Airedale Terrier

The Airedale Terrier (often shortened to "Airedale"), also called Bingley Terrier and Waterside Terrier, is a dog breed of the terrier type that originated in the valley (dale) of the River Aire, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is traditionally called the "King of Terriers" because it is the largest of the terrier breeds. The Airedale was bred from the Old English Black and Tan Terrier and the Otterhound and probably some other Terrier breeds, and has contributed to other dog breeds, such as the Yorkshire Terrier.

Originally bred to serve as a versatile hunting and all around working farm dog, this breed has also been used as a war dog, guide dog, and police dog in Britain. In the United States, the breed has been used to hunt big game, upland birds, and water fowl, and serve in many other working capacities.

The Airedale is the largest of the British terriers. They weigh 19–25 kilograms (42–55 lb) in fit condition and have a height at the withers of 58–61 centimetres (23–24 in) for males, with females slightly smaller. The American Kennel Club standard specifies a very slightly smaller dog. Larger Airedales, up to 55 kilograms (121 lb) can sometimes be found in North America. They are sometimes referred to as "Oorangs" as this was the name of a kennel in Ohio in the early 1900s that produced this much larger variation, or Roosevelt Terriers.

The Airedale has a medium-length black and tan coat with a harsh topcoat and a soft undercoat. They are an alert and energetic breed, "not aggressive but fearless." It has been claimed that the larger "Oorang" type Airedales are more eager than the smaller, breed standard Airedales, but this is not necessarily so. The large type have been used for big game hunting and as family guardians or as pets, but usually do poorly in AKC (American Kennel Club) conformation shows. This larger type is also significantly more prone to hip dysplasia than the standard Airedales.

Like many terriers, this breed has a 'broken' coat, which is hard and wiry. It is meant to be kept not so long as to appear ragged, and lies straight and close, covering body and legs. The outer coat is hard, wiry and stiff, the undercoat softer. The hardest coats are crinkly or just slightly waved. Curly soft coats are highly undesirable.

The coat is commonly called hypoallergenic, but studies have not found significant differences in the levels of allergens between Airedales and other dogs.

Airedales bearing undercoats are generally groomed by hand stripping where a small serrated edged knife is used to pull out loose hair from the dog's coat. Most Airedales require frequent (6 to 8 weeks) clipping or stripping as they do not shed.

The AKC breed standard states that the correct coat color is either a black saddle, with a tan head, ears and legs; or a dark grizzle saddle (black mixed with gray and white). Grizzle that is a mix of red hair in the black, often on the area of back before the tail are often the best and harshest coats. There are, however, examples of non-standard black-coated and "red" (tan) coated Airedales. There are also short coated "Redline" type Airedales, similar in looks to the Airedale's early days when the breed's coats were shorter. Even with their shorter coat they still have the same hard wiry outer coat with a soft under coat and fall well within the criteria of the breed standard.