Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the article about Airedales, I literally re-lived my childhood reading it. My family has had many Airedale dogs over the past 30 years.
These beautiful dogs are the “class clowns” of the dog world. You couldn’t ask for a more faithful, protective, humorous, and friendly dog. And they will turn incredibly vicious to protect their owner or if they are challenged by other dogs.
I recall as a young boy my father walking our Airedale when a German Shepard, that was much bigger and not on a leash, came racing over to attack our Airedale. Our little female Airedale had that German down in seconds in a lethal neck bite. It happened so fast my father didn’t have time to properly restrain our dog, which he had on a leash, and yet despite our dog being semi-restrained against the much bigger dog, she fought and took down the bigger dog in mere seconds even when on her leash and restricted in movement. She was the Bruce Lee of Airedales!
Airedales always know the sound of a fridge door opening. They could be asleep in the basement, but they have a gift for detecting the slightest hint of a potential treat when that fridge door opens. When we were kids we always laughed at how the most subtle hint of a food cupboard or fridge opening would quickly bring the Airedale to our side. They always got a treat!
These beautiful, tough, friendly, and comical dogs will always be my favorite breed. They are like that stand-up comedian of the dog world with a .44 Magnum attitude.
My thanks to the author of the article for taking me back in time to some very good memories of our Airedales. – Mike from Canada.