Do you love the way the Airedale looks? Many people buy an Airedale for the way it looks, not realizing what a high maintenance dog an Airedale is ... high maintenance in terms of grooming, exercise and attention required. Please think carefully about whether an Airedale will fit your lifestyle.
Do you want a dog that will sit at your feet, quietly, most of the time? That is not an Airedale.
Do you have a sense of humor? Do you want a dog that is inventive, clever, finds each day a grand adventure, wants to supervise and help with your every activity, and is loyal and loving to those he respects? Are you looking for a buddy to join you for long walks, or hunting, backpacking, agility, canoeing, skiing, hiking, jogging? Perhaps an Airedale is for you
A fellow goes to the edge of a cliff and asks a Lab to jump off. The Lab says, "OK " and then jumps. Then the same fellow asks a Dalmation to jump over the edge of the cliff, and the Dalmation says, "OK" and jumps, too. Several other popular breeds are then asked with the same response. Jump. Jump. Jump..... Then the fellow asks an Airedale to jump from the same cliff, to which the Airedale responds, "You first." [Courtesy of Terry Wertan -- original author unknown
We cannot emphasize enough how much energy an Airedale has and how important it is to find positive outlets for that energy. If your current lifestyle is already packed with activity, an Airedale is not a dog you can fit in around the edges. An Airedale will not wait patiently for you to find the time to play with him. And don't expect to be able to stick him in the back yard to exercise himself or think that tossing a ball a few times is going to be enough. Providing an Airedale with adequate exercise requires your active participation.
When you add an Airedale puppy to your life, you should consider that you are taking on a second full-time job, or adding another child to your family -- a child needing just as much attention and perhaps **more** loving supervision than the two-footed kind. A great adult Airedale requires that you spend a lot of time with him as a puppy. Everyone in the household has to be willing to make changes and compromises to accept life with an Airedale as a member of the family. An Airedale expects to supervise every aspect of your life: example
Are Airedales Good with Children? It depends on the Airedale and it depends on the child, but mostly it depends on the adults, especially the adult who is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the home. For shorthand, we will call that adult "Mom." Despite all good intentions and promises by Dad and the kids, Mom is the one who will end up spending the most time with the puppy and must be enthusiastic about providing for puppy's physical and emotional needs. Dad may forget to clean up the yard, or the kids may forget that they can't play with the puppy until he has "taken care of business." The result may be that the puppy piddles in the middle of the living room rug. Mom cannot resent the puppy for her family's failings. The puppy has to be fed, taught where to go to the bathroom and trained in basic house manners. If other family members fail, Mom has to be prepared to take up the slack. Mom can growl at Dad and the kids for their failings, but puppy must not bear the brunt of Mom's anger. To get a taste of what you will be dealing with if you get an Airedale puppy, read the Puppy Timeline and Terriers are Just Different!
Most young Airedales are a whirlwind of muscle, hard-edged play and head-butting enthusiasm. From puppyhood until about two years old, they are a real handful. They need careful training, constant watching and loving discipline. Although they are a challenge for some to train, Airedales love to learn as long as learning is a game. They will reward your patience and your sense of humor with years of loyalty and devotion.
Is an Airedale the Right Breed for Your Family?
