350 
and a most excellent companion, faithful 
and true, and ask yourself what do you 
want more, and what breed of dog, taken 
all round, can beat him ? 
The Airedale is not of ancient origin. 
He was probably first heard of about the 
year 1850. He is undoubtedly the pro- 
duct of the Otterhound and the old black- 
and-tan wire-haired terrier referred to in 
this book at some length in the chapters 
on the wire-hair Fox and the Welsh Terriers. 
When one considers the magnificent noble- 
ness, the great sagacity, courage, and 
stateliness of the Otterhound, the great 
gameness, cheek, and pertinacity of the 
old black-and-tan wire-hair, such a cross 
must surely produce an animal of excellent 
type and character. It is, in fact, “all 
Lombard Street to a halfpenny orange ” 
that there is something more than good 
in an Airedale. 
Yorkshire, more especially that part of 
it round and about the town of Otley, is 
responsible for the birth of the Airedale. 
The inhabitants of the country of broad 
acres are, and always have been, exceed- 
ingly fond of any kind of sport—as, in- 
deed, may also be said of their brothers of 
the Red Rose—but if in connection with 
that sport a dog has to be introduced, then 
indeed are they doubly blessed, for they 
have no compeers at the game. 
Otter-hunting was formerly much in- 
dulged in by the people living in the dales 
of the Aire and the Wharfe, and not only 
were packs of Otterhounds kept, but 
many sportsmen maintained on their own 
account a few hounds for their personal 
delectation. These hounds were no doubt 
in some instances a nondescript lot, as, 
indeed, are several of the packs hunting 
the otter to-day, but there was unques- 
tionably a good deal of Otterhound blood 
in them, and some pure bred hounds were 
also to be found. Yorkshire also has always 
been the great home of the terrier. Fox- 
terriers, as we now know them, had at this 
time hardly been seen. The terrier in 
existence then was the black-and-tan wire- 
hair, a hardy game terrier, a great work- 
man on land or in water. 
THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 
Whether by design or accident is not 
known, but the fact remains that in or 
about the year mentioned a cross took place 
between these same hounds and terriers. 
It was found that a handier dog was pro- 
duced for the business for which he was 
required, and it did not take many years to 
populate the district with these terrier- 
hounds, which soon came to be recognised 
as a distinct breed. The Waterside terrier 
was the name first vouchsafed to the new 
variety. After this they went by the name 
of Bingley Terriers, and eventually they 
came to be known under their present 
appellation. 
The specimens of the Airedale which were 
first produced were not of very handsome 
appearance, being what would now be 
called bad in colour, very shaggy coated, 
and naturally big and ugly in ear. It, of 
course, took some time to breed the hound 
out at all satisfactorily ; some authorities 
tell us that for this purpose the common 
fighting pit Bull-terrier and also the Irish 
Terrier was used, the latter to a considerable 
extent ; and whether this is correct or not 
there is no doubt that there would also be 
many crosses back again into the small 
Black-and-tan terrier, primarily responsible 
for his existence. 
In about twenty years’ time, the breed 
seems to have settled down and become 
thoroughly recognised as a variety of the 
terrier. It was not, however, for some ten 
years after this that classes were given for 
the breed at any representative show. In 
1883 the committee of the National Show 
at Birmingham included three classes for 
Airedales in their schedule, which were 
fairly well supported; and three years 
after this recognition was given to the 
breed in the stud-book of the ruling 
authority. 
From this time on the breed prospered 
pretty well; several very good terriers were 
bred, the hound gradually almost dis- 
appeared, as also did to a great extent 
the bad-coloured ones. The best example 
amongst the early shown dogs was un- 
doubtedly Newbold Test, who had a long 
and very successful career. This dog 
