Explore the Airedale Terrier’s breed standard, history, and unique traits through the ATCA’s educational resources.
Scott Boeving
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This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, November 2012 issue.
The Airedale Terrier Club of America (ATCA) has long recognized that conformation judges can benefit from breed-specific information that expands on the content contained in the official Breed Standard.
To help judges acquire this additional information, ATCA offers several options. Formal Judges Education Seminars are provided regularly throughout the country, and informal ringside mentoring opportunities are readily available at regional and national Airedale Terrier specialty shows. Information about these sessions can be obtained from the club secretary, whose contact information is found on the ATCA website at Airedale.org.
Another excellent source of breed-specific information is the ATCA publication The Illustrated Standard of the Airedale Terrier 2012. This recently released booklet replaces the original Illustrated Standard and contains information about desired and undesired breed characteristics, as well as pictures and illustrations of Airedale Terriers.
Within the next few months, copies will be mailed to all approved and provisional Airedale Terrier judges. This article offers a preview of the Illustrated Standard and contains pages from the publication on key breed points, including the overall breed description, information about the head, skull, and ears, and details about size and movement.
The Airedale is a medium-sized, well-boned dog, and at all times a terrier in appearance and attitude. He is a well-balanced, square dog, with height at the withers being about the same as the length from shoulder point to buttock—appearing neither short in the front legs nor high in the rear.
None of the dog’s features is exaggerated; the general impression is one of moderation blending sturdiness and elegance (neither Welsh Terrier nor Wire Fox Terrier in appearance).
The male has a masculine appearance without being “common,” and the female has a feminine appearance without being fine-boned or looking the least bit fragile. “Bitchiness” in dogs and “dogginess” in bitches is most undesirable.
As the largest terrier, the Airedale should reflect the “King of the Terrier” status with an alert and self-confident demeanor. His head and tail are held high, and he is interested in and inquisitive about all situations. He is intelligent and steady, unafraid of strangers, and self-assured in the presence of other dogs.
Structure and attitude can be best evaluated by a controlled “spar” of two or three dogs at a time, with enough space between them so they remain on four feet with their necks arched and ears alert.
The spar affords the judge the opportunity to evaluate the topline, tail set, ear carriage, and attitude. This impression is only revealed during the spar and cannot be duplicated by stacking or baiting the Airedale. The spar should be a mandatory component of judging at specialties and when entries are sufficient.
Should be well-balanced with little apparent difference between the length of the skull and foreface.
Should be long and flat, not too broad between the ears, and narrowing very slightly to the eyes. The scalp should be free from wrinkles, the stop hardly visible, and cheeks level and free from fullness.
Should be V-shaped with carriage rather to the side of the head, not pointing to the eyes. They should be small but not out of proportion to the size of the dog. The topline of the folded ear should be above the level of the skull. Hound ears are a fault that should be severely penalized. See Figure 1.
When viewing the head, the eye should be used as the midpoint, and the skull behind the stop should be the same length as the muzzle in front of the stop.
The head should be long but in proportion to the rest of the dog. Typically, a short-backed, cobby dog will have a shorter head than a dog of the same height possessing a longer body and neck.
Some refer to the head as being shaped “like a brick”; having a rectangular appearance when viewed from the front or the side. When viewed from the side, the top of the head from the occiput to the nose should appear to form a straight line. The underjaw should be strong, and the muzzle should give a sense of fullness.
The sex of an Airedale should be apparent from the head: the dog’s clearly masculine and the bitch’s clearly feminine.
When the dog is alert, the inner edge of the ear should lie close to the skull, pointing toward the ground or outside corner of the eye. The ear should have lift and fold above the top level of the skull. The Airedale ear is highly mobile, not fixed in a stationary position. The ear is best evaluated when two dogs face off against each other (see Figure 2).
The head of an Airedale should never be on two planes or angles, which will show the dog to be down-faced. Such a head, viewed from the side, shows the nose pointing down rather than straight ahead in line with the back skull. There should be no prominent bumps on the top of the skull and no cheekiness seen when the head is observed from either the side or the front.
There should be no wrinkles on top of the skull, even when the dog is alert or facing another dog. The head should be elegant, but the skull should not be so narrow that the head looks weak, or in the case of males, unmasculine.
A high or Fox Terrier type of ear, which points toward the middle or inside corner of the eye, is wrong for the Airedale. A flying ear held away from the head is also incorrect. Airedales should “use their ears” when facing other dogs—the ear muscles should be tense so that the ears react. Ears that hang relaxed when the dog faces another are incorrect.
Ears with little lift, which break at or below the level of the skull, give the impression of houndiness. Hound ears are a fault in the Airedale Terrier (see Figure 3).
In 1880, Vero Shaw’s grand illustrated Book of the Dog was published. This is the first dog book to mention our breed by its current name, Airedale Terrier. This book also contained the first written breed standard.
I thought it would be of interest to many of you to see where we began as a breed by not only including the standard but also the accompanying illustration of Thunder, the dog “chosen” to represent the written standard.
Please note that Thunder was owned by Mr. Reginald Knight, author of this first standard. When published, this caused an uproar amongst the majority of Airedale Breeders who felt Mr. Knight wrote this standard to fit his dog, not having bred the dog to the ideas laid forth by other fellow exhibitors trying to set the “type” for this evolving breed.
This standard was discounted by the majority of breeders upon publication, and in response, a new standard was crafted and endorsed by the Kennel Club. It’s funny to read about the “dog game” being played between these two groups over 125 years ago. They sparred as well as the Airedales they showed.
Current-day breeders enjoy the look back in time to the formation of our breed and realize that passions ran just as deep as they do now on what is the correct type for an Airedale Terrier.
Head: Flat, and of good width between the ears.
Muzzle: Long, and of good strength; the nose being black, the nostrils large, and the lips free from ‘flews.’
Mouth: Level; teeth large and sound.
Eyes: Small, bright, and dark in colour.
Ears: Thin, and somewhat larger, in proportion to the size of the dog, than a Fox-terrier’s; carried forward like the latter’s but set on more toward the side of the head, and devoid of all long, silky hair.
Neck: Strong rather than neat, and free from dewlap and throatiness.
Shoulders: Well sloped.
Chest: Moderately deep, but not too wide.
Hindquarters: Square and showing a good development of muscle. Thighs well bent.
Back: Of moderate length, with short and muscular loins.
Ribs: Well sprung and rounded, affording ample scope for the action of the lungs.
Legs: Straight, and well furnished with bone.
Feet: Round, and with no tendency to ‘spread.’
Tail: Stout, and docked from 4″ to 7″.
Coat: Broken or rough, and close and hard in texture.
Colour: A bluish-grey of various shades, from the occiput to the root of the tail; showing a ‘saddle back’ of same, also a slight indication on each cheek; rest of body a good tan, richer on feet, muzzle, and ears than elsewhere.
Weight: From 40 to 55 lbs. for dogs, and from 35 to 50 lbs. for bitches.
In December of 1879, a group of judges and breeders signed an agreement to uphold a standard for the Airedale Terrier. This marked a significant step toward establishing consistency in the breed. The statement emphasized the importance of aligning views to prevent the Airedale from suffering the same fate as other Terrier breeds, which had been harmed by a lack of uniformity and individual biases.
A well-groomed Airedale in the show ring is a remarkable sight, with its alert posture and dignified presence. Beyond the show ring, the breed’s history of service is notable. During World War I, Airedales worked as Red Cross dogs, messengers, and patrol dogs, saving countless lives. Over 2,000 Airedales served in World War II. Today’s Airedale retains the intelligence and abilities of its ancestors, with enhanced refinement in appearance, earning its title as the “King of Terriers.”
The breed’s origins trace back to the mid-1800s in Northern England, where farmers needed a versatile dog capable of hunting vermin and providing food for the table. These dogs also served as guardians, herders, and companions for children, showcasing their multi-talented nature. Known for their independence, Airedales could even assist in poaching when necessary.
When the breed arrived in North America in the early 1900s, its skills expanded further to include hunting large game like bears and wildcats. Airedales remain exceptional hunters, excelling in both open and covered terrain. Their speed, endurance, and resilience make them suitable for nearly any hunting condition. In 1921, Outing magazine recognized the breed for its excellence in water retrieval, further solidifying its reputation as a versatile hunter.
Modern Airedales continue to shine in hunting roles, tracking events, and AKC-sanctioned activities. They excel as “three-in-one” gun dogs, adept at handling upland birds, waterfowl, and fur-bearing game. Tracking events, including AKC and non-AKC fur-tracking tests, highlight the breed’s instinctive skills. In these events, dogs locate and announce their quarry, often a caged raccoon, with enthusiastic barking.
Despite their capabilities, Airedale Terrier entries at shows have seen a decline in recent years. Factors such as economic challenges, busy lifestyles, and the breed’s labor-intensive care requirements contribute to this trend. Hybrid breeds and a shrinking pool of new dog enthusiasts further complicate the issue. At Montgomery County, conversations with international Airedale enthusiasts revealed similar concerns worldwide.
The ATCA historian analyzed data from 2000 to 2010 to assess the decline. Entries at Montgomery County dropped by 52%, while ATCA membership decreased by 24% over the same period. These numbers highlight the challenges facing the Airedale Terrier community and underscore the need for efforts to preserve and promote this extraordinary breed.
Now to the statistic that is potentially harmful to our very breed: the number of Airedale litters registered with AKC. That dropped by 38% in the last decade. You may ask, “Why does that number matter?” This is the opinion from our club historian’s view. Over the last few decades, the Airedale breed has enjoyed a steady growth in the numbers of breeders and dogs produced. However, this has not always been the case.
We have risen from near obscurity at the turn of the century to number one breed status in the 1920s, only to see a precipitous drop back down in numbers in the 1930s. Along with the breed’s numbers dropping, so did the ATCA membership as well as the show entries. Airedales, as a breed, began recovering after WWII and by the 1960s were steadily climbing back. How this was achieved, and how our modern world differs from that time, challenges me to be the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” about this looming issue that could affect our breed’s future.
Even during the lowest of population lows, Airedales have always been blessed with breeders who had the same diehard tenacity and stubbornness of the breed we love. Pockets of those breeders, located all around the world, hunkered down, and even when showing became an unaffordable luxury and membership to a breed club too expensive, they kept on having litters. They probably could only breed somewhat locally and on a smaller scale, but somehow they kept their lines going.
So while the breed contracted in numbers, the breeders who remained were forced by economics and geography to stay close to home in their stud dog choices. They may not have lived close to a Crufts or Westminster winner; maybe the best they could do was a littermate, a son or daughter, possibly a grandkid to add that “Flyer” to their pedigree. When times got better, there were plenty of diverse lines to help restart the breed again. They exited the downturn, continuing on with the same healthy, vibrant breed which has continued to this day.
Now, in the last decade, we have seen a decline in the litters produced, which in and of itself is not the biggest concern. It’s what I call the new “Double AA” addition to the equation: Airplanes and Artificial Insemination, that’s potentially troubling. These wonderful new technologies can allow the Airedale gene pool to be shared in such a way that, if our numbers continue to decline, we may lose the diversity that carried the breed through the downturns of the past.
Today, when we all fall in love with the same beautiful dog from the magazine, all of us around the world have the ability to use him. No longer are we forced to pick only a related dog; we can have “THE” dog! This is not a huge problem when the breed has a diverse and large group of breeders doing their “own” thing, but if we were to drop to 1930’s breed numbers and have but a few like-minded breeders who all love the same bloodlines, who’s to say what shape the Airedale breed will come out on the other side? I’m not sure anyone really knows. However, diversity is what will keep a breed healthy, even when numbers plummet.
Additionally, much of the valuable breed knowledge is preserved through mentorship. The challenge is finding mentors willing to invest the time and effort to be a mentor. Many exhibitors quickly learned the value of engaging an experienced breeder/exhibitor and remain engaged to learn the basics, only to lose focus, resulting in keeping their knowledge at only the basic levels. A teachable spirit is definitely required on the part of the one being mentored.
So, it is up to us, the breeders of today, to take a serious look at what we have in our home and kennel, and value what makes us different from a genetic standpoint. In a time now when many older breeders have or are considering leaving the hobby, is there anyone in the wings who will continue their lifelong breeding program? Do they have anything that most would consider an “unusual or rare” pedigree? Maybe those lines should be saved or incorporated somehow?
The answers to these questions do not come easily, but the decisions of today will directly affect our breed tomorrow. That is why I wanted to start the conversation now. A frank and honest discussion of the future of our breed may be warranted in the next decade, and it is my hope that today’s article will at least get you thinking that far down the road.
I hope our breed does not end up on the rare breed list someday, but if it does, I hope the ones who continue to love the Airedale as much as we do today will thank us for keeping the breed as beautiful, healthy, and diverse as it was in its “heyday.”
The future is now. Do your part. Celebrate and preserve what makes your line of dogs unique and special. The result will be a healthy, vibrant, versatile breed for decades to come.
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