It is certain that the Airedale Terrier originated in the valley of the Aire and Wharfe Rivers in northeastern England, but the breed’s exact genetic makeup is conjecture at best. The creators were either blissfully unaware of the conundrum they were leaving for future enthusiasts of their newly created breed or, as competitive sportsmen, took sly amusement in leaving us with a puzzle on which to place our bets.

      Small terriers were used from time immemorial for poaching the fields and streams of the landed gentry. Rabbits and birds that strayed by chance beyond the gamekeeper’s sharp eye were “fair game” to the poacher in search of food for his table. Terriers had to be quick and accurate to catch this prey. They were considered “easy keepers” who slept by the fire or in the barn, required little in the way of food, were a healthy lot and, best of all, were extremely willing and capable workers. They also kept the rat population under control.

      When the towns of Leeds, Bradford, Otley and Bingley and the surrounding area first became industrialized in the early 1800s, the millworkers and miners were using their small terriers on the abundance of small game (primarily water rats) found along the banks of the Aire, Wharfe, Colne and Calder Rivers. In a short time, the Aire became so heavily lined with factories and mills that the otter and fish population retreated to adjoining less polluted waterways. The water rats, however, remained behind.

      Pursuit of the strong-swimming otters by the small terriers had never been too successful due to the terriers’ short legs, which hampered their ability to wade into deep water or to swim long distances upstream. Packs of Otterhounds were the recognized leaders in this endeavor, and as such had the full support of the fishermen whose sport and food supply were being depleted by the fish-hungry otters in the rivers and streams feeding the industry-choked Aire.

       WORKING TERRIERS

      A “working terrier” used to refer only to a terrier that worked underground. Today, however, small underground terriers are commonly called “earth dogs” and all terriers, large and small, that do work of any kind, be it search and rescue, sniffing narcotics or chasing lions or rabbits, are referred to as “working terriers.” To be sure, there are still hold-outs for the original definition!

       Used to create the Airedale, the Otterhound is also associated with the River Aire and is famous for its ability to hunt otters in the rough waters of the river.

      The factory and mill workers considered water-ratting a prime weekend sport. Organized matches generated such keen competition that spectators lined the riverbanks to wager on their favorites. The dogs were sent out two at a time and points were scored for speed and performance in both locating and in dispatching the rats.

       A CLEVER SOLUTION

      It wasn’t long before some bright lads hit upon the idea of mating the gameness of the terrier with the aquatic ability of the hound as the answer to extending their sport. No doubt they also reasoned that one or two such offspring could be kept at home as were their small terriers, rather than requiring the large kennel facilities needed for packs of Otterhounds. Wilfred Holmes is credited with having made the first such cross of hound and terrier in 1853.

      At this point I would like to hypothesize. We know the Black and Tan Terrier (whether you wish to call it English or Welsh) was the common terrier in the area. Therefore, would not the Welsh Harrier have been an obvious choice for a cross to obtain slightly more leg and the strength to work in water? In his book Hounds of the World, Sir John Buchanan-Jardine, Bt. MFH, MBH, describes the Welsh Hound, or Harrier, of the 1800s as black and tan or red with rough or wire hair, and smaller than its English cousins. He adds this, which would indicate a perfect trait to cross with a terrier: “(Welsh Harriers) hunt in a more independent style, taking nothing for granted and relying mostly on their own individual efforts.” This was (and is) contrary to the pack hunting style of the English hounds and of the Otterhounds. Then there is the suspicion put forth by Otterhound authorities that the Welsh Harrier is in their ancestral heap!

       This black-saddled Harrier hails from the UK in the 1920s.

       The extinct Black and Tan Terriers, shown in this 1881 drawing, were common to the area from which the Airedale emanated and are believed to have contributed to the development of many modern terriers.

      So we have the wire-coated Welsh Terrier, whose coloration was always black and tan or red and so affirmed in writings of the 1400s. We have the harsh-coated Welsh Harrier, always black and tan or red, but smaller than the Otterhound, which at that time rose to 27 inches (68.5 cm) and weighed as much as 120 lb (54.46 kg)! The weight of the Waterside or Bingley Terrier, as the Airedale was first known, averaged 35–45 pounds (15.9–20.44 kg). Today’s Airedale weighs about 60 pounds (27.2 kg). Now then, were the first hound crosses the Welsh or the Otter? We shall never know!

      These first Airedale breeders were intent on the results being nothing more or less than a terrier. What of the “other terriers” frequently mentioned as outcrosses used to eliminate what were considered to be undesirable hound characteristics, such as heavy low-set ears, rounded skull, light eyes, slow hound-like gait and soft woolly coat? (These atavistic faults, by the way, appear from time to time in Airedales to this day.) It is difficult to imagine just how the Bull Terrier (one of those cited) would have corrected these matters, but it might have contributed substance. The Black and Tan Terrier had originally been selected for its drive, tenacity and punishing jaws, so the Bull Terrier was not needed for those attributes. Despite the geographic proximity and the fact that these breeds were not then what we see today, introducing the Dandie Dinmont Terrier would seem an unlikely choice to produce the desired coat, color or ear type. Some records of the day lay claim to such mixes, while others refute it.

       The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a questionable possible addition to the genealogy of the Airedale Terrier.

       CLASS CONFUSION

      The English Kennel Club’s

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