Airedale Terrier. Bardi McLennan
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daughter, Bess, was bred to Rattler to produce Jerry in 1888.
Jerry was bred to Cholmondeley Luce, a mating that produced another great one, Cholmondeley Briar, a top dog in his lifetime. Briar was the only pup in his litter to survive. Another example of the name-change-syndrome: Briar was entered as Red Robin at the Bingley show, where he took first prize at the age of six months and at which time he was sold and his name changed. Briar went on to win 100 consecutive firsts and was considered by many to be the “father of the breed,” a designation given to several of the first top sires. Among the bitches that did well was Luce (also called Miss Luce), whose next litter became all first-prize winners and all but one in her third litter repeated this feat.
Briar, mated to an Eng. Ch. Newbold Test daughter, Rosamond, sired Briar Test, a dog considered for type to be an even more dominant “father of the breed.” Test’s son, Master Briar, bred to a daughter of Holland Buckley’s Clonmel Marvel, produced Eng. Ch. Clonmel Monarch. Eng. Ch. Warland What Not and Int. Ch. Warland Ditto were two from J. P. Hall’s kennels that were held to be exceptional. Ditto’s get figured prominently in England, on the Continent and in the United States.
AMERICA, A PRIME MARKET
Through these close lines came all the top Airedales of the early 1900s, including virtually every good representative of the breed that was to be the foundation of the leading Airedale kennels in the US. And still comments persisted about size, light eyes, soft coat—and those ears!
Although the dog Bruce arrived in the US in 1881 (three years prior to the founding of the American Kennel Club), it wasn’t until Ch. Clonmel Marvel won the breed at Westminster in 1900 and repeated the win in the following year that the Airedale Terrier was accepted as a rising star on American soil. The year 1900 also saw the formation of the Airedale Club of America, the national parent club, still in existence today.
Ch. Clonmel Marvel’s wins were followed by another two of Mr. Buckley’s dogs—Ch. Clonmel Bed Rock and Ch. Clonmel Monarch, the latter being the dog Buckley himself deemed to be closest to perfection. Even though the dog had sired many litters before going to America, Buckley was harshly criticized for letting this prized dog leave England.
It is interesting to note the pride with which imports were touted in the US and Canada. Owning or breeding show dogs began to carry the prestige of owning race horses. One man advertised that he was the first to introduce and exhibit these dogs in the US (an unconfirmed statement), while another offered “the most successful Airedales living.” Another breeder, the proud owner of Briar Ranger (from Cholmondeley Briar), noted the dog to be “full of the most valuable blood” and for more emphasis added, “all stock recently imported from England.” It is also known that, in the first part of the 20th century, the Airedale was widely esteemed by American sportsmen for its “do-it-all” hunting abilities.
MOVING ON
At the onset of World War I, the Airedale Terrier became England’s war dog, in part to overcome the stigma of enemy attached to the German Shepherd Dog (Alsatian). Shows were halted and pursuits of championships put on hold, but the breed’s military accomplishments in battle won it a permanent place in the hearts of the public. Word of mighty feats performed by Airedales at the front spread to America and, as a result, some of the best dogs in Britain were sold to the US for large sums of money. Among them were several of J. P. Hall’s Warland dogs, including Int. Ch. Warland Ditto, the aforementioned top sire who appeared in pedigrees of most leading kennels of the day.
AIREDALE VS. WELSH
Many breeders throughout the world breed both Airedales and Welsh Terriers, no doubt contributing to that persistently irritating query, “Is that a miniature Airedale?” To which, a common reply is, “No, that other dog is a giant Welsh!”
Welsh Terrier
If it seems odd that all of these great dogs were exported out of the UK, it is because top breeders in the British Isles have always sold their “good ones.” The reason given is that the British breeders are generally in it for life, often passing the kennels along to their offspring, whereas in other countries, show folk don’t always stay in breeding and showing as long. They are likely to give up if in five years they haven’t handled, bred or bought a Best in Show dog; or perhaps the care of dogs 365 days a year takes its toll. Breeders in Britain are not as competitive and, as perpetual optimists, they believe that the “perfect” pup is sure to be in the next litter.
One of the undesirable features agreed upon by all in the early years (along with light eyes and long ears) was the persistence of faded color and soft texture of the coat. After WWI, a dog named Ch. Mespot Tinker, found as a pup by A. J. Edwards, was a force in establishing what was wanted. He was highly acclaimed for his jet-black saddle and rich red tan jacket of the correct wire texture. Even more significant, he was prepotent for both, passing these traits along to his offspring. It seems that the striking deep color was what most attracted people to the breed.
A. J. “Towyn” Edwards was well known as an exceptionally fine breeder of both Welsh and Fox Terriers. And where do you suppose Mr. Edwards found Mespot Tinker? In Aberdovey, Wales—right where those small black and red Welsh Terriers had been for centuries! And from where (I’m delighted to add), according to historian J. L. Ethel Aspinall, came the contribution of the Welsh Harrier to the Airedale Terrier mix (Miss Aspinall grew up in Scotland and her affix, Llanipsa, was not Welsh, but merely her surname spelled backwards!).
Women were taking their place in the dog world. Mrs. M. Beamish-Levy, in addition to running her Ardross kennels, founded a training college for kennelmaids. George Oliver and his wife were both Airedale enthusiasts, with Mrs. Oliver founding the North of England Airedale Terrier Club in 1923. This of course continues, with significant numbers of women in the UK and all over the world breeding Airedales as well as grooming them and handling them in the show ring.
MOVIE STAR
Ch. Jokyl Bengal Figaro was a Hollywood film star, appearing in Walt Disney’s film The Ballad of Hector, followed by a dog-show career on the Continent before returning to England.
By the early 1920s, the breed had become too popular for its own good. Would-be breeders, who knew nothing about dogs, the breeding of them or the Airedale Terrier’s temperament or needs, took to producing them en masse. Their only goal was to profit from selling puppies. Their lack of integrity created a glut on the market and in shelters. Poorly bred and poorly raised, many of these dogs were aggressive, with atypical coats and ears (of course) and with a variety of health problems. This situation was particularly bad in the US. To this day, many uninformed people still consider the Airedale to be an aggressive guardian of his turf. So be it. No doubt that the misconception has deterred many an intruder!
By the end of the 1920s, the demand had dried up and the profiteers retreated. A number of concerned breeders assumed the task of eliminating the problems caused by uninformed over-breeding, as well as putting right the Airedale’s deteriorating public image. The comeback was slow but steady, and extremely gratifying. By the end of the 1930s, the Airedale Terrier once again stood as the undoubted “King of Terriers”—a sensible protector, willing worker, playful prankster and faithful friend.
During World War I, British troops used Airedales to carry messenger pigeons to a given point. Then the birds were released in order to communicate with troops under siege.
THE MODERN AIREDALE IN ITS HOMELAND AND ABROAD
There were no Championship Shows in England during the two World Wars, from 1914 to 1918 and again from 1939 to 1945. Breeding