CHAPTER XXV, 



THE AIREDALE TERRIER 



WITH the exception of the Bull Terrier, the Airedale 

 Terrier is the largest of his tribe, and is a companion 

 for town or country who would be difficult to beat. 

 He is an excellent all-round sportsman, is good in 

 the water, and is a useful guard. Fifty years ago he 

 was unknown, except as a more or less nondescript 

 dog familiar to certain parts of .Yorkshire. Probably 

 several other terriers have entered into his composi- 

 tion, and no doubt also an Otter-hound was used at 

 some period of his existence. For a considerable 

 time there was no consistency of type ; indeed, it is 

 only of comparatively recent years that the present 

 smart-looking dog was evolved and could be war- 

 ranted to breed at all consistently. We have now, 

 however, a uniformity of type. It was only in 1886 

 that the Kennel Club provided a separate classifi- 

 cation for the breed, which has since then advanced 

 by leaps and bounds. The most noted dog we have 

 had was " Clonmel Monarch," who was purchased by 

 an American for a very large sum. Owing to their 

 great sagacity a number of Airedales are attached 

 to the German Army, and in their war with Russia 

 the Japanese used them very largely for ambulance 

 work. The coat should be hard and wiry, and weather- 



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