Airedales As Gundogs

[roughshootairedale 0]

Am glad to hear that there is interest out there for this topic. Really want to get involved in working and breeding this breed. Of course I could get a spaniel. This part of Ireland is full of them. But I want to do something a bit different and to help re establish the working airedale in these Isles sounds like a nice project to me.

[roughshootairedale 0]

Is anyone still in contact with Ian. Would love to speak to him about starting this project back up. All it needs is a few good people to help re introduce the working airedale.

[skycat 6,172]

Am glad to hear that there is interest out there for this topic. Really want to get involved in working and breeding this breed. Of course I could get a spaniel. This part of Ireland is full of them. But I want to do something a bit different and to help re establish the working airedale in these Isles sounds like a nice project to me.

It sounds like a nice project, but I really don't think there is enough interest out there. Even in the USA and Canada working Airedales are relatively few in number compared to other types of hunting dog. The people who keep and work them do so more out of a love of this particular dog than anything else. One of the American blokes on the Traditional Working Airedale forum is quoted as saying that there are better purpose-bred animals for jobs such as blood-trailing, bear and couger etc. BUT the Airedale is an all round hunter, with many strings to its bow; a thinking, very intelligent animal with enormous character. I only have ever had the one Airedale which Ian did give me direct, and I am obviously one of the people who he is very scathing about: I don't know why, as I only ever wanted to help to promote the working Airedale in this country as I fell in love with them when I first met my bitch's sire when Ian first brought him out of quarantine. Stretch was a superb example of what the Airedale should be, whether or not he was actually ever worked. My bitch certainly worked very well, but trying to change peoples' opinions and get the working Airedale recognised in this country would be nigh on impossible. Sadly, breeds fall in and out of fashion, and the shooting fraternity wouldn't be interested in putting aside their Spaniels and Labradors for an Airedale no matter how well it performed in the field. Most hunting people are scared to try something 'new' and be a laughing stock. Those in the 'mainstream', at any rate.

As far as the underbelly of hunting is concerned, those of us who use lurchers and terriers: all I can say is that my Airedale hasn't let me down in any way over the years, and now, at coming up to 8 years old, and crippled with an arthritic foot due to an working accident when she was younger, she is still more than willing to retrieve anything, fur or feather, and forgets her injuries when game is scented. Brave and willing dog.

Had I been a lot younger when I first got her I'd have really gone all out to promote the Airedale's diverse talents and try to get them out there, but I wasn't, and I didn't. A shame, and I do understand exactly where Ian is coming from in his disappointment.

His idea was great, but it needed a group of similarly minded people to try and draw attention to, and win people over to the Airedale's talents as a working dog.

[neil cooney 10,415]

Does anyone know is Henry Johnson Jnr from Tennessee still with us ?

I used to talk with Henry quiet a bit as he kept some small terriers too and he was around then, I think.

Henry even made the trip to England to see the Fell types work in their homeland at quiet a brave age, fair play.

If Henry is still around there's probably no one better qualified to tell about the proper Airedale. As far as I remember Henry inherited his dogs from ancestors who were homesteaders back in the day.

[chrisbullx 2,541]

Did you ever think of breeding from your bitch skycat & carrying on with them?? Atb cbx

[THE GENERAL 1,975]

The little I know about Airedales is they are a very versatile breed that as said can work well in a lot of different ways. I may be wrong but I think the quote "jack of all trades, master of none" would suit the Airedale as they can do a lot of specific work related jobs but there is other breeds out there that are specifically designed for that work alone and will excel when compared to the Airedale.

[skycat 6,172]

Did you ever think of breeding from your bitch skycat & carrying on with them?? Atb cbx

I did, many times, but I failed to find a suitable stud in the UK due to no records of where Ian's pups ended up. There was a possibility of going to Germany a while back, to a chap who has a Redline imported from the States, but the dog is elderly, has never mated a bitch, and the owner refused to get the dog tested for fertility. Like I said, if I had been 20 years younger, I'd have gone all out to promote the breed, and would have imported a male pup from the States. Alas, I discovered Airedales too late to really do such a programme justice, and having met with little or not interest I decided not to pursue the dream. A half dozen people showed interest, but ultimately, it wasn't to be.

[onion jonny 526]

sorry if i was wrong skycat but i thought my mate stevie d took his down to you it must have been someone else.

[skycat 6,172]

No, you're right, but I already had my bitch direct from Ian. I actually brought two pups back from Scotland, one for someone else. It sadly got killed as a pup. If I remember rightly, Stevie's bitch was about a year old when he had to give her up, and I had her here for a little while. Very sweet natured bitch, but I wouldn't have had enough work for her and she would have always played second fiddle to my much more dominant bitch so I found her a great home through Airedale Rescue.

 

If you thought I had two Airedales, this is probably why Ian thought I had three, as he probably remembered giving me two pups, but forgot one was for someone else, and he'd then heard that I had Stevie's bitch too. I heard that he thought I was churning out pups like a puppy farm! When the only litter I had from my bitch was that accidental lurcher litter, which are now 5 years old.

[Neal 1,787]

I've really enjoyed reading these couple of Airedale threads that are currently running.

 

I first became interested in the breed many years ago when I noticed that the breeder mentioned in Colonel Hancock's "Heritage of the Dog" had the same surname as me. Maybe the fact that they're all-rounders rather than specialists (as mentioned above) is why they appeal more to the kind of people who work lurchers, vermindogs etc. I guess I'd say that they're one of those breeds that lots of us would have on our list of "dogs I'd like to own but will probably never get round to it." Having said that, I was intrigued to find (Penny) that your description of their character and temperament in the other/older thread is similar to my kelpies in that they're a bit of an enigma: hard yet soft; willing to please yet independent. Maybe I would get on with them after all. But for now I'm happy to stick with my prick-eared black 'n' tan and continue to read these intriguing threads. Keep it up!