The Airedale Terrier 445 



take many of our breeders make. We consider that a dog which has made a 

 great reputation should never have his name changed. What is to connect 

 York Masterpiece with York Sceptre, formerly the far better known Dum- 

 barton Sceptre ? Tone Masterpiece was her sire, and is so given by Mr. 

 OfFerman, although the dog is York Masterpiece now. Sceptre and Master- 

 piece have proved strong mdividually, and as a team have been very hard 

 to beat in the new variety classes when it comes to a brace prize. 



How wonderfully the breed has progressed is shown by the very large 

 entries which have been made this year. At New York there were 17 dog 

 puppies, 13 novices, 9 limit and 7 open dogs, besides 9 in an American-bred 

 class and 8 in a class for dogs bred by the exhibitor. In the bitch division 

 the totals were 12 puppies, 10 novices, 11 limit and 8 open, beside 8 in the 

 extra classes. That this was not a one-show effort is demonstrated by what 

 was done at Wissahickon in June last. A total entry of 73 dogs and bitches 

 was made, and with duplicate entries this was increased to 144 for the sixteen 

 classes. Very few breeds increase as Airedale terriers have done in the 

 seven years of their recognition in this country. The fancy is strong and 

 healthy, and is still growing and spreading throughout the country, for the 

 reputation of the dog as willing, obedient and a deadly foe to vermin, with 

 the ability to "lick anything its weight," has gone abroad, and there are 

 plenty of people who want just that kind of dog. 



Another surprise in this breed is the marked progress made in breeding 

 good ones here. We can only account for this exception to the general 

 rule which calls for years of building up of the breeding stock by the suppo- 

 sition that a much better class of dogs and bitches was imported than was 

 the case in many other breeds. We started with high class from the Clon- 

 mell Marvel importation, and have kept it up. In addition to that, we 

 were undoubtedly fortunate in getting dogs of influence as sires, and, what 

 was of still more importance, breeders bred to the best dogs and took the 

 best chance to breed up. To sum it up, we started level with the English- 

 men, barring numbers, in 1900, and we have bred upon their principle of 

 breeding to the best dogs. 



The Airedale differs from other terriers in head and expression more 

 than in anything else. The skull shows only moderate diminution of width 

 from ear to eye, and, while the standard says it should be flat, it is neverthe- 

 less a little rounder at the sides than in the fox terrier. In front of the eye 

 the greatest diflPerencc is apparent, owing to the decided strength of the 



