Terriers and their owners. Currently, Pirjo Hjelm’s Big Lady kennels has some of the best dogs in the country.
AIREDALE “SUPER BOWL”
The Airedale Bowl, a perpetual trophy of the Airedale Terrier Club of America, has been awarded in Best of Breed Competition since 1910 and is now awarded no more than five times a year at the discretion of the Executive Committee. It is valued at $14,000 and remains in the possession of the club, with the winner receiving a commemorative award. Numerous bases have been added to the silver bowl to accommodate the names of the winners. The “Bowl” now stands approximately five feet tall! It is displayed and proudly photographed at the club’s specialty shows.
Stringent rules also govern the breeding of dogs in Russia. Permission must be obtained from a Club Council for every mating or the resulting litter cannot be shown. Russia began with bloodlines from many famous English kennels, but in the 1990s leaned heavily on US imports such as the Russian Best in Show winner Ch. Spindletop’s Desperado, a littermate to the US’s top Airedale, Ch. Spindletop’s New Kid In Town, bred by Anne Reese. Desperado is owned by Valentine Egorova of Saratov. Other top American dogs have gone to Helen Kukoleva (Emerald Dalikul) from Aletta Moore (Epoch).
There is a little controversy at present with the “old school” preferring the old-style bigger, slightly longer-bodied dogs with extremely hard coats and gorgeous heads, mostly coming down from Bengal and Mynair stock. The newer generation of breeders goes for dogs termed “Western-style” or those bred from American imports. The latter have managed to retain the good heads, which may mean that Russian imports will be appearing on the American show scene.
Airedales in Australian shows were originally shown in “the rough.” The first trimmed dogs were shown by L. Latchford (Aerial) in 1918 and created quite a stir, although everyone quickly followed suit. More recently, several kennels have been outstandingly successful, among them Mrs. Pauline Lewis’s Moylarg, Mrs. Geisla Lesh’s Strongfort, Bob and Jane Harvey’s Rangeaire, Keith and Patricia Lovell’s Tjuringa and David and Di Barclay’s York Park.
Ch. Brentleigh Ben Nevis, CD became a breed legend. He was the top winner for three consecutive years and was the first Airedale in Victoria to earn an obedience title. Although Ben Nevis died very young (age 7), he left behind 18 champions; 2 sons went on to earn CDX degrees and another led the life of a fox hunter and never saw the show ring but sired several champions.
Japan has been smitten by the Airedale since the 1920s. The Japan Airedale Terrier Society was founded in 1930 with most of their stock coming from England. Barely 30 dogs survived WWII, but a sufficient number of good dogs have been imported since to assure their future. In Japan, Airedales serve on the police force.
LADDIE BOY
US President Warren Harding’s Airedale, Laddie Boy, had his own hand-carved Cabinet chair where he sat during important conferences. He was also allowed the distinction of greeting dignitaries on the front steps of the White House. The press had great fun pretending to interview the dog on political questions. When President Harding died in 1923, thousands of newsboys donated pennies that were melted down and cast into a statue of Laddie Boy, which stands today in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY. |
The Airedale Terrier is a good-sized dog with a large personality. Two traits common to the breed go hand in hand: self-confidence and the desire to dominate. He’s also fearless to a fault, stoic, loyal, tenacious, intensely curious, intelligent and with a lively sense of mischief. These traits spell out a dog that is not for the faint of heart or the weak of resolve. The Airedale must be persuaded, not coerced, into following the rules firmly, consistently and nicely. Anyone with similar characteristics or who admires and can cope with such strong traits will make a good owner.
The Airedale is not a go-to-ground terrier for obvious reasons. He is too big to enter the den of a hedgehog or polecat, but he can and will dispatch any prey immediately if it bolts. As any owner is quick to cite, the Airedale’s true terrier fondness for the earth is deep. Sometimes it goes very deep—excavating huge holes in the back yard in pursuit of real or imaginary prey!
Unlike many of his smaller terrier cousins, he is not hyperactive and matures at about three years of age into a calm house dog. Affable and amusing as a companion, he’s also sensitive to raised voices or harsh corrections.
Some of these terrier attributes will stand in the way of anyone who mistakenly thinks that an Airedale will be a pushover as a pet. His tenacious spirit may be mistaken for stubbornness and thus mishandled. His intelligence allows the dog to outwit you, and it is not so easy to maintain discipline over a dog whose feelings you’ve hurt. Just when you’re about to clamp down for some misbehavior, he turns on the charm. Oh well, maybe you’ll catch him to make the correction next time. It can be difficult to keep one step ahead of an Airedale.
ARE YOU AN AIREDALE PERSON?
If you’ve never met an adult Airedale, the time to do so is before you’ve decided on this breed. For good measure, meet more than one. Attend dog shows and chat with breeders. Visit breeders where you can spend time in the house or outdoors, interacting with the dogs. It’s not enough to view them through a kennel fence.
Not every good dog owner is necessarily the right person to own an Airedale Terrier. For starters, he’s a medium-to-large dog, about 23 inches tall at the shoulder and usually weighing between 45 and 65 pounds. Therefore the owner must be physically able to handle a dog of this size and strength. Then add the ability to cope with—and thoroughly enjoy—the Airedale’s playful, exuberant personality. Finally, there is the need to accept a dog as a lifetime commitment. If you start off with a puppy, he will remain a puppy for 18 months, he will be a young adult for another 18 months and he will continue to share your life for about another 10 years.
The Airedale is confident, playful and exuberant. He is a great dog for the right owner who loves an active dog and has the room for a rather large companion.
The Airedale is a protector of property, but will not necessarily stay on his own property. Solo expeditions by these hunters generally have sad endings with the traffic on our roadways, so the suburban or country Airedale needs a safe fenced area. While the breed is not at its best in the city, there are exceptions. If the owner has no yard, a strong lead and plenty of walks will have to suffice.
If you admire almost everything about the Airedale, you will still need to go the extra mile to meet character changes as they occur. One that comes to mind is the transition that takes place when the puppy enters adolescence. Perhaps you have known, or raised, teenagers? There are many similarities, but rest assured, it’s easier to go through this youthful stage with an Airedale, and it passes more quickly! Just keep your sense of humor and continue to be consistently firm in keeping to the house rules—it will be over in a few months. Airedales are said to reach adulthood at about three years of age. To be truthful, some never really do! Again, it’s part of their charm.
