12 THE AIREDALE 



backed dog lacks staying qualities, and a slab- 

 sided one has not the room for lungs. His chest 

 should be deep, but narrow, and he should be 

 slightly cut up in the loin not the wasp-like 

 waist of a greyhound, but no better is a body 

 like a stovepipe. His hindquarters should be, 

 strong, with the hocks quite near the ground. 

 The Airedale that does not carry a gay tail is a 

 delight to no eye. 



Last, but not least, comes the coat. In color 

 this should be a deep, rich tan on the head, face, 

 chest, legs, and under parts, while over the back 

 is a saddle of black or iron-grey. Personally, I 

 like the black more than the grizzle, for it makes 

 a prettier contrast with the tan, but " a good 

 horse cannot be a bad color." The Airedale's 

 coat is (or rather should be) double. The over- 

 coat is of hair like wire, stiff and hard, about an 

 inch long all over the dog, except on the skull 

 where it is shorter. Under this jacket of wire, 

 there ought to be a vest of soft, woolly hair. 



If you can collect in your mind's eye all the 

 above details of description you should see a big, 

 strong, compact, businesslike dog, full of the 

 proverbial up-and-ever-coming spirit that inspires 

 all terriers. His every movement shows strength, 

 yet he always moves in that effort-economizing 

 way which is the very personification of grace. 



