Choosing An Airedale

I will not say that Airedales are for everyone; however, I will tell you they are wonderful companions, great family dogs, terrific with kids, and are usually well tolerated for those with allergies.  When considering making an Airedale part of your family, please evaluate your family’s lifestyle and do your homework before purchasing any dog.  Getting a dog should be undertaken as an obligation for the life of the animal.  Dogs are like children.  The love, training, and nurturing they receive early in life will better prepare them for the rest of their life.  Airedales can be challenging as youngsters and they are rough and tumble dogs that will DEMAND attention and will use whatever resources at their disposal to get your attention.  Airedales are very touchy feely up close and personal dogs.  Some of them maintain a puppy-like attitude for a couple of years.  One day you will stop and realize that the dog that is now eight or ten can surely be only two or three.  By two years, they are generally very adapted to life and training, their environment, and have overcome many habits commonly seen in puppyhood.

They are very bright, clever, often stubborn, and most of all very infectious.  A common rule of thumb is that once you have one likely within a relatively short period of time you will own another or you will never be without one for very long. 
Regardless of what kind of Airedale you choose; a puppy for pet or show, a young adult that did not have just that little extra for the show ring, or maybe even a retired champion, most of their life should be spent at home enjoying your company.  Society is finally beginning to appreciate that dogs are very therapeutic, but after a bad day you need only to see the look of this brown fuzzy faced clown, to improve your attitude and bring about a smile to your face.

There are few things equal to the companionship of an Airedale whether sharing your bed or sofa, relaxing nearby while you watch TV, surf the web, or just out for a walk.  Airedales love to be with you, even if the task is boring and in my personal experience this holds true more for boys than girls.  This is not exactly the personality conveyed in many general dog publications, as they often leave you with the idea all they can do is catch vermin, hurt, and offer security.  Many people have written about Airedales and I am convinced that some have never physically seen an Airedale and they certainly have never lived with or owned one of these little comical monkeys. 

The best way to learn about the breed
Talk with or visit a breeder
Spend a little time with an Airedale as they are their own best spokesman
Go to a local dog show to chat with owners and breeders
Get information about the breed and a list of breeders from the national club  (The Airedale Terrier Club of America) www.airedale.org
Visit the American Kennel Club website www.akc.org and read about the breed as well as view a video on the Airedale
Read a couple of breed specific books about Airedales

There have been several well-written books published about Airedales.  Some are no longer in print so you may have to do some searching to obtain a copy of them.  I have included a few of the titles of these books in another part of the website.

As you explore this website about Style Airedales, I hope you will learn a bit about the breed and get a sense of understanding of the continual dedication, love, and care that goes into raising Airedales and in particular those that come from Style Kennels.  For almost 2 decades I have devoted a tremendous amount of time and energy for their care and well-being in an effort to breed a better dog for both the love and hobby of showing purebred dogs and companion animals.  Many of the pictures best tell the story of just how wonderful the Airedale is without saying a word.  They are truly a dog of many talents and unlimited potential for a very wide range of families and lifestyles.