A serious question regarding Airedale Terriers

[Defib1961]

As many of you know I had to have my little buddy Aspen put down last month. I still get choked up thinking about him and the 14 years we spent together. I am not ready for another pooch right now but I have been looking at a few different breeds.
I love English Springer Spaniels, they have one of the sweetest dispositions of any breed out there. I am, however, looking at other breeds. Has anyone here ever dealt with, or better yet, own an Airedale Terrier? I know they are a larger dog than the ESS is and being of the terrier group are going to be tenacious dogs. I am just looking for some first hand info.
Thanks in advance.

[Sea Six]

I've never owned a Terrier. What is it about the breed that makes you interested in it?



BTW, Golden Retrievers are just about the world's most perfect pet. IMHO.

[Defib1961]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

I've never owned a Terrier. What is it about the breed that makes you interested in it?



BTW, Golden Retrievers are just about the world's most perfect pet. IMHO.

It is just one of the breeds I am looking at and I have never known anyone that has owned one. I really don't want a 24 hour lap dog. I like everything I have seen relating to the Airdale, I just want some first hand experience stories.

[...Whitepower...]

Neighbor had one growing up. Awesome dog. Really loyal. If he knew you you were fine if he didn't know you he would alert but not be too aggressive. Pretty smart but neighbor took the time to train him well. I used to watch him when they went away for a weekend or whatever. We're talking when I was a kid though so I don't recall too much. He lived to be 13 and passed when I was in 11th or 12th grade.

[Ol Timer]

At age 65, we've had a dozen + dogs. We've had purebreds - mostly larger breeds as well as mutts. As we live in the country, we haven't purchased a dog in the last 5 0r 6 pets.

I can tell you without hesitation that the dogs we've rescued have been the best pets ever! Lots of rescue groups out there with breeds you may be looking for.

Hope you find a new best friend.

[Sneaks]

Originally Posted by Ol' Timer

At age 65, we've had a dozen + dogs. We've had purebreds - mostly larger breeds as well as mutts. As we live in the country, we haven't purchased a dog in the last 5 0r 6 pets.

I can tell you without hesitation that the dogs we've rescued have been the best pets ever! Lots of rescue groups out there with breeds you may be looking for.

Hope you find a new best friend.

This.

[...Whitepower...]

Originally Posted by Ol' Timer

At age 65, we've had a dozen + dogs. We've had purebreds - mostly larger breeds as well as mutts. As we live in the country, we haven't purchased a dog in the last 5 0r 6 pets.

I can tell you without hesitation that the dogs we've rescued have been the best pets ever! Lots of rescue groups out there with breeds you may be looking for.

Hope you find a new best friend.

And here's the flip side.

I adopted my last dog and due to inbreeding she had luxating patella's in both rear knees. The surgeries alone were about $3500 for both knees not to mention the early arthritis etc...

At times I wonder if I should have paid a breeder as it would have most certainly been cheaper over the long run.

I don't regret my decision at all, just something I have thought about in the past.

[Shrike6]

I only have one experience with an Airdale.
When I was about 6, we went to visit my mother's aunt. This elderly lady lived in a housing project in a BAD area of NYC. She had an Airdale. This was a one person dog, and only cared for her. Only she could control this dog. While we were visiting, I had wandered away from the adults into a back room. The dog was on me in a flash. He knocked me down, stood over me with his forepaws on my shoulders, pinning me. He had his jaws about an inch from my face snarling and barking. Only my mother's aunt arriving and swatting the dog and pulling him off me stopped the attack. It was well known in the neighborhood that nobody ever threatened the old lady, or tried to break in her apartment.
That dog was as vicious as any I have ever seen since. According to what I was told, Airdales were aggressive with strangers. If you get one, make sure he is trained right.

[Barn Babe]

I've never known one, but I've heard they can be aggressive. However, we had a pitbull for 10 years and we're still all alive and accounted for. It all depends on the individual dog and how it was raised.

[onedef92]

I'm sold on the handsome, active Boxer, personally.

[LATB]

"English" Lab





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FTW. She is smarter than most college grads. Beautiful. Fun. Playful. And thinks she's a lap dog. Thank God she's only 40 lbs...and probably wont grow much heavier.

I love her like sunshine. Serious.