All hail the king of terriers: the Airedale Terrier. The largest of all the terriers, Airedales are high energy, fun-loving dogs. Although known for being an all-round athlete (seriously, these smart dogs excel at whatever they do - swimming, jogging, fetch, agility sports and more) and with a background as a hunting dog, these days Airedale Terriers are mainly popular family pets. Well-suited to active families, Airedales are always (we mean always, they’ve got serious energy to burn) up for an adventure. Without proper training and socialisation, an Airedale Terrier can be independent, bold and stubborn - they were born to rule the terrier kingdom, afterall.
Airedale Terrier Facts
Airedale Terriers originally come from the Aire Valley in northern England where they were bred to be tough, large and fearless hunters of ducks and rats. It’s thanks to their large size that they’re known as the king of terriers.
- Breed Group: Terrier
- Height: 58cm
- Weight: 23-32kg
- Life Span: 11-14 years
- Coat: Short, double, wiry
- Colour: Black and tan or grizzle and tan
What Does an Airedale Terrier Look Like?
One look at the Airedale Terrier’s triangular-shaped head, all the better for flushing out critters with, and you know it’s a terrier. But their size can be confusing, as they’re much taller and heavier than most other terriers. In fact, Airedale Terriers are the largest of all terriers, standing around 58cm tall. They’ve got strong, long legs which can make them look even taller (and help them stand proud and regal!).
The two other things you’ll always associate with an Airedale: that wiry coat and their very sweet beard. Airedales have a short double coat that’s soft underneath and wiry on top. You’ll only see them in two colours: tan with black markings or grizzle (blended colours) with tan markings. Airedales have small, dark eyes and triangular ears that fold down, giving them a curious, intelligent and alert look that matches their temperament.
Airedale Terrier
Airedale Terrier Temperament: All-round Athlete
Laid-back and couch potato are not words in an Airedale Terrier’s vocabulary. These are high-energy, active, fun-loving dogs that want to be adventuring alongside you, always. Airedales are some of the only dogs that don’t slow down as they age so expect a life-long exercise commitment. Not only are they active, they’re super intelligent. Although this makes training pretty straightforward and ensures you’ll be delighted by their puzzle-solving ability, it does also mean without enough physical and mental stimulation they can get mischievous (read: destructive).
Because they’re so playful and confident, Airedale Terriers are popular family pets. With proper training and early socialisation, they can be great with kids. Keep an eye on an Airedale when they’re playing with toddlers and small children. They’re strong, energetic, boisterous dogs and accidents can happen.
Airedales aren’t quite as patient and accepting as other dog breeds, and this extends to interactions with other dogs and animals. They can be wary around new dogs but BFFs once they get to know them. Their in-built hunting tendencies means sharing their home with a cat might be a no-no.
Airedales are known for their versatility. Their intelligence means they can master any task they turn their paw to, from dog sports to playtime and all types of activities, including tramps and swims
Keeping Airedale Terriers Healthy: 3 Issues to Watch Out For
Airedale Terriers have a healthy lifespan of up to 14 years and they’re not prone to many health issues, so you should enjoy a long, happy life together.
Ear Infections
Cute those floppy ears might be, but they’re prone to getting a build up of moisture which can turn them into breeding grounds for bacteria and infection. Keeping an Airedale Terrier’s ears clean and dry is really important. Ear cleaning wipes can help you keep their ears healthy. You can also ask your vet for ear cleaning tips.
Hip Dysplasia
An inherited condition, hip dysplasia is when the hip joint doesn’t develop as it should, causing pain and mobility issues. Depending on the severity, it can be treated by weight management, physical therapy and surgery. Because it’s hereditary, responsible breeders should screen for it
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a problem with an Airedale’s thyroid glands. Symptoms include lethargy (easy to spot in this high energy dog), hair loss and weight gain. Hypothyroidism can be managed with diet and medication.
Caring for Your Airedale Terrier Dog
With their dense, wiry coat, Airedales don’t need much time spent on grooming. Instead, you’ll be popping on your trainers and trying desperately to tire your pup out. Guaranteed you’ll be tired before they are!
Grooming:
Great news for pup parents who don’t want to devote lots of time to grooming: Airedale Terriers are low maintenance dogs. Their short, wiry, low-shedding coats need a weekly brush. Not only does this get rid of dead hair and keep their coats shiny and healthy, but it stops this dead hair being shed around your home. You might notice the occasional bit of matted hair. Break this up with your fingers and then gently comb through.
An Airedale doesn’t need baths very often - a full grooming session three or four times a year will keep them clean. As well as a bath, their coat should be hand stripped or clipped. Hand stripping removes the old dead hair and can be done by you (use a stripping tool) or a professional groomer.
Give your Airedale Terrier’s nails a clip every month or so and aim to brush their teeth every day, to help keep their mouth healthy.
Nutrition:
Most Airedales will enjoy quality commercial dog food that’s suited to their life stage: puppy, adult or senior. However, some Airedale Terriers can be picky eaters so you may need to hunt around for food they’ll eat.
As well as potentially being fussy eaters, Airedales can get overweight quite easily. Try adding the Royal Canin Maxi Light Weight Care Dry Food to their diet. Although they’re very active dogs, they can gain weight if they eat more than they exercise. With training part of your daily life together, treat calories can really add up. Keep an eye on how many treat calories they’re getting a day and think about mixing up their training rewards. Maybe they get a play session with their favourite toy or a cuddle instead of a treat. If you’re worried about their weight, have a chat to your vet who can help you devise an eating and exercise plan for them.
Exercise:
Terriers are known for being high energy dogs - and the king of terriers is no exception. We’re talking one to two hours every day. If you’re an active person or family, an Airedale Terrier is going to fit right in - they adore adventures with you and will happily hop in the car to join in whatever you’re doing.
Airedales will tackle a wide range of activities and you can hit their daily exercise needs by playing together in the garden (fetch is a good one), jogging or going on brisk walks. Fenced gardens for an Airedale Terrier to burn energy in is their ideal home situation.
If you don’t have one, you might think about local dog parks. Not all Airedales will enjoy this, as they can be wary of new dogs. Plus, off-leash areas aren’t the best idea thanks to their high prey drive. With no garden and dog park, you’ll have to spend a lot of your time exercising your Airedale.
Puzzle toys will help an Airedale Terrier channel their energy and smarts into a positive outlet. Without something to do, they’ll resort to doing things you won’t like, including chewing, barking and digging.
Training
Training and early socialisation are an absolute must for Airedale Terriers. Luckily, their intelligence and devotion to their family members makes training easy. Their intelligence also means Airedales can become easily bored. Aim for short, regular, varied training sessions rather than longer, more repetitive ones.
Sure, Airedale Terriers are really versatile athletes but consistent training is needed to help them become the best versions of themselves. An untrained Airedale is a liability. Independent, they can think that they’re in charge, not you. Airedales do best with a confident, calm and patient leader which means they might be better suited to an experienced pup parent.
Start obedience training when they’re a puppy. They’ll quickly get to grips with the basics, like sit, stay and come plus walking nicely on a lead. Then you can move onto more complicated things. Not only are they fun to learn together, but it’ll provide an outlet for an Airedale’s natural intelligence and high energy. Think play dead, close the curtains, bring you something or put away toys.
Puppy school is a great way for Airedale Terriers to experience new dogs, places and people. It can help them become more confident and accepting of these things as they grow up and help them become a well-mannered pup.