Most often, dogs suffer from improper development of the hip joints, which can lead to dislocation of the femoral head. Depending on the stage of developing dysplasia, drug or surgical treatment is used. In addition to this disease, animals have a predisposition to:
- raw eczema appearing on the paws and face;
- dystrophy and clouding of the cornea;
- von Willebrand-Diana disease, accompanied by spontaneous bleeding from the nose when visiting the toilet or undergoing surgery;
- inversion of the eyelids;
- umbilical hernia, aggravated by increased gas formation due to improper feeding;
- lymphoma;
- demodicosis, which affects the ears, tail and other parts of the body attacked by ticks;
- hypothyroidism, which disrupts hormonal metabolism and is accompanied by obesity and hair loss;
- dilated cardiomyopathy, fraught with heart failure;
- retinal atrophy;
- hyperadrenocorticism;
- melanoma.
The energy and endurance inherent in the breed do not always protect against inherited diseases. The dog's health can be protected by performing a simple set of preventive measures, including compliance with the vaccination schedule, seasonal anti-parasitic treatment and an annual visit to the veterinarian.
Reproductive health
The time of the first heat varies from person to person. For large breeds, adulthood takes 12-18 months. Pregnancy can be planned from 18 months, when physiological development is complemented by psychological stability. Earlier matings are fraught with difficult childbirth, death of the mother or the entire offspring. The birth of puppies occurs on days 62-65 after successful mating.
There can be up to 13 puppies in one litter, so raising that many dogs is very difficult. If breeding is not your thing, then be sure to sterilize your pet. Sterilization not only protects the animal from cancer, but also has a positive effect on the character, protecting it from monthly hormonal changes.
Features of Airedale Terrier coat care
The undoubted advantage of the Airedale Terrier is its coat. And most importantly, it is hypoallergenic and water-repellent. The Airedale Terrier has virtually no odor, so it is not necessary to wash it often. These dogs love to swim, but do not like to bathe. Since the Airedale Terrier's coat is quite long, it needs to be washed at least once every 3 months.
- Dogs of this breed do not shed; they have to be plucked, since simple combing does not remove all dead hair.
- During the trimming process, the hair is simply pulled out; the pet does not experience any unpleasant sensations.
- Trimming is a rather long and labor-intensive procedure. It is because of trimming that the popularity of breeds such as the Airedale Terrier and Giant Schnauzer began to decline.
Some owners, not wanting to bother with trimming, simply cut their pets' hair. An Airedale Terrier without a haircut looks untidy, but this should not be done.
Wool loses its properties, becomes softer, allows water to pass through, and quickly gets dirty. Often, along with the structure, the color also changes.
To ensure the quality of the coat, you need to provide your pet with proper nutrition.
Features of feeding and diet
Only the owner determines what to feed his pet. Exceptions are allowed only for diseases that require a complete review of nutrition. In such cases, the doctor will not only explain what food to feed the dog during treatment, but also how many times a day to give the food.
As a rule, doctors offer veterinary food lines designed to treat certain pathologies. If you have problems with the genitourinary system, it is recommended to reduce the protein content, so expensive, high-quality holistic-class food will be prohibited.
When feeding a healthy pet, make sure the diet is balanced. The simplest solution is to purchase high-quality industrial feed with established standards, calculated by the weight of the animal. In ready-made feeds, the required content of vitamins and minerals is calculated in advance, which simplifies the feeding system.
It will be more difficult with natural nutrition, since veterinarians recommend feeding animals with fresh food. This type of feeding should include:
- lean meat and offal;
- sea fish, but not more than once a week instead of a portion of meat;
- fermented milk products, including natural yoghurts and cottage cheese;
- fresh or boiled vegetables, excluding fermentation.
A month's supply of natural food is cheaper than ready-made food. The disadvantage of this feeding is the difficulty of consuming vitamins in the amounts recommended by veterinarians. Sometimes the cost of additional complexes costs a hefty sum.
To maintain normal posture, purchase a special stand for feeders that rises at chest level. For dogs 1 year of age and older, 2 meals are sufficient. Month-old puppies eat little, but often. The owner’s task is to smoothly transition from 6 meals a day to the norms recommended for an adult animal.
Menu for Airedale
Feeding Airedale Terriers is either “drying” or natural products. The choice depends on your wallet. Exotic products are not introduced into nature.
Everything is ordinary, pure dog:
- uncooked meat daily;
- once every seven days - sea fish (without bones, so as not to take it to the veterinarian after lunch);
- beet, carrot, cabbage salads - with cucumbers or pumpkin;
- Buckwheat and rice porridge will add calories;
- eggs, dairy products.
But everything is in moderation. The serving size for an adult Airedale is 400-600 g.
Care and maintenance
Despite the fact that keeping Airedales in an apartment is common practice, it is much better to provide them with a large area of a private home. Dogs love to dig for norms, so say goodbye to your favorite rose garden in advance. The pet can be kept in an insulated box, but only until winter approaches. The warmth retained by the coat protects during walks, but is completely unsuitable for wintering outside.
Caring for a bearded dog is not that easy. Its fur practically does not shed, so you will have to renew your pet’s undercoat on your own. There are 2 types of recommended haircut:
- hygienic, allowing you to get rid of excess dog meat and improve its quality;
- exhibition, held in grooming salons before exhibition events.
In the first case, the dog's undercoat is plucked using a trimmer 2 times a year. The procedure is carried out after washing on clean and dried wool in the direction of hair growth. After trimming, a nourishing cream is applied to the skin to relieve any irritation. In the first days, the dog can be wrapped in overalls. The growth of new hairs is stimulated by combing with a massage brush, which ensures blood flow to the hair follicles.
Owners of show-class pets will have to seek the services of professional groomers. An exhibition haircut takes place in several stages and improves the appearance of the dog, emphasizing the best aspects of the exterior and hiding flaws. In this case, the care and maintenance of the Airedale terrier takes a lot of the owner’s attention.
A couple of months before the event, the dog’s entire body is trimmed with the exception of the limbs, goatee and whiskers. Half a month before the exhibition, the transitions between areas with different levels of fur are smoothed out and hairs on the throat, shoulders, head and under the tail are plucked. The final image is created the day before, when the profile of the animal is adjusted and all work is based on cutting the muzzle.
Ear care includes not only regular cleaning, but also proper placement of the ear pads for puppies. To do this, they use adhesive, which gives the future shape, and a calcified diet, which strengthens the ear cartilage. As an additional measure, daily ear massage is used.
The condition of the oral cavity should be monitored at least once a week. For dental health, use dog toothpaste and chew toys to prevent tartar buildup.
Carefully keep your eyes and beard clean, which absorbs all unpleasant odors. After eating, wipe the hair on the chin or wash it if it is very dirty. Otherwise, rotting crumbs will attract pathogenic microorganisms.
Mating
Mating of Erdeles is no different from mating of other dogs. Terriers are not large and do not require a lot of space or special conditions. Of course, the first time the animals need help. It is best to invite a specialist who will tell the owners how to behave.
If the dogs have all the necessary documents and are breeding dogs, then the mating must be carried out through a kennel. There, the owners will fill out forms and receive directions for mating. The partner is selected there. Animals must complement each other (the disadvantages of one are offset by the advantages of the other).
The owners agree on the date of mating and negotiate the price. Usually, the owner of the boy chooses between 1 puppy and a certain percentage of its cost (50% if there are 2-3 puppies in the litter, 75% if there are 4).
Dogs are allowed to knit only from the age of 2 years, although puberty comes at 8 months. The best time for mating is 13-15 days of the third estrus, the girl is physically ready to bear and give birth to offspring. Primary signs should appear - loosening of the loop, light discharge and a particularly playful mood. Within 2 weeks, the animals are cleared of worms and checked for pathologies in a veterinary clinic.
On the appointed day, the girl is brought to the territory to the male dog. Here the male will feel relaxed. The pets are walked together, given time to socialize and get to know each other. The female will allow you to cage if she likes everything.
The act lasts about 10 minutes , during which time the female is held by the head and under the belly, and the male is directed into a noose. Animals can stand in the castle for 15-20 minutes , but if it was not there, then the girl may be overweight. Mating is repeated after 2 days , and the course of pregnancy is monitored in a veterinary clinic.
Read a detailed article on the topic: “Everything you need to know about breeding dogs: appropriate age, what to do if it doesn’t work out, rules and tips.”
Tips for choosing a puppy
The general rules governing how to choose a healthy puppy are identical for all breeds. Make a purchase only from a trusted place that is ready to confirm the pedigree of its animals not only with reviews, but also with official documents. When choosing a future pet, consider the behavior and appearance of not only the puppies themselves, but also their parents. Cowardly and aggressive Airedale terrier puppies are not allowed for breeding.
In addition to a healthy appearance, pay attention to the white spots located on the coat. Puppies are allowed to have small white spots on their toes. With age, they disappear, and in their place only a couple of light hairs remain. If the spots are located on the paws, then the undesirable color can take over most of the body in the area of the chest and limbs with age.
Don't forget to ask about the parents' diseases and the number of puppies born in one litter. The fewer animals a dog has, the more breast milk they will receive. When breastfeeding, puppies pass on the mother's passive immunity, so they are healthier.
It is recommended to buy show-class puppies no earlier than 5-6 months. At this age, all the advantages and disadvantages of a dog are visible, so choosing a pet is easy to do on your own, without consulting a dog handler or an experienced breeder.
What are terriers colored with?
It seems that before these dogs are sold, they are taken to artists’ workshops, and they then create their appearance according to their wishes. This is, of course, a joke. But in fact, individuals have a range of colors (color) from hot red to yellow, and from almost carmine, powdered with yellow, to solid brown.
When assessing, experts turn a blind eye to rare and small spots on the chest. Almost all Airedale terrier puppies are born with black fur. They grow, and blackness is replaced by the listed colors.
How much does an Airedale Terrier cost?
The popularity of Airedale terriers in Russia is not very high, so animals are bred only in large nurseries. Finding a dog through private advertisements is difficult and unsafe, since their owners do not provide guarantees on exterior characteristics.
The average price of an Airedale Terrier ranges from 25 to 40 thousand rubles. Costs below 30 thousand rubles are typical for pet-class pets with minor appearance flaws. Such dogs cannot participate in breeding and will never become prize-winners of international competitions, but they will skillfully play the role of a companion dog.
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Don't forget your pedigree
Owners of Airedale Terriers should still remember the natural instinct of representatives of the terrier breed - hunting. It is advisable to go out or travel with them into nature, where they will chase crows or jackdaws, let them hunt wild ducks swimming in the lakes. This will also be a way to exercise.
They can be partly called vindictive. If some mongrel attacked an Airedale puppy, then it will not forget the incident and may, as an adult, rush at its long-time offender. Therefore, owners should know that aggression in Airedales never appears without a reason.
The Airedale Terrier can easily cope without a haircut, but regular brushing of the coat is required so that problems with the skin do not arise.
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