How to Identify An Airedale Terrier

The Airedale Terrier is also known as the king of terriers. The breed was developed a century ago in York County in England and was originally called the Waterside Terrier and used to hunt down vermin. This is the largest species of terrier and an excellent working dog, named after the valley of Aire in England. In this dog's history it has been used for big game hunting in Africa, as well as an army sentry dog during World War 2. Today this species makes an energetic and boisterous companion that any dog lover would be proud to own. Here is a guide on how to successfully identify an Airedale Terrier.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog
• Your Eyes

Identifying An Airedale Terrier

1. Start by looking at the dog’s form and shape. It should be about two feet high at the shoulder if fully grown and roughly the same length. The tale should be stubby and held upright. It can sometimes look a little odd as their chest, neck, and front legs form a single unbroken vertical line. The dog should have rear legs the exact same length as its forelegs, but angled slightly backward so. This combined with a perfectly straight back make the dog appear to be a very angular and geometrically precise breed.

2. Examine and touch the dog’s fur if it will let you. It should be short, uneven, and wiry. The color pattern of this species is pretty strict. It should have tan ears, legs, chest, belly and head. The sides of the dog are often black, dark grey, or black with a reddish tint.

3. Take a good look at the dog’s head. It should have an almost cylindrical skull that does not taper as it nears the muzzle. The jaw should be long and narrow, with black lips and white scissoring teeth. Its long V-shaped ears should be folded over forward and a little to the side to obscure or cover the ear canal itself. One unique feature of this breed is a patch of longer fur just over the front of the muzzle and jaw, making the dog look as if it has an unkempt beard or mustache. If the dog matches this description then you’re looking at an Airedale Terrier.

Tips & Warnings

• The Airedale Terrier can peacefully co-exist with other animals with no training, though no amount of training can keep them from chasing squirrels and chipmunks when they're spotted. Because of their thick fur they should be groomed or brushed daily to prevent burrs, dirt, and particles of food from becoming permanent parts of them.
• This species is not an indoor dog as its exercise needs are much too high. It should be taken for long walks daily, regardless of whether it lives indoors or out. The Airedale Terrier can be a willful breed, though it is far from violent, it may be too rowdy to play with small children. Thankfully these dogs are very bright and can be trained on how to act around people and strangers. They are not at all violent; they will simply be overly friendly and overbearing with people.

Resources

• List of Reliable Airedale Terrier Breeders