THE AIRE DALE TERRIER. 
The first-named dog in this list—Master 
Briar—is, perhaps more than any other 
terrier, responsible for the great improve- 
ment in the quality 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 
have bought of our best in all breeds, but it 
is to be doubted if they have made such a 
clean sweep 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 in 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 latc, 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 
361 
duced several very 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 opmion 
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 have 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 in 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 little and big 
foolishnesses that constantly occur; and 
he can say in all sincerity that no man has 
done more 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, 
Lorillard, Carter, Whittem, Ffrench, Brook- 
field (Hon. Secretary of the flourishing 
