Airedale Owners' Quotes
When someone asks me "What's it like having an Airedale?" I respond, "Imagine Robin Williams with four legs and a tail. Only crazier."
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"Ya just gotta laugh!"
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These dogs have got to be the clowns of the dog world!
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Until I had Airedales, I thought a tissue was just a tissue. Silly me! Now I know they are really vermin and must be killed for the protection of the family. Or at least, that's the opinion of every Airedale I've ever known.
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You should have heard my boss, when I told him why I would be late for work, "My
Airedale stole the keys to my truck and won't give them back." I still haven't lived
that one down.
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If we could harness their energy, we'd probably save about 40% on our heating
bill. These dogs do keep you young.
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Airedales are the original "outside the box" thinkers.
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There is never a dull moment! When there is a dull moment, you better check up on them. Odds are they are up to some mischief.
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Airedales make you earn their respect.
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Be warned, those cute curly coats can and do hold an amazing amount of dirt and sand.
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Don't worry, the hair will grow back. Your dog may not "talk" to you for a few days, but they do get over it. <VBG>
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Never laugh at an Airedale who's just gotten a bad haircut. They take it very
personally. Mine would sulk for hours. How they know, I don't know, but they do.
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My first Airedale loved cats. They would curl up together to take naps.
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Our Airedale hates cats. If he could speak, I am sure he would say, "So many cats and so few recipes."
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I don't have as many problems with my allergies, as long as we brushed them regularly.
Is an Airedale the Right Dog for You?
Remember, we find homes for Airedales who no longer have one. This is not quite
the same thing as finding Airedales for those who want them. Our concern is for
the dog.
As we said, Airedales are very smart and very curious. Airedales also have very
definite opinions about how the universe should be managed and don't mind sharing
them.
Personality
Airedales are very devoted companions, but they fully expect to be an equal partner
in your life. They seem to have a sense of humor about themselves and you, so you
had better develop the ability to see humor in all situations. For example, when
they steal your keys just as you are about to leave for work and run around the
back yard with them, daring you to try to catch them.
Airedales do not respond well to being excluded from family life. You cannot expect
an Airedale to be happy and well adjusted if he/she is confined to the backyard
or to a single room in the house.
Airedale ownership is not for the faint of heart!
The very qualities that make Airedales "the only breed" for some of us
make them the least desirable for others. They are very smart, and often extremely
stubborn. Possessing a real thought process, as well as a sense of humor, Airedales
are even capable of pulling practical jokes.
Few people appreciate being the object of gleeful deception, especially by their
dog, but that appreciation is one of the basic necessities of owning an Airedale.
Common Objections
Beards: Many (non-Airedale) people object to an Airedale's drippy beard after
a drink of water.
Digging: Airedales are terriers and so are very often avid diggers. They
dig not so much as outward, but down, so that they can have a comfortable "nest".
They love gardens. Especially do they love laying in the middle of them smelling
and eating the flowers. This is just one more reason to give them their own fenced-in
area.
Paper Products: Airedales seem to take special delight in the redistribution
of toilet paper and tissues. You learn very quickly to not leave these items out.
There is nothing like discovering that your Airedale has just redecorated your living
room with remains of a full box of tissues, ten minutes before your guests arrive
for dinner....
Trash Cans: It may be a trash can to you, but to an Airedale it is a toy
box. You learn quickly to either get lids or keep the cans out of reach.
Stealing: Airedales are master pickpockets and collectors of human memorabilia.
They teach you very quickly to pick things up and put them away. They will never
look more innocent or become more deaf as when you are frantically searching for
an item you need immediately.
Chewing: Airedales can be great chewers. Furniture, clothes, shoes, walls,
are all the same to them. One person thought crates were cruel and left their new
Airedale in the laundry room when they went to work. Upon their return, they found
the dog stretched comfortably on the sofa, very happy to see them. How did he get
out of the laundry room? Very simple, he just chewed a hole in the wall to the kitchen.
That night the owner bought a crate!
Energy: There are some exceptions, but Airedales tend to be non-stop motion
machines. Most breeds calm down a great deal as they get older. Airedales, while
they do show the effects of age, tend to stay very energetic their entire lives.
We've know 13-year-old dogs who have leaped off the top of the stairs to chase that
darn squirrel out of their yards.
Photon was about 10 years old when rescued. Over the next several years he gave
his new family much joy. Everyone misses him, except maybe the trash can!
Training
While Airedales are very smart, they are not always obedient! They can almost always
find something much more important to do than come when called.
Airedales do not respond well to heavy-handed training methods. Training efforts
are most successful if they are based on praise rather than punishment.
Your Airedale wants to work with you, not for you. Your training methods will have
to take this attitude into account. Some breeds will joyfully do the same task repeatedly,
but not Airedales! Drills and repetitive exercises are met with less than an enthusiastic
response.
An Airedale likes to show off and demonstrate how smart they are - once! Their attitude
is, "I did it and I did it perfectly. If you were not paying attention, then
that is your problem!" However, there are Airedales that excel in fly ball,
obedience, agility, hunting, search and rescue, police and therapy work. You, the
owner, just have to learn what motivates your dog.
We are fortunate to have a behavior consultant and obedience expert within our ranks.
David Falk has fine-tuned his natural gift of getting almost any dog to do anything
for him without raising a finger, a hair or a his voice.
Grooming
Many people are drawn to an Airedale because of their appearance. Well groomed,
Airedales are truly stunning.
Other people are attracted to Airedales because they "don't shed." Actually
they don't shed much, provided they get proper grooming.
Proper Grooming:
- Daily / weekly their coats need to be combed or they get very matted. You should
also check their ears and teeth at least weekly.
- Every 6 - 10 weeks your dog
will need to be clipped or hand-stripped.
Clipping: Most pet Airedales are clipped. Depending on where you
live this will cost about $40 to $60 per dog.
Stripping: Hand-stripping is usually only done for show dogs, since
it is a lot of work and takes several weeks to complete. The old coat is slowly
pulled out and as the new coat grows back it is usually darker.
All-breed grooming shops tend to do a very poor job with an Airedale. A badly groomed
Airedale is not a pretty sight.
Since it is very difficult to find a groomer who clips Airedales properly, we do
encourage you to learn. Not only will you save money, but you'll be spending quality
time with your dog.
If you live close enough, we will gladly show you how to groom. However, many local
Airedale clubs usually run both stripping and grooming classes for a nominal charge
at least once a year. See our detailed grooming instructions under the
Grooming section.
Reputation
The Airedale has a reputation for courage and bravery. They have participated in
police work, military guard and messenger service, and have served as search and
rescue dogs. Although he is "THE KING OF TERRIERS," your Airedale would
much rather be a couch potato and your best pal.
Many Airedales get along very well with children and other pets. However, some are
very dominant and do not get along well with other animals or very small children.
Still others have a high prey drive, and these dogs do not do well in homes with
smaller animals (cats, birds, hamsters, etc.).
This is why on the application we ask lots of questions about children, other pets
and "frequent visitors" (animals or small children) that may often be
in your home. We want to make sure we place each dog in the best home possible.
Allergies
Some people believe that Airedales shed very little, and therefore are a good breed
choice for persons with allergies. While this can be true for some people, there
are others who are quite allergic the dander of some Airedales.
If you or someone in your family is allergic to dogs and you are considering an
Airedale for this reason, please let us know.