Airedale Terrier

The Airedale is the largest of the terriers — the "King of Terriers" — bred in Yorkshire to hunt otter and rat along the river it is named for.

History

It was made in the Aire valley in the mid-nineteenth century by crossing the old English Black and Tan Terrier with the Otterhound, to get a terrier that could swim and hold its own against larger quarry. It went on to serve as a messenger and sentry dog in the First World War, and as a police dog in Britain and Germany before the German Shepherd displaced it.

Temperament

The breed is known for being confident, clever and full of humour, devoted to its family and inclined to make its own decisions. The terrier stubbornness is real and comes in a large package.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise and consistent training that keeps things interesting; it bores fast. The harsh wiry coat needs regular stripping or clipping and sheds very little.

Health

Known tendencies include hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism and, in some lines, dermatitis. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.