- Body saddle black or grizzle as is top of the neck and top surface of tail.
- All other parts tan.
- Ears often a darker tan, and shading may occur round neck and side of skull.
- A few white hairs between forelegs acceptable
About the Airedale Terrier
Origin: Great Britain
- Typical life span
- 11-14 years
- Size
- Medium — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 23-32 kg
- Female
- 18-25 kg
- Height
- Male
- 58-61 cm
- Female
- 56-58 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Terriers
- Origin
- Great Britain
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Airedale Terrier?
The largest of all terrier breeds, the Airedale is a large, athletic dog with a distinctive wiry black and tan coat and confident, alert demeanor. Known as the 'King of Terriers', this highly intelligent and versatile breed combines courage with an outgoing temperament.
Airedale Terrier history and origins
Developed in the Aire Valley of Yorkshire, England, by crossing Otterhounds with various terrier breeds. Originally bred by working-class fanciers to hunt otters and rats, their intelligence and courage led to their use as police dogs, war dogs, and all-around companions.
Airedale Terrier appearance and size
Males typically weigh 23-32 kg and stand 58-61 cm at the shoulder; females 18-25 kg and 56-58 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Terrier
- Behaviour and temperament
“Keen of expression, quick of movement, on the tiptoe of expectation at any movement. Character denoted and shown by expression of eyes, and by carriage of ears and erect tail. Outgoing and confident, friendly, courageous, and intelligent. Alert at all times, not aggressive but fearless”
Quoted from FCI standard n°7. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Medium
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Terrier” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 3 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Airedale Terrier
What you get with the Airedale Terrier
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Terrier”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Keen of expression, quick of movement, on the tiptoe of expectation at any movement”
What you are taking on
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “Hardest coats are crinkling or just slightly waved; curly or soft coat highly undesirable”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Airedale Terrier
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Hard, dense and wiry, not so long as to appear ragged.
Lying straight and close, covering body and legs
outer coat hard, wiry and stiff, undercoat shorter and softer.
Hardest coats are crinkling or just slightly waved
curly or soft coat highly undesirable
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°7 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Airedale Terrier in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Airedale Terrier
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Airedale Terrier on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Airedale Terrier owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Airedale Terrier breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.