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HE NAME OF THIS SITE SAYS IT ALL, OLD FASHIONED HUNTING-WORKING AIREDALE TERRIERS THE WAY THEY USED TO BE AND STILL CAN BE! WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HUNTING WITH AIREDALES TERRIERS HERE. MANY YEARS OF AN UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO PRODUCE, MAINTAIN AND HUNT WITH AIREDALE TERRIERS IN THE OLD TRADITIONS OF THE BREED FOUNDERS. SERIOUS HUNTING AIREDALES FOR SERIOUS WORK. CALIFORNIA KENNELS HOME OF TRADITIONAL HUNTING BRED AIREDALES LOCATED IN CENTRAL NY STATE. HI, MY NAME IS AL KRANBUHL, I AM A LIFE LONG OUTDOORSMAN AND HAVE HUNTED AND FISHED FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I HAVE WANTED IN THE US AND CANADA. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY TYPES OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, BUT WHAT I TRUELY ENJOY MOST IS THE TRAINING AND WORKING WITH HUNTING DOGS. MY MAIN EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WITH BREEDS SUCH AS BEAGLES AND SEVERAL OF THE COONHOUND BREEDS. I HAVE ALSO IN THIS LATER STAGE OF MY LIFE OBTAINED MY FIRST DEDICATED BIRD DOG AN ENGLISH SETTER. BUT MY FIRST LOVE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE AIREDALE TERRIER. THAT BEING SAID THE AIREDALES THAT REALLY INTEREST ME ARE THE ONES THAT ARE FROM LINES THAT HUNT AND THAT BECOME VERY ACCOMPLISHED AT DOING IT. I HAVE OWNED, HUNTED AND WORKED WITH AIREDALE TERRIERS SINCE 1967 AND SPENT MY ADULT LIFE PROMOTING THEM AS HUNTING DOGS. I HAVE USED THEM FOR A LARGE VARIETY OF TASKS IN THOSE YEARS. AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER I HAVE HUNTED THEM ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WALKS, CRAWLS OR FLYS IN THIS NECK OF THE WOODS. ONE THING IS FOR SURE, A WELL BRED AIREDALE FROM WORKING LINES IS A GREAT HUNTING COMPANION AND THEY CAN AND WILL PUT A WIDE VARIETY OF GAME IN THE BAG AS SHOWN IN THE LITTLE PHOTO BELOW. MY VERY FIRST AIREDALES OUT OF THE OLD MOORELAND KENNEL WERE EVERYTHING I WANTED AND SOME OF THE BEST HUNTING DOGS I EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF OWNING. FOR ME THINGS STARTED TURNING SOUTH IN A BAD WAY DURING THE LATE SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES. THE OLD AMERICAN HUNTING LINES WERE FADING FROM THE SCENE. WHAT WAS LEFT WAS BEING DELUTED AND POLUTED BY NON HUNTING AIREDALE LINES IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND AND GERMANY. I WAS NOT VERY PLEASED WITH THE PERFORMANCE, SOME OF THE PHYSICAL PROBLEMS AND OVERLY AGGRESSIVE TEMPERAMENTS I WAS FINDING WITH THE AIREDALES THAT WERE AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME. AFTER BEING FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO OWN AND HUNT TOP FLIGHT AIREDALES I WAS SPOILED AND KNEW THAT I WOULD NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH SUB PAR PERFORMERS. TO TRY AND INSURE MYSELF OF A RELIABLE SOURCE OF WORKING AIREDALES THAT COULD DO THE JOB ON A CONSISTANT BASIS I DECIDED I HAD TO GET SERIOUS AND PUT MATTERS IN MY OWN HANDS. I SCOURED THE COUNTRY (AND I MEAN SCOURED) FOR THE BREEDING STOCK OUT OF LINES THAT HAD QUALITIES I COULD WORK WITH. I STARTED UP THE CALIFORNIA KENNEL AND IMPLEMENTED A BREEDING PROGRAM GEARED TOWARD HUNTING ABILITY AND PERFORMANCE THAT I THINK HAS PAID OFF. I BELIEVE IN EVEN KEELED CALM NON OVERLY AGGRESSIVE TEMPERAMENTS. I WANT MY DOGS TO WORK WELL AS A TEAM WITH OTHER AIREDALES AS WELL AS MY HOUNDS WHEN IT IS CALLED FOR WITHOUT FIGHTING INCIDENTS. CERTAINLY I DO NOT WANT THEM AGGRESSIVE TOWARD PEOPLE. AGGRESSION AIMED AT OTHER DOGS AND PEOPLE AGGRESSION GO HAND AND HAND AND IS THE MOST SERIOUS AND WORST KIND OF FAULT. I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO ELIMINATE IT. THAT BEING SAID AND WITHOUT BEING GRAPHIC THESE AIREDALES HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH GRIT FOR ANY SITUATION THAT ARISES DURING A HUNT AND WILL HANDLE THEMSELVES APPROPRIATELY. I SEE A LOT OF TALK OUT THERE ABOUT HUNTING WITH AIREDALES BUT IT TAKES MUCH MORE THAN TALK TO GET IT DONE, IT TAKES DOING! THERE IS ONLY ONE ACCURATE WAY TO FIND AND IDENTIFY TOP HUNTING DOGS OF ANY BREED. RIGGED AND STAGED HUNTING TESTS ARE OF LIMITED VALUE OTHER THAN STARTING OFF PUPS AND YOUNG DOGS. I CALL IT KINDERGARTEN FOR DOGS. ONCE PAST THAT STAGE WE TAKE THE NOVEL OLD TIME APPROACH THAT REAL HUNTERS TAKE FOR FINISHING BY ACTUALLY HUNTING OUR DOGS IN THE FIELD ON REAL LIVE WILD GAME. HUNTING THEM HARD MAKING THEM PROVE THEMSELVES TO BE A CAPABLE HUNTING DOG. THIS MEANS PUTTING GAME IN THE BAG. DOGS THAT CAN NOT MAKE THE GRADE ARE OUT AND SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED FOR BREEDING. THE CREAM THAT RISES TO THE TOP IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND GO ON FROM THERE. NOW IF SOMEONE HAS BETTER APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING GOOD HUNTING DOGS BY ALL MEANS ENLIGHTEN ME. TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH BUT THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH CREAM IN THE AIREDALE TERRIER BREED AT THIS TIME AS A WHOLE WHEN IT COMES TO TRUELY TOP HUNTING DOGS. I LIKE A NICE LOOKING AIREDALE AS WELL AS ANYONE. BUT!, THIS BREEDING PROGRAM IS STRICTLY PERFORMANCE ORIENTED AND HERE PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD ALWAYS COMES FIRST. I WILL LEAVE ALL THE TALK ABOUT THE STANDARD TO THE SHOW FOLKS AS I DO NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO SUCH THINGS. HAVING PUT ALMOST ALL OF MY EFFORTS INTO HOW MY DOG'S PERFORM HAS RESULTED IN A LINE OF AIREDALES THAT WILL VARY SOMEWHAT IN APPEARANCE AND SIZE. THEY WILL RANGE IN SIZE FROM AS SMALL AS FORTY-FIVE POUNDS TO AS LARGE AS AN EIGHTY POUND PLUS MOORELAND TYPE. MOST WILL HAVE A GOOD HARD MEDIUM LENGTH EASILY MAINTAINED COAT FOR THE FIELD. I WILL HAVE ON OCCASION A THROWBACK OLD FASHION "REDLINE" TYPE (slick coated) SHOWING UP FROM TIME TO TIME. PETE BASSANI'S "JOE BOY" PICTURED HERE BELOW WITH A COUPLE OF NICE COONS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE "REDLINE" TYPE AIREDALE. SUMMING THINGS UP ONLY THE VERY BEST HUNTERS ARE USED FOR BREEDING REGARDLESS OF SUPERFICIAL STUFF LIKE SIZE, COAT, ETC. I ALSO HAVE A VERY FINE LINE OF ENGLISH COONHOUNDS THAT I HAVE BEEN HUNTING FOR MANY YEARS. THEIR MAKEUP IS A BLEND OF HARDTIME, JUNIOR AND BOYD'S LITTLE JOE FOR STARTERS, THE REST OF THE DOGS IN THEIR BACKGROUND ARE THE WHO'S WHO RESIDING IN THE ENGLISH COONHOUND HALL OF FAME. THESE ARE ABOUT AS GOOD AS THEY GET. ALSO THERE IS NO BETTER MEASURING STICK OR WAY OF EVALUATING MY AIREDALES THAN PUTTING THEM IN AND HUNTING THEM AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST COONHOUNDS AROUND. WHEN YOU FIND AN AIREDALE THAT CAN STAY WITH THESE HOUNDS YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL. AIREDALE TERRIER PUPPIES A LOT OF THOUGHT, HUNTING AND TESTING OF ADULT DOGS BOTH MALE AND FEMALE IS DONE BEFORE ANY CONSIDERATION OF BREEDING IS MADE. IT CAN SOMETIMES TAKE SEVERAL YEARS FOR ME TO EVALUATE A DOG AND CONSIDER IT TO BE WORTHY OF BREEDING. WHEN A MATING IS MADE HERE IT IS ALWAYS WITH THE INTENTION AND HOPE OF AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE LINE'S HUNTING ABILITIES, WE DON'T MAKE PUPPIES JUST TO PUT MONEY IN OUR POCKETS. TOP OF THE LINE PUPPIES WITH MANY GENERATIONS OF BREEDING EMPHASIS ON BRED IN STRONG HUNTING TRAITS, ABILITY AND DRIVE. AVAILABLE OCCASIONALLY ON A VERY LIMITED BASIS, E-MAIL FOR AVAILABILITY. EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT PRODUCE MANY PUPPIES MYSELF I CAN HELP PUT SOMEONE WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING A HUNTING BRED AIREDALE IN CONTACT WITH A BREEDER WHO DOES HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF. EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT PRODUCE MANY PUPPIES MYSELF I CAN HELP PUT SOMEONE WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING A HUNTING BRED AIREDALE IN CONTACT WITH A BREEDER WHO DOES HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF.

The Airedale Terrier is a large terrier with a harsh wiry coat, long flat head, and a deep chest. Its hair is bristly and resistant to dampness, but it needs stripping. The well-balanced dog stands square, with a level topline and very straight front legs. The v-shaped ears fold slightly to the side and forward. The nose is black. The teeth should meet in a level or scissors bite. The tail is carried high and is customarily docked; left undocked it should be carried gaily, but should not curl over the back. The wiry outer coat is lined with a soft undercoat. The coat should be tan with black (or dark grizzle) markings. A bit of red in the black and/or a small white star on the chest are permitted. The legs (all the way to the thigh), chest, undersides, head and ears should be tan. Sometimes tan also extends up to the shoulders. The Airedale Terrier will usually do okay with children if they have early exposure and socialization, however they may play too rough for very small ones. Courageous and protective. Fairly friendly with strangers. Intelligent, pleasant and loyal. Sensitive and responsive, he can be obedience trained at a high level. Airedale Terriers are fun-loving and playful when they are puppies. Airedales will be happy to please you, if there is nothing more pressing in the environment (chipmunk, other dog, food). An Airedale is extremely loyal, but as an avid hunter you would have to be an ace trainer to get him to come away from a chipmunk even for raw steak! They are naturally lively and can be very rowdy if they do not receive enough daily mental and physical exercise. Train this dog not to jump on humans. The Airedale Terrier needs proper obedience training and an owner who knows how to be "Top Dog". The Airedale Terrier may have dominance challenges toward family members he sees as submissive. This can lead to willfulness and disobedience. They are not difficult to train, but they do not respond to harsh overbearing training methods. The Airedale Terrier is intelligent enough to perceive quickly what is required of it, but if you ask it to do the same thing over and over again it may refuse. Try to give it some variety to its training, making the exercise a challenge. They need a calm, but firm, confident and consistent handler. With the right handler, the Airedale Terrier can do well in various dog sports including defense dog trials. This breed generally gets along well with household cats and other animals, but they sometimes try to dominate other dogs. This depends upon the way the humans around the dog treat him, their training and the individual dog. Airedales were bred for active work, and therefore need plenty of exercise. They need to be taken for long daily walks. Most of them love to play with a ball, swim, or retrieve objects and once fully grown will happily run alongside a bicycle. Without enough attention and exercise the Airedale Terrier will become restless and bored and will usually get itself into trouble. The exercise requirement can go down somewhat after the first two years (as with many dogs) but the first two years with an Airedale are very strenuous on the human. Then they start to get much more mellow.

Coat Like many terriers, it has a 'broken' coat, which requires regular hand stripping to maintain the coat and distinctive square terrier shape. A broken coat is a harsh, wiry topcoat with a soft, fur-like undercoat. Broken-coated breeds do not shed their coats as much as smooth coated breeds, and are therefore less likely to cause allergic reactions in people prone to dog allergies. Stripping is the correct process for grooming an Airedale, using a small serrated edged knife to pull out loose hair from the dog's coat. Airedales who aren't being shown are often clipped with electric clippers. This process, while easier on the dog and the groomer, softens the coat and fades the color, and sometimes causes skin allergies for the dog. This is because the loose hair that would normally moult is cut, so the roots remain within the hair follicles. This Airedale's tail is natural (undocked).The correct coat color is a black saddle, with a tan head, ears and legs; or a dark grizzle saddle (black mixed with gray and white). Both are acceptable in the AKC breed standard. Tail The Airedale's tail is usually docked (surgically shortened) within five days of birth, but this is not a requirement of breed standard authorities. However, to show an Airedale in the United States, the tail is expected to be docked. In the UK it is illegal to dock dogs tails unless it's for the dogs benefit ie. the tail is broken. Mouth Airedales have a normal 'scissors bite' that means the top teeth are over the bottom. Additionally, Airedales' teeth are the largest among Terriers.

The Airedale terrier is a great dog for a family with children and other pets. These dogs are affectionate and protective with children and are very good watchdogs. Airedales need early socialization with other dogs, as they can be dominant toward them Vaccinate your Airedale terrier when you first get him, and see that he gets yearly booster vaccinations to maintain his immunity to disease. Consult with your veterinarian about flea-control products and worming your adult dog. Give your Airedale high-grade dog food. The first ingredient should be meat. Crude protein should be no less than 30 percent and crude fat no less than 20 percent. The fiber content should be 4 percent or less. Brush your Airedale's coat daily - although they shed very little, if at all. Trim your dog's nails every four to six weeks, and trim the hair between his toes. Socialize your Airedale at an early age. Teach him to be with small children, other dogs and small animals. This breed is generally very good with children and cats, but can be rather aggressive with other dogs. Keep in mind that Airedales don't respond well to rough or forceful behavior when they're being trained. Learn to challenge your Airedale as you train him. This breed gets bored easily because of its high intelligence, so make training fun. If instructed to do the same task over and over in the same manner, your Airedale may not comply. Exercise your Airedale twice a day and be sure to give him a good run. Airedales are very energetic and make great running companions. They also like to swim and fetch. Be aware that Airedales are prone to certain health conditions, including hip dysplasia (a malformed ball and socket in the hip joint) and skin irritations. Expect to enjoy a full 12 to 14 years with your terrier, as this is the average life expectancy of an Airedale.

Our stripping knives have been handcrafted with care and since 1971. They are the preferred stripping tools of many Terrier breeders, Professional handlers and groomersPearson strippers can make your grooming job easier so your dog will look its very best. We offer a variety of strippers to meet a groomers needs. Pearson strippers are pre-dulled to help prevent cutting the dogs coat, but with enough edge to efficiently grab hair while pulling. They are available in four different handle styles, each with four different teeth patterns. All of our strippers are made in either right-hand or left-hand models. dogs rather than dog's coats! The professional handler usually has people standing in line, waiting for him to be free to handle their dogs. By using the "Staging" method of stripping out, the handler has one dog coming into coat, as another is going out. This enables him to handle twice as many dogs with fairness to twice as many clients. In addition, we must consider that the handler is traveling to shows every single weekend...one, two and three-day show weekends, and for dessert he or she may travel a circuit, taking in many shows in 14 days. This tires the handler, and it exhausts the dogs! So, by "Staging" the dog's coat, the dog gets an average eight-week rest every couple of months, while they are growing new coats. perhaps you are wondering what benefit this method may offer you. TIME, m' dears . . . marvelous, blessed time! If you are holding down a job and your grooming must be done in your spare time, THIS is the method for you! The initial rough stripping (stripping out) is done in two parts, spaced from two to two-and-a half weeks apart. Then there is about 8 weeks for the new coat to grow in, and you only have to "de-fuzz", and brush them from time to time. You and your dog both get a lovely rest, and you get to catch up on what the non-doggy world may be up to. In addition, in order to successfully rotate a coat, your dog must have a coat that is rotatable! Remember, a great wealth of HARD coat that can be grown in layers in necessary. I say it again . . . many dogs do not have a coat that can be properly rotated. They grow in a single, hard coat, with much undercoat, and as you work it from to show, nothing grows in to replace what you have removed. Soon your dog's coat looks like the moths have been at it. THIS type of coat should be STAGED! We still pluck, pull, shape and blend, etc, in the same manner as previously described. But this time, instead of pulling all the hair off the whole dog, we are going to do it in two STAGES . . . this is why we call this "the Staged Method".

The Airedale is relatively free of inherited diseases except for hip dysplasia in some lines. Airedales, like most Terriers, have a propensity towards dermatitis. Allergies, dietary imbalances, and under/over-productive thyroid glands are main causes for the Airedales' itchy skin. Dogs of this breed usually live for around twelve years, but have been known to last until the age of seventeen.

Airedale, a valley (dale) in the West Riding of Yorkshire, was the birthplace of the Airedale Terrier. In the mid-19th Century, working class Britons created the Airedale Terrier by crossing the old English rough-coated Black and Tan Terrier with the Otterhound. The result was an intelligent, hardy dog, adept in the water, on land, at work, or with the family; their goal to create an all-purpose dog was fulfilled. In 1886, the Kennel Club of England formally recognized the Airedale Terrier breed. The Airedale was extensively used in World War I to carry messages to soldiers behind enemy lines and bringing the mail. They were also used extensively by the Red Cross to find wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Their courage and stalwart character in the face of danger was legendary; there are numerous tales of Airedales delivering their messages despite terrible injury. Before the adoption of the German Shepherd as the dog of choice for law enforcement and search and rescue work, the Airedale terrier often filled this role. After the First World War, the Airedales' popularity rapidly increased thanks to stories of their bravery on the battlefield and also because Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding owned Airedale Terriers. 1949 marked the peak of the Airedales' popularity in the USA, ranked 20th out of 110 breeds by the American Kennel Club. The breed has since slipped to 50th out of 146.

The Airedale Terrier is a fine breed – great family dog, wonderful protector, and very intelligent. However, the Airedale is also a breed within the “terrier” family, which means he is a bit on the strong-willed side. Because this breed is a larger breed, it is important that he be properly socialized and trained, as young as possible. In addition, while the Airedale is great with children, it is usually recommended a strong master be in charge. For instance, if your Airedale were to see another animal prior to being trained, you might have your hands full in controlling him. We would certainly not hesitate in recommending an Airedale but you want to be prepared to set the tone of authority. The best way to train the Airedale or any dog for that matter is while still a puppy. At a young age, dogs are much more capable and willing to learn. It is important that you set the groundwork, building your dog’s sense of trust and confidence in you as the owner but also as the master. As mentioned, the Airedale is naturally more aggressive with other animals, especially dogs. You want your dog to understand that in any situation, aggressiveness is not allowed, which can be taught through consistency. The interesting thing about Airedale Terrier Training is that while you need to let him know who the boss is, he will likely not respond well to harsh training techniques. This particular breed is a people pleaser so if you train with too firm a hand, you will only teach him fear, not trust. You also want to make training for the Airedale both fun and adventurous. Following the standard terrier ways of curiosity, the more you can change things up the more successful the training. Then, Airedales are very smart. They do not tolerate silliness or foolishness well. In other words, your dog will possibly out-think you on occasion so you need to be structured in the training methods used, not giving him time for boredom or thought processing. Instead, approach the training with positive motivation. If your Airedale believes he is doing something to please, he will go beyond what you request to make you happy. If you plan to take your Airedale Terrier to a professional trainer, we strongly recommend you stay involved but that you also choose someone knowledgeable of this breed. This way, each training session would be new, giving your dog the best option for success. Although you might know of someone who trains German Shepherds and does a great job, the personality and traits of this breed compared to an Airedale Terrier are quite different. Therefore, the firmness of the training and the methods used would probably not work. The best way to describe training an Airedale Terrier is to stay ahead of him in the thinking department – be flexible and always expect the unexpected. One of the greatest challenges is trying to outsmart him. You might be able to in some instances but chances are you would lose most of the time. The bottom line is that the Airedale needs more creativity and patience when it comes to training than most other breeds. The way in which you teach this breed, basic commands to potty training to rescue would all need to be approached in a unique manner - the more interesting you can make it, the happier the dog will be to learn.

Working Terrier. "The King of Terriers," the Airedale was named for the Valley of the Aire in England, where lots of small game flourished. Originally known as the Waterside Terrier and used as a vermin hunter. The breed was later crossed with the Otterhound to make him a better swimmer. It is also said to have Manchester Terrier in its blood. In addition to his role as a small game hunter, the Airedale has been used to hunt big game in Africa, Indian and Canada, and as a police dog and army sentry dog in World War II. Today the Airedale is primarily a companion dog, but there are still working lines out there. Some of the Airedale's talents are guarding, watchdogging, hunting, tracking, military work, police work, and competitive obedience.

The Airedale can be used as a working dog and also as a hunter and retriever. Airedales exhibit some herding characteristics as well, and have a propensity to chase animals. They have no problem working with cattle and livestock. However, an Airedale that is not well trained will agitate and annoy the animals. The Airedale Terrier, like most Terriers, has been bred to hunt independently. As a result, the dog is very intelligent, independent, strong-minded, stoic, and can be stubborn. The Airedale is a dog with a great sense of humour. For those who can laugh along with their Airedale, the dog can provide a unique and entertaining company. For those who don't appreciate being outsmarted by their dog, owning an Airedale can be a trying experience. Patience and consistency in training will be rewarded as the Airedales have been known to reach great heights in competitive obedience, dog agility, and Schutzhund. Airedales can often be difficult to train. Being smart, Airedales pick up what is wanted from them very quickly; being smart, they do not want to keep repeating what they learned and can try to terminate a training session at the point when they "got it". Changing the routine at this point or taking a play-break is much more productive than trying to force the Airedale to continue as they are a stubborn bunch. Airedales require constant reinforcement, or they may decide to start ignoring commands. When training is resumed, they can quickly recover their acceptance of the command. Airedales are a stoic and intrepid breed and as a result, young Airedales exhibit a general lack of common sense and require training. For the same reasons, they need socializing with other dogs early. They are also very loving, always in the middle of the family activities. Airedales are also known for expressing exactly what they are thinking, unlike more aloof breeds. The Airedale is also a reliable and protective family pet. They are very energetic, and need plenty of exercise.