Dogs and All about Them

CHAPTER XXXIV THE AIREDALE TERRIER There is perhaps no breed of dog that in so short a time has been improved so much as the Airedale. He is now a very beautiful animal, whereas but a few years back, although maybe there were a few fairly nice specimens, by far the greater number were certainly the reverse of this. In place of the shaggy, soft-coated, ugly-coloured brute with large hound ears and big full eyes, we have now a very handsome creature, possessing all the points that go to make a really first-class terrier of taking colour, symmetrical build, full of character and "go," amply justifying--in looks, at any rate--its existence as a terrier. Whether it is common sense to call a dog weighing 40 lb. to 50 lb. a terrier is a question that one often hears discussed. The fact remains the dog is a terrier--a sort of glorified edition of what we understand by the word, it is true, but in points, looks, and character, a terrier nevertheless, and it is impossible otherwise to classify him. People will ask: "How can he be a terrier? Why he is an outrage on the very word, which can only mean a dog to go to ground; and to what animal in the country of his birth can an Airedale go to ground?" Above ground and in water, however, an Airedale can, and does, perform in a very excellent manner everything that any other terrier can do. As a water dog he is, of course, in his element; for work on land requiring a hard, strong, fast and resolute terrier he is, needless to say, of great value; and he is said to be also, when trained--as can easily be imagined when one considers his power of scent, his strength, sagacity, and speed--a most excellent gun-dog. He is, in fact, a general utility dog, for add to the above-mentioned qualities those of probably an incomparable guard and a most excellent companion, faithful and true, and ask yourself what do you want more, and what breed of dog, taken all round, can beat him?