THE AIREDALE TERRIER. 



361 



The first-named dog in this hst— Master 

 griar — is, perhaps more than any other 

 terrier, responsible for the great improve- 

 ment in the quahty of his kind, so mani- 

 fest during the past decade. Amongst 

 others, he sired Clonmel Monarch, who 

 again, both in England and the United 

 States, has done the breed an immensity of 

 good. 



The people of the United States and Canada 

 hive bought of our best in all breeds, but it 

 is to be doubted if they ha\-e made such a 

 clean sv^^eep of nearly all the best in any 

 other breed as they have in Airedales. Some 

 breeds there are whose owners no money 

 will tempt to part with their best ; one 

 may say, in fact, that in most breeds this 

 is the case. In Airedales, however, it would 

 appear that breeders have such confidence 

 in their powers of reproducing, at practically 

 a moment's notice, exactly what they want, 

 that they see no harm m selling abroad 

 every " flier " they bring out, always pro- 

 viding that the inducement offered is sub- 

 stantial enough. 



Speaking broadly, it is approaching the 

 truth to say that the owners of the variety 

 under notice have carried this idea too far, 

 and that the breed in England to-day is, 

 as a consequence, suffering somewhat from 

 the wholesale depletion of its very best 

 specimens. Excellent specimens there are 

 without number, all of nice type, brilliant 

 colour, correct size, and mostly with wonder- 

 ful bone, legs and feet ; but is there in 

 this country to-day, for instance, a Tone 

 Masterpiece in dogs, or is there a Mistress 

 Royal in bitches ? These two, with another 

 beautiful terrier in Master Royal, are the 

 latest " cracks " to cross " the herring pond," 

 and though, of course, one can never tell, 

 yet from what has been seen on the bench 

 of late, it appears that some time will 

 elapse before specimens of their calibre will 

 be seen again on this side. 



In all probability, the person who knows 

 more about this terrier than anyone living 

 is Mr. Holland Buckley. He has written a 

 most entertaining book on the Airedale ; he 

 has founded the principal club in con- 

 nection with the breed ; he has pro- 



46 



duced se^'eral \ery excellent specimens, 

 and it goes without saying that he is 

 — when he can be induced to " take the 

 ring " — a first-rate judge. Mr. Buckley has 

 frequently told the writer that in his opinion 

 one of the best terriers he has seen was the 

 aforesaid Clonmel Floriform, but, as this 

 dog was sold for a big price very early in his 

 career, the writer never saw him. 



Most of the articles that ha\-e been 

 written on the Airedale have come from the 

 pen of Mr. Buckley, and therefore but modest 

 reference is made to the man who has worked 

 so whole-heartedly, so well, and so success- 

 fully m the interests of the breed he loves. 

 It would be ungenerous and unfair in any 

 article on the Airedale, written by anyone 

 but Mr. Buckley, if conspicuous reference 

 were not made to the great power this gentle- 

 man has been, and to the great good that he 

 has done. 



The writer has an extensive experience of 

 all matters in connection with the dog ; 

 he knows the progress made by all breeds, 

 the stumbling-blocks, the Uttle and big 

 foolishnesses that constantly occur ; and 

 he can say in all sincerity that no man has 

 done moie for any breed than Mr. Holland 

 Buckley has done for the Airedale. One has 

 only to compare the conditions when he came 

 on the scene with the state of things to-day 

 to realise what has been done. It is to the 

 lasting credit of Mr. Buckley that the Aire- 

 dale is where he now is. 



Dealing shortly with oversea lovers of 

 the breed, we have a very prominent 

 Canadian owner in Mr. Joseph A. Laurin, 

 the purchaser of Champions Mistress and 

 Master Royal. Mr. Laurin is quite an old 

 fancier in the breed, and has been very 

 successful. The writer had the pleasure of 

 meeting him when he was judging the breed 

 at Toronto some four years ago. In the 

 United States there is Mr. Theo Offerman, 

 the owner of a wonderful trio in Champions 

 Tone Masterpiece, York Sceptre, and Clonmel 

 Floriform ; and there are other great sup- 

 porters in Messrs. Barclay, Newbold, Russell, 

 H. Johnstone, Foxall Keene, A. Merritt, 

 LoriUard, Carter, Whittem, Ffrench, Brook- 

 field (Hon. Secretary of the flourishing 



