We Used To Have Airedales

Mary writes: The Delaware Kennel Clubs held its annual "Dog Show" at the Delaware State Fair. This is not a real "dog show:" it is a deisplay of as many different breeds as we can get together to be available for the public to meet them and ask questions. We also do demos of obedience, agility, a CGC test, dancing dogs, trick dogs -- just a day of dog fun that the public can enjoy.

Well, we were in between special attractions and the spectators were going from dog to dog, petting them and asking about the breeds. I had our oldest Airedale, Cola (age 10), with us to accept scratches and pets from the people.

A couple in their mid-twenties was going by and suddenly the man stopped, looking at Cola like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"An Airedae!!!" he exclaimed. "That IS an Airedale I'm seeing."
"Yes, this is Cola and she is an Airedale."
"Can I pet her?" the man asked.
"Of course. That is why she is here."

He proceeded to sit down on the asphalt ground and called Cola to him. Then, he knew what to do: He started scratching her behind the years, under the chin, on her tummy, and Cola just sat soaking it all up.

"I grew up with an airedale. toby had to be the best dog ever. He was by far my best friend." He continued his story, all the time giving Cola a good amount of scratches and petting. "Right after my dog died, I joined the Air Force. I've been stationed in California for two years. I never saw an Airedale for all that time. Now I've been transferred to Dover AFB and right here, two weeks later, I've found an Airedale. Do you think Cola will let me hug her?"

"You can try and see." I replied.

He called Cola as close as he could get her and held her right up next to his face and whispered sweet nothing in her ear. I think he was telling her about his dog becaise I heard him mention Toby. Boy, did he hug her!

And in return, Cola licked away the tears that were running down his face.

A couple of minutes went by and with a final long hug, he thanked Cola and Joe and myself and said: "This made my day. I don't need to see the rest of the fair. I can go home happy. I saw an Aireale."

Introduction

OUR CONNECTION TO OUR AIREDALES:

Writing an article about our connection to our Airedales, I realized that the only way to write it was to ask Airedale people for stories about their connection to their Airedales. I ended up with so many great responses, and every story was unique. I could not put the whole articles, or even clips from all of them, in the article. As one person wrote: "you don't have enough for an article; you have enough for a book."

The stories are amazing. No two are alike in facts but every one of them is alike in that the stories they tell describe the bond, the two-way connection, between people and their Airedales. 

We owe a lot to our Airedales and our Airedales seem to believe that they owe us a lot. They have no other agenda than to be with people and to help people.

If you look at the list of breeds in the AKC, American Kennel Club, you quickly find out that every one of these breeds has a purpose related to people: even the little dogs that do no work: their purpose is loving humans, and they are good at that. The entry for Airedales says: "The undisputed "King of Terriers," the Airedale Terrier is the largest and hardiest of the terriers, and an all around useful dog. The breed’s coat is hard, dense and wiry, with a softer undercoat, and comes in both tan and black and tan and grizzle. This breed was one of the first used for police duty in Germany and Great Britain and has also been popular with Presidents, including Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. . .  The Airedale is thought to have originated in the valley of the Aire in England, descended from the now extinct black-and-tan type terrier."

With Airedales, we have a dog for all purposes: they are not only good at sucking up to us, but they are  good at hunting with the master, herding sheep for the farm, protecting the mistress and the home, and playing with the children. They have keen noses and a keen sense of humor. You can see them laughing!

So enjoy these stories. Each story was written by a lover of Airedales, and each story comes from the heart.

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According to the information in the book, Companion Animals and Us, by Anthony L. Podberscek, Elizabeth S. Paul, and James A. Serpell, there has been an incredible growth in studies of the human-companion animal interactions over the past 30 years. Pets are in at least half of the homes in Western countries. And the questions being researched include: what is so special about the relationships people have with their pets? Are humans very different from the ancients in how we feel about animals? What can we learn about ourselves and our relationships with people from our relationships with pets? Are pets good for our health? Do pets help us be more compassionate with other people? The research done over these years involves fields that include anthropology, history, psychology, sociology, and human and animals medicine. In short, researchers are trying to figure out what is so special about our relationships with our pets.

Elaine and Sunshade 2

Elaine writes:

This was back in 2003, Sunshade was almost 4 years old. I walked to a Starbucks with her on one of the busy shopping streets here in Vancouver. I wanted a cup of coffee, so I left Sunshade outside. Yes, I left her without tying her up. I learned early on that Sunshade cannot stand being tied up without me for some reason. The previous three times that she was tied up (with increasing snugness to her harness each time), I came out to a naked dog waiting beside the harness and leash that were still tied to the post. This is a dog that would NEVER leave without me.

So continuing on with the story. I was waiting in line in this Starbucks on a particularly busy day. The line up was long and I did not have a clear view outside to where Sunshade was. I must have waited for at least 15
minutes if not longer. As I was approaching the glass door after finally getting my coffee, I saw a man standing beside Sunshade with a woman next to Sunshade. They expression told me the conversation wasn't a friendly one. I also noticed that Sunshade's harness was now on her neck instead of the correct harness position. I walked outside, and as soon as Sunshade saw me, she ran over to me all wiggly and *ahem* jumpy. As soon as Sunshade came over, this man took off running, into one of the side streets. I had no idea what was going on then, so imagine my surprise when the woman who was arguing with the man asked me "she's your dog?". She had a very confused look on her face. I said yes?? She right away said we needed to
call the police and make a police report because the man that took off was trying to STEAL Sunshade. She said the reason she started arguing with the man was because she saw him jerking and hitting Sunshade because she wouldn't walk. Actually, she said he tried to baby talk her first with food bribery, and when that didn't work, he started pulling and jerking her to walk. Sunshade put on her breaks. She was not mean to him in anyway, she just did not walk with him no matter what. According to the woman, who was sitting out on the patio, he jerked Sunshade so hard that her harness was being pulled over her head. Then he proceeded to grabbing Sunshade's scruff and shoving her. I guess when he grabbed her scruff, she turned and snapped at him, and he "punched" her face (that's according to this woman). So the woman was furious as she thought he was treating his dog poorly. She went over and threatened to call the SPCA, but he told her the dog bit him and how he trained "his dog" was none of her business, and that was when I walked out. Needless to say, that was the last time I ever left Sunshade outside any store. Three weeks after this incident, an Airedale was stolen outside a local Safeway. It was caught on security camera but the dog was never found I believe.

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Elaine Hu, Sunshade (the guinea pig loving Airedale) & Jaffa (who would
have been stolen had it been him outside the Starbucks!)

Elaine: Sunshade my first dog, my first Airedale 1

 Elaine writes:

Sunshade is my first dog, my first Airedale. She is my introduction to this amazing, clownish, one of a kind breed, and the reason I'm hooked on Airedales for life.

I moved out on my own when I was 16 due to an ugly divorce happening at home. My father got me an 8 week old Airedale puppy to keep me company. That puppy was later named Sunshade. I was in Grade 11 then, and her sole caretaker. She waited patiently for me everyday while I was at school. I didn't know about dog walkers or daycares like I do now. She was so easy, house trained at 4 months, never chewed anything, never a nuisance to the neighbours. She was perfect. She was so perfect that I never thought
anything different needed to be done. It wasn't until years later did I realize how un-usual her perfection was, especially for the breed, and at such a young age. It was almost like Sunshade was only meant to be with me so things were made possible for us to be together. Everyday after I got home from school, it was just our evening together. We went to parks, walked the streets, and visited my friends. Sunshade didn't have a family like most well loved dogs had. She never had anyone else to look forward to other than me. Surprisingly, she seemed content with that.

She saw me through high school, University and finally into the work force. Shortly after welcoming Sunshade into my life, she began to show me in every way that she was so much more than "just a dog". Thus, elevating her status to that of a human child to me.

She was very intuitive and very in tuned with my emotions. During my first year in Vancouver (I was 17), a drunk, homeless person decided to follow us on one of our nightly strolls. I was feeling uneasy, so I crossed the street to go to the opposite side walk. Sunshade followed me back and forth for some time. Eventually, she, then an 18 months old pup, decided that ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. She turned around, walked toward him (ignoring my "NO" and "come" commands), and parked herself in front of the homeless man who was waving a bottle at her. She didn't do anything other than blocking his access to me. The man didn't take her seriously. He kicked her hard and she fell. However, she wasn't to be intimidated. She got right back up, and still, she stood in between the man and me(and still ignoring all of my
commands). The man yelled, she didn't flinch. Finally, he decided to to go around her. Well, that was NOT allowed. He was NOT going to take even one step closer to me. She snarled and bared her her teeth. He was allowed to move in all directions but towards me. When he tried again to go around her the other way, she "held" him there with those deafening Airedale growls and barks (almost like those Schutzhund dogs). At one point she even looked like she was going to bite (but never did). I was a little shocked as I had NEVER seen my puppy in such state before. People in the apartment building next to the side walk must have heard the commotion and called the police.
 
Two policemen showed up. One asked me if he could approach as he thought Sunshade had been trained for personal protection. I was so relieved to see the police that I yelled YES,YES! SHE'S VERY FRIENDLY! As soon as Sunshade saw the first policeman approaching, she walked away from me and the homeless man. She headed straight to the police car where the second policeman was just getting out. Before he could shut the door, Sunshade climbed into the police car and proceeded to checking everything out. She has always had a thing for other people's cars. On her puppy test performed by the breeder, she was tested as a "curious" pup. It is still the case today. I guess she somehow knew the policemen were "good" so she happily left me with them and went to satisfy her curiosity with the police vehicle. One of the policeman said to me - " that's a great Airedale you've got there. They were war dogs you know?"

Sunshade is confident, yet calm. Those personality traits make it possible for her to accompany me everywhere I go. She doesn't get stressed and is never a nuisance. Yes... she attended many of my lecture classes during my years at the University of British Columbia.

In all the years I've been blessed with Sunshade, she has never failed to amaze me at the amount of "work" she's able to accomplish with her determination and high intelligence. With "work", I mean opening cupboards & drawers, un-locking car doors and etc. If you are on the Airedale Armageddon group, you might be familiar with those "can opening" pictures. The story of Sunshade's ability to unlock car doors was featured in the 2006 Oct-Dec edition of The American Airedale.

At 11 years old, Sunshade has continued to make me laugh on a daily basis with the stunts she pulls, and her unique quirks. She is funny, goofy, and full of character with people who she considers part of her pack, while aloof and standoff-ish (but never shy) with strangers. She is intuitive and protective of what's rightfully hers, and would give her life protecting ones she loves.

Over the last 11 years, Sunshade has been my best friend, my teacher, my loyal protector, and my sanity check-er. The unsurpassed trust and unmatched understanding we have of each other provide the confidence we need to achieve anything together, even in the face of the unknown. She has it in her to always try her best and do (and perfect) whatever it is that I ask of her. I on the other hand, strive to provide the best quality of life, and make her the happiest Aire-girrrrl in my world.

Sunshade is the light of my life, my heart and soul. She is my one in a million; the reason I'm the person I am today.

Halia and Ginger

Halia  writes: 

I have a story about our Ginger who will be 10 years old this month.  She is very much my fur child as when she came into our lives as a puppy we found out we wouldn't have children so I carried her and sang to her like she was our only child.

For some reason Ginger was anxious around other dogs and we went through a few obedience classes before we found an instructor that really understood her.  I looked like the 'bad mommy' since she would not respond to me in class although she would comply at home.  At home she would even repeat the commands over and over again which is not a particularly Airedalean way of doing things.  The benefit of so much training is that she now sits very prettily when she wants something.

The first class we went to were the 'stubble jumpers' group who also had other events that we would never be invited to.  I was new to the prairies and having a dog again and needed some guidance.  Ginger wasn't listening as long as there were other dogs in the room and she wouldn't look at me.

At one point we were heading out the door and puppy Ginger all of a sudden slowed down for me  so I could remove a hunk of eye gunk from the corner of her eye.  I know it may sound trivial but the looks on the onlookers faces said it all.  She was my 'grrl' and we had a very close relationship.  They knew it was unusual for a puppy to allow me to invade her space so easily.

After another 'failed' class, the last class we found had a wonderful instructor that did things like wrap Ginger up like a Christmas present to help reduce her anxiety.  We were directed to attend agility instead of obedience and to my delight after not participating very much Ginger did the whole course twice (except the large climbing up and down part) to a standing ovation.  It was our last class as we were moving.

People have issues as dogs do and it takes some patience and understanding to help both.  Ginger and I do everything we can together including exploring the many food types that she got used to as a puppy on the raw food diet.  She's very vocal and now as a senior has developed an ear shattering bark to let me know her needs and wants.  

We wouldn't have it any other way.  She has taught me so much and is a wonderful substitute child albeit very furry.    

Jackie: The Burger King Puppy!

Jackie writes:  

In 2004 my daughter and her boyfriend saw  an Airedale puppy somewhere and decided Stevie (my daughter) needed a puppy. So home they came and started talking about how we needed a dog. The next day Stevie and I went to a small sidewalk festival in South Tampa. We were in a shop and here comes a man and a puppy. Well..it was the wiggliest 3 month old Airedale puppy and the cutest thing I had ever seen.

So with that I was on the hunt for a puppy. Knowing nothing about them except they didn't shed. Found a breeder about 45 minutes away and went off to see the puppies that were there. My husband said before we left only to get a female. That's what he wanted. 

Stevie and I arrived at this trailer on about 5 acres and a few fenced areas with a very large male Airedale just barking and barking and barking at us. The female was in a small pen. The babies had just been fed. They were all over the place and we were picking them up and holding them trying to decide which female we wanted to take home. I saw this puppy lying on a small cemented area and he was so full he could barely move. He rolled over and looked at me and I saw him (to me) looking like he was wearing the "Burger King Crown" and his belly was sooooo full I had to go over and pick him up. This little dog with the "Burger King Crown" put his paws around my neck and held me as though to say "take me with you, I'm the dog for you". He hugged me and hugged me! 

I looked at my daughter and said this is the one we are taking. She said dad wants a female. I replied back with he didn't come with us and I'm taking this one!! My husband got over his want for a female and fell in love the Airedale that was to be named "Charlie". He will always be wearing that "Burger King Crown" in my eyes and I'll never forget how he picked me with the best hug I've ever had in my life!!!!

Denise: Emma Calmly Watches One Nation Under Dog

Denise writes:

I hope our messages will have an impact - it made me re-think about purchasing another puppy. I've also learned from experience that purchasing a puppy does not guarantee you a stable dog, and the bond you can establish with a rescue can be incredible.

One Nation Under Dog: My youngest Airedale, Emma, had an interesting reaction to the show. Emma has neurological issues - had seizures when she was younger, goes through odd fear stages, and is very sensitive. I purchased Emma as a puppy and absolutely love her- we've developed a strong bond, she is very smart, easy to train and I was hoping to show her in agility, obedience and tracking, however, she is too dog reactive and I never know when she will lapse into a fearful state. Emma reacts to dogs on TV and I have worked with her to desensitize her, but if a dog appears unexpectedly , she reacts - runs to the TV, puts her front feet on the TV table, barks at the dog and pokes the TV with her nose. Last night I put on "One Nation Under Dog" thinking I would have to put her in another room so I could watch the show in peace without having to manage her. Much to my surprise, Emma heard the dogs, came running into the room, looked at the TV and then put her chin on the TV table and quietly watched the show. She stayed calm and stood in front of the TV the entire time. We turned the channel before they showed the "gas chamber" - neither my husband nor I could watch it an we didn't want Emma watching it either. My other 3 were sound a sleep in their beds.

BTW, Emma has an excellent pedigree and a reputable breeder who offered to take Emma back when she had her first seizure at 4 months old. Knock on wood, Emma hasn't had a seizure since she turned 1 and she will be 5 next week.