Do Airedale Terriers like to swim? Can Airedale Terriers swim?
Table of Contents
- Are Airedale Terriers water dogs? Do Airedales like water?
- Do Airedale Terriers shed a lot?
- Do Airedale Terriers need grooming?
- Do Airedale Terriers make good pets?
Are Airedale Terriers water dogs? Do Airedales like water?
In the late 1930s a noted writer dismissed Airedales saying “Their coats are not heavy enough for them to act as retrievers in cold weather and their noses are not good enough for them to follow cold trails.”
Other observers at the time held an opposing view. One commented that the Airedale’s exceptional capability “not only to hunt vermin but also to hunt game and to retrieve it as well, as he has a very keen nose and is a remarkably good water dog.”
As time went on this latter view prevailed and persists to this day.
If you have a safe body of water nearby, Airedales love to swim. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for the high-energy Airedales of all sizes including puppies. Not that when an Airedale puppy is growing and developing they should not be subjected to stressful activity that stresses their body. Swimming puts no stress on their frame.
Do Airedale Terriers shed a lot?
Airedales are low shedders and low allergenic dogs.
They have a dense black and tan double coat with specifically distributed markings. The outer layer is wiry with a slightly wavy texture (crimping) while the undercoat is soft. A small white mark on the chest is allowed.
Do Airedale Terriers need grooming?
The Airedale’s coat requires daily brushing and combing to keep it clean and free of debris. The coat grows continually and a visit to a professional groomer every six to eight weeks is necessary.
Airedales competing in conformation dog shows are typically hand-stripped (rather than having their hair cut with clippers). You might want to ask your groomer to show you how this type of grooming is done.
Do Airedale Terriers make good pets?
Airedales are active, high-energy, dogs that need vigorous daily exercise.
A casual morning or evening walk is nowhere near enough for a young healthy Airedale. These dogs need at least a brisk jog or run alongside a bicycle, and a half-hour game of fetch or an agility workout every day.
They need close human contact and may chew or dig if left alone for extended periods of time.
The hound and terrier mix leads to high intelligence and independent thinking.
They retain what they learn quite well but they can be quite hardheaded when they get bored, and extremely stubborn if training is not fair. You must figure out what motivates your Airedale to stay a step ahead in the training process. Training should start early and should be fair and structured with lots of fun.
They are suitable for both town and country as long as regular exercise is provided.
Airedales are renowned as exceptionally loyal companions, good protectors of the home and farm but they should not be trusted with small pets.
The hound component means they tolerate other dogs much better than typical terriers. As hunters, Airedales should not be trusted with small pets. Like many terriers, they love the thrill of the chase and and can get up to mischief when bored. Interactions with cats in the family should be supervised.
Although Airedales can be great family dogs, they are rambunctious and must learn to behave around small children.
If you’ve never met an adult Airedale, the time to do so is before you’ve decided on this breed. It’s not enough to view one through a kennel fence.
Not every good dog owner is necessarily the right person for an Airedale.
First, he is a medium-to-large dog (usually weighting between 45 and 65 pounds), meaning the owner must be physically able to handle a dog of this size and strength.
Then some of the terriers attributes will stand in way of anyone who mistakenly thinks an Airedale will be a pushover as a pet. Their tenaciousness may be mistaken for stubbornness and thus mishandled. Their intelligence too allows the dog to outwit you, it’s not easy to maintain discipline over them.