Me-&-My-Airedale

Kit kept the house free of mice just by his presence in the house. The rest of his indoor life revolved around grooming and grooming and lounging and more grooming and stalking about. Outdoors he stalked too!

The dogs are in their summer clip and so very handsome. Kit, the cat who walked alone, our golden friend who never shed a hair, a loner who needed us, just now at handsome peace with two large friends. There couldn't be a better example of extrovert and introvert living side by side.

Teddy lording it on the table. Two patient dogs look on. This is where Teddy lived and moved and had his Being for six weeks. Private Residence with oriental carpets, cushions, a radio for company when the morning dog visit was over, a window to the crows on the barn roof and then the evening visit from bouncy ever patient friends. He is a city / apartment cat so his home from home was indoors only.

From Kennel reared to large farm environment, what a switch!

Much sniffing, looking, listening; all slowly, cautiously, sweetly done. The sounds, the smells, the steps to the house, the people; BIG input load.

They investigated intensely.

In my journey to knowing, loving and appreciating these creatures I went from charmed to amazed to enraged and back in short order.

How peaceful they look, how deceptive! These two half-grown very hairy creatures can drag you around with intense energy.

The Airedale's basic automatic response to commands from even the most beloved owner is 'yeah but'..which becomes 'maybe', 'not yet', and when hard pressed 'if you say so', 'I'm coming, 'I'm coming, what's the big fuss'.

When I lie face-planted in a sand dune or an un-mown hayfield desperately clutching the lead and 'dear' Finigan comes back from his frantic run after a Whose-it, sniffs me with loving concern: "What happened to you?", shall I strangle him or hug him or laugh.

Do all three. More about training later. And YES it is possible.
NB You can't strangle an Airedale the neck is too muscular.

Honey and Finigan, litter mates, lie so closely together that one covers the other with a paw or they even lie draped over each other.

A little rational, cautionary note.

Honey & Finigan were seven months old when we got them. Pippa, acquired a year later, was seven weeks.

Don't get teen-age Airedales. It makes for a very bumpy ride till adulthood in a breed which is by nature very active, very unquenchable, very opinionated, and physically very strong.

In the photo Honey and Finigan are wearing standard choker type collars and twelve foot leads. This is not enough security for the dogs when they are adults. The dogs also need constant supervision with these collars to prevent chocking as they become very enthusiastic and foolishly, dangerously gag and die.
NEVER leave a dog with any type of collar alone in a crate, an outdoor pen, car or where the collar could get caught. We know of incidents in which people have lost their pets because they did not remove collars.

In hindsight we also realize that having bought litter mates we should have done more to help the dogs bond to us individually (each one to her own owner) so they would gradually detach from each other. You'll see later why this would have been wiser.

It's also true that litter mates who have never been separated are going to have a VERY strong bond. Anything that separates them (illness, traveling, training times) tends to make them miserable. One can avoid this by buying animals who are related but from different litters.

Bonding with us was very swift.
Learning their names, actually their only names, since they had none in the kennel, was very swift as well. I can't even remember whether it was a week or a day before they knew their own name as well as their owner.

The dogs, old or young, love to have an all over body massage. They really revel in being physically praised, hearing silly owners' loving voices. I mean, who could resist being called a ridiculous quadruped? a ludicrous canine? and addlepated nincompoop?

Running your hands over them, legs and belly included, will give you a quick check of sore spots, lumps, any change in their state.

Time, nine months to be exact, has come and gone.

Now the two dogs your see are our Honey and her brand new 7 week old playmate Pippa.

When Finigan died accidentally nine months after he came we mourned.

Honey was totally disoriented, lost, extremely nervous. She spent hours sitting in the yard looking for her chum and bringing us to tears.

Then Pippa came into her life. Miraculously Honey's mothering instinct awoke.The little pup became her joy, her tease, her comfort and her first steps back to equilibrium though the road was long and slow.

In fact the veterinarian told us that some dogs never recover properly from this kind of trauma. And it is true that Honey still, almost five years later, has scars from the event--she is highly nervous at times. She reacts irrationally, unsafely, to vehicles coming into the yard.

The inverted position is very delectable to the dog. It appears most uncomfortable to the onlooker. At other times tightly curled in the chair, or lounging with head and neck hanging over the edge is preferred.

In a strangers hands this little pup is just going away from home for ever, leaving siblings, happy smells, looking at the world from an elevated kennel, siblings, older dogs on tram lines roaming back and forth . . . . a little uncertain?
Keeping pups in elevated kennels, actually high enough that they have to look down when they see the owner coming, trains their ears to hang properly without needing to tape them down for style. Perking the ears up comes naturally as they grow.

The pups need lots of varied socializing from the start. They tend to be shy and cautious of new experiences. Let the dogs come to you, greet you with their nose, walk away from you, come back again till they feel somewhat at ease.

Don't force cute language or hugging, kissing, petting on them. This tends to frighten some little creatures as well as adult animals and can result in aggression caused by anxiety or fear.

Be especially careful when children, who are not familiar with pets and do not respect them, first meet your new dog or cat. This is true for any animal brought into a family, or met on the street, or in a dog park. How you first relate to an animal has a strong effect on your future relations. Though I have noticed over the years that dogs are quick to forgive and forget.

Pippa in this photo is wearing a barely visible body halter / collar and the four foot lead. The halter goes over her head, neck, shoulders and chest. When the dog tries to escape it can safely be picked up just by the lead since the halter supports the whole puppy. Here she is showing it off as a two months old.
She was also wearing this halter when we first brought her home.

To stop her without wrenching her neck we could step on the lead when she was dashing away to do mischief. She was after all only a silly, little dog.

It worked well. In the house it was very convenient for training and restraining. Outdoors we attached a longer lead. Choosing a contrasting color is attractive .

That's Honey relaxing in the chair.

Airedales are often bred for show. Checking bloodlines carefully is essential. Inbreeding and linebreeding can lead to health problems. Breeders vary. Talk to veterinarians. They see the results of breeding practices.

This breed has the reputation of good health. In the link you'll find some of the problems that can occur. Predisposition to Certain Diseases.

It is very important to NOT over exercise the dogs till they are mature, meaning two years old. Their bone structure is still very soft before this time and they can easily develop problems which show up later as really serious issues.

The most common inherited problem is hip dysplasia. Both our dogs developed this at a relatively early age.
This became so severe in Honey that she could not complete a half hour walk, never mind her usual romp, in the field. Both dogs often stopped to rest when their hips bothered them.

Various examinations, various anti-inflammatory meds, were of no benefit as well as causing severe reactions to their nervous systems. They became really hyperactive, wired!
Very unpleasant .

This started our internet search for alternatives to the possible hip surgery which we had ruled out. There was just not sufficient evidence that this would be a permanent solution. More about our route to recovery for Honey later.

House training was not a big problem. At first, of course, we were the ones who had to remember to take them out regularly: on waking, after eating, and every two hours.

As half-grown dogs they were less inclined to dribble / pee anywhere, though in the breeder's kennel situation there was no choice.

At the suggestion of one Breeder we hung a little bell close to the exit door and jingled it with the dog's paw or nose before taking them out. Bell ringing quickly became their signal. Most satisfactory! The accidents were generally from nervous reaction to new things, usually accompanied by a very embarrassed dog pretending they had nothing to do with this. They never messed in hiding places.

They have become happy, responsive, connected companions, though instant obedience is not their strong characteristic.

Whatever you do try to be consistent, happy, and patient. Airedales can be led but not forced.

The famous little bell system which was so helpful is still Pippa's call to have the door opened. Honey prefers to put her head on your lap to signal her needs.

Honey and little Pippa who has to get used to the cat and the cat must get used to yet another dog. Teres is controlling two. Kit controls himself and the direction the chase shall go.

Exercise of sorts. They spend a lot of time in this way while the squirrel leapt lightly from tree to adjoining tree on the overarching branches. Here the dogs, Honey on left, Pippa right side, in their summer dress-up. They really revel in the short coat, they seem to know that they are lovely to look at, delightful to stroke.

Stuffed animals from your neighborhood Value Village, or Repeats store. Thick soft ropes you can make by braiding strips of old clothing, old or Dollar Store tennis balls, these things keep them away from your shoes, socks, carpets, and other valuables which might be on the floor. Get a largish basket to store the dog toys. They seem to like having their own toy box. Play with your pet, but don't over exercise them when they are young. They will keep their eye on you, follow your every move and then POUNCE.

They love the stuffed toys. One is a beloved by Honey, orange cat that talks when squeezed.
Some of these creatures are very large, some very small - the dogs chew, they sing - hum with a jaw full of fur, they claim tug of war ownership. They cuddle them when resting in their dog crate. They are very fond of their crate - it's safe, it allows them to see what is going on, and it keeps them from being asked to move when you need to go past. They respond to "excuse me", though they pretend to be offended when they're not allowed to lie in the doorway.

Another Airedale-specific trait which can be either charming or maddening, depending on the "what" & "where" is their habit of stealing! Charging off madly outdoors if possible or to another room.

They love thievery - laundry (sometimes right out of the open dryer door), anything plastic (gets shredded), food off counters (called "surfing") is fair game, or anything else likely to make the owner laugh at their pranks, or roar at them.

Their games are not ours, though we manage to get along just fine most of the time.

Airedales in their spring and winter coat are very woolly. They have a double coat which gives them great protection for the cold and wind but must be trimmed, clipped very short, for the hot months. Where we live in Eastern Canada we leave them with about four months of long warm winter coat. The rest of the time their coat is clipped at two months intervals and finally left to grow in again for the winter. We groom them ourselves.

We do our own grooming. Not for the show ring. Comfortable for life at home in all seasons.

Bathing is in the family bathtub or in the laundry tub at six to eight week intervals depending on the animal: some dogs are smellier than others. Put an old raincoat on backwards and you'll only shampoo the dog, not your whole self. If you have a shower head all the better. And then there is the tub to scrub.
Unless a skunk, minding his own business has been joyfully chased the dogs are all set, fluffy and sweet smelling. USE dog shampoo. It makes a difference. Dry the dog thoroughly especially in cold weather. They are easily chilled. We do the winter baths in the evening. The dogs can dry properly overnight.
A little note: To de-skunk your dog: rinse eyes immediately with tepid water, - rinse body all over with acidic juice--tomato or clamato or coke, usually 1can of juice was enough, then mix 2 cups 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/8 c. baking soda, 1 Tbsp. liquid soap (dish soap, NOT dishwasher soap), wisk to make a lather, wash sprayed body parts thoroughly, rinse the animal very well, don't leave residue in coat. Smell your now sweet again pet. It takes time and is most horridly frustrating because with ours it usually happens around 11 pm. If it is summer doing this outside is much to be preferred.

Teeth cleaning - the animals do it very nicely themselves when they are given raw vegetables daily: carrot, rutabaga, cabbage cores, frozen peas, whatever they will chew, not too much at a time or their digestion might disturb you.

Nail clips - whenever they are bothered or they bother you as they jump up. My Pippa fights nail care, Teres's Honey lies down and sleeps when this goes on. START WHEN YOU GET YOUR PUP, handle their feet, toes, pads, often. It is supposed to help them to adjust to the nail clip. Pippa didn't learn from that preparatory treatment; she's a schnook but I love her.

Brush, slicker brush, nail clippers, combs for their beards and fluffy stockings - we use guillotine type clippers for strong nails. They work well. There are many tools that might work. Choose only what you will really use. Ask other dog owners. It's expensive and a nuisance to have unused extras cluttering your dog care drawer.

Coat care - is not so very hard to master. Clip dog coat when it has been washed and dried and brushed. It is easier for the dog and doesn't dull clippers as quickly. OR take them to your friendly professional groomer who will do all the above for you except the vegetable snacks.

We use Oster clippers, there are others. Find a company near you that will sharpen the blades. It can become expensive to send the blades for sharpening.

Feeding and dog health.
We have switched our dogs to homemade food, and supplements with very satisfactory results.

The switching should be done slowly over a two, three, or four week period depending on your animal's reaction to the change. Observe how they seem, are they loosing weight, gaining too fast, happy, gassy, draggy, bouncy? Dogs take time to adapt to new foods, just as we humans do. Avoid overfeeding. Our particular two could / would eat all day . We are very strict and consistent with their two meals - a - day schedule now that they are adults. They were on three meals as pups. Any treats are normally vegetable snacks. We did find some treats with no additives which they sometimes get. We also weigh them monthly. It is easy to miss substantial weight change. Especially when they are in their winter coats.

We went to homemade food because our dogs had
-too many health problems,
-too many visits to the Vet.
-too many bad reaction to drugs.

I do not know whether this is breed specific or due to line breeding and/or inbreeding in their genetic background. Whatever the cause something needed to be done.

We searched the Net, haunted the library system, talked to the vet.

Finally we came across several good books, which provided the recipes for home made food for the dogs. Some books we have used are listed, with their links, later on.

We also studied supplements, health building, and health recovery methods from various sources. One we find particularly helpful is:
NZYMES®

And finally-- keep your animals safely enclosed at home. They must not be a constant concern as to where they are or if they are bothering people or traffic.

We lost Finigan who in his uncautious enthusiasm went for his last outing of the evening and strayed onto the highway. It was dark, the driver could not have seen the dog. He was hit. He died. It was our lack of care. We neglected reasonable measures to keep the animal safe.

Since then we researched fencing of any and all types. Our final choice was the Invisible Fence.
A coated electrical wire is buried just under ground hooked up to a transmitter which has to be in a dry area, can be in a porch.
The dogs are fitted with a collar that carries a nine volt battery pack.
The training of the animals to respect the electric fence is very simple. They are walked around the perimeter, feel a vibration before they come to the actual fence line. When they overstep the warning buzz they get a slight shock. This is enough to keep them well away from the fence line.

I have tried the collar on my arm to see how much shock there is and found it to be minimal. It is totally effective when the battery is checked and replaced as necessary. Check with local supplier / installer or contact:
DogWatch .

Again---Be very sure to check the collar batteries monthly and rejoice. They can run. You can relax.

Happy dog owning to you.

The Airedale, a hunting dog, originated in Yorkshire. Great Britain, near the river Aire. The cross breeding gave them all the distinguishing features of terriers.

As excellent swimmers Airedales were used to hunt otter, badgers, water rats, weasels, foxes and deer. The Airedales' charming disposition won them their way very quickly into show rings.

The animals became pets, guard dogs, police dogs and worked in the war as messengers and couriers.

The dogs are very intelligent, courageous, reliable, and loyal.
They have a strong will and try to be head of the pack in their human families. With loving, intelligent, consistent training they become very safe, happy companions.

They have a phenomenal memory. But they do test limits frequently! They are jokesters, love to please, to tease, and to laugh at the hapless owners.

If you want an Airedale Terrier be prepared. You'll definitely never be bored.

They are swift, purposeful, graceful, big of brain, an ideal chum and guard. ....To the master an adoring pal who never holds grudges, even if you occasionally loose your cool. They will keep their eye on you!! testing the vibes, wait out the storm.

Their boundless energy does require an environment that can allows for very active living.
NOT an apartment dog. Their bounding energy does require an environment that allows for very active living though, like most domesticated animals, they have more time to snooze, lie around, watch you carefully, always alert, yet able to totally relax till they see you move toward the door.