Sheri: Wonderful Pair of Airedales

A year after I was widowed in 1990, I bought a male Airedale, based on a veterinary friend's recommendation. I had asked for a large dog, friendly, protective but not aggressive, and a dog that does not shed a lot of hair. The vet told me I wanted an Airedale. I found a reputable breeder and picked out an adorable 8 week old puppy, who I named Dreyfus. 9 months later, the same breeder called and said they had a female named Millie. She was from the previous litter and had been returned to the breeder because the single father traveled too much and his housekeeper did not like dogs. He asked, did I want her? Of course I did. Millie and Dreyfus were my first Airedales and together they were a great pair, although rather prone to mischief if left unattended too long. I still have the patio chair Dreyfus chewed on--that was before I discovered crates.

Six years later, I met a wonderful man, who had also been widowed. He had a 17 year old Cairn Terrier, who died about a year after we began dating. Marrying me meant that my dogs were part of the deal. Although Ira had never been around large dogs and was a bit scared of them, he soon developed a strong loving relationship with both dogs. The episode I want to relate occurred when Millie was 10 years old and Dreyfus was 9.

Our home bordered the ponds that were adjacent to a golf course. One day Ira was out behind the house walking both dogs near one of the ponds. An older man, perhaps about 80 years old, was walking nearby. Millie slipped her collar and ran up to the man, who kicked her. Ira was only a few feet away and quickly walked over, replaced the collar around Millie's neck, and apologized. He also told the man that there was no need to kick Millie because she was well trained and would not jump on him. . . . Then the man swung and punched Ira in the face, knocking off his glasses. Ira momentarily dropped both leashes, and that is when both Millie and Dreyfus rushed the older man and knocked him down. Dreyfus then stood over him snarling in his most threatening manner.

My husband grabbed both leashes and pulled the dogs off the man and took them back to the house. We then called the police and went back outside to look for Ira's glasses. By then the older man was gone. We never saw him again.

Millie died suddenly in 2004, 2 days after my mother died. Dreyfus died 3 weeks later of bladder cancer. Millie had just turned 12 and Dreyfus was 11. The quiet in the house was deafening, but then we discovered Airedale rescue and it has never been quiet since.

Millie and Dreyfus were a wonderful pair of Airedales and just perfect as my first experience with the breed.