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Airedale Terrier History
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The Airedale Terrier as we recognize it today is a result of the efforts of 19th century Yorkshire hunters to create a dog that excelled in hunting a wide range of game. The mix of breeds that eventually created the Airedale was heavy with the now extinct old English Terrier (which is sometimes referred to as the Black and Tan Terrier) and the Otterhound; Irish and Bull Terriers were also thrown in to fine tune the appearance of the dog. The resulting dog was a powerful mix of strong terrier instincts with the Otterhound’s swimming and scenting abilities.
Toward the end of the 1800s, the Airedale Terrier’s star was on the rise, and it could be found with increasing frequency on the farms of rural Britain. Around this time the dog was brought to America, where it was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888; since that time, it has been a perennial winner of the coveted “best of all breeds” title in all-breeds dog shows. Champion Master Briar, who lived from 1897 to 1906, is considered the patriarch of the breed, and his progeny were largely responsible for spreading the Airedale’s renown beyond Britain. The Airedale Terrier has been put to work in several wars and as a police dog in the United Kingdom and Germany. The dog has also added to its traditional hunting repertoire, working with big game hunters in Africa, Canada and India.
