October, 1919 
59 
THE IRISH and AIREDALE TERRIERS 
Two Rough-Coated Breeds of Sterling Worth for Either Country or City—Some of the Outstanding 
Traits Which Have Won for Them Respect and Genuine Affection 
ROBERT S. LEMMON 
I N a way they are somewhat alike, these two 
contenders for honors in the All-Around 
Dog Qualification Contest. Both are rough- 
coated, free from any white markings, hard as 
nails, and bully good companions. Beyond 
these points their paths of similarity begin to 
diverge, somewhat after this fashion: 
The Airedale is considerably the larger of 
the two, and as if his weight added dignity to 
his thoughts, he is more self-contained than his 
smaller cousin. Where the Irishman is a rough- 
and-ready little rascal overflowing with that 
snappy vigor of mind and body colloquially 
known as “pep,” the Airedale is steadier 
though by no means sluggish. One might com¬ 
pare them to a motorcycle and a 90 H.P. 
touring car: both can pass everything on the 
road except each other, but they go about it in 
a different way. 
Their Versatility 
Of the Airedale it has been 
said that “he can do anything any 
other dog can do. and then lick 
the other dog.” Well, sometimes, 
I almost believe that is true. He 
certainly is 200 per cent dog, and 
while his logical place is in the 
country, he readily adapts himself 
to city living conditions. Woe be 
unto the burglar or tramp who in¬ 
terferes with him or his, for when 
his forty pounds or more of bone 
and muscle get started they move 
fast and in a straight line. Yet, 
with, all his defensive and offen¬ 
sive ability, he is ideally depend¬ 
able and affectionate with chil¬ 
dren as well as grown-ups. In the 
matter of intelligence, he is prob¬ 
ably second to none. 
Somehow, the Irish terrier, on 
the other hand, always makes me 
think of a red-headed boy about 
twelve years old on a summer va¬ 
cation in the country. Perhaps this 
There is no little 
of the true Celtic 
fire in the make¬ 
up of the Irish 
terrier Levick 
is because such a boy would relinquish all his 
dreams of piracy, machine gunnery and driving 
the Twentieth Century Limited for one Irish 
terrier to pal around with—and also because 
the Irishman would appreciate the boy to the 
full. If an Irish terrier’s brain is ever dull or 
his body ever sluggish in getting up and at 
anything which may be doing, no one has been 
able to catch him at it. He is all steel springs, 
mentally and physically. There is no little of 
the true Celtic fire in his make-up, and if he 
were able to put his general philosophy of life 
into words (he can’t quite talk) it would 
probably be, “Let me at it!” 
A p r iz e-winning 
Airedale—in the 
show as well as in 
the country or city 
home (Below) 
Breeding and Hardiness 
Without taking the time to delve deeply into 
the history of these two representatives of the 
terrier tribe, it may be well to say that they 
have been developed primarily as 
vermin destroyers and to with¬ 
stand all the hard knocks which 
the pursuit of such four-footed 
fighters as badgers, otters and 
woodchucks entails. Such breed¬ 
ing, continued through many gen¬ 
erations, has given them great 
natural resourcefulness, strength, 
health and adaptability. They 
will come through a day of mud, 
snow, briars or brooks without a 
scratch; a shake and a roll, and 
they’re ready to start out again. 
They are true sportsmen, which 
term, in its broader application, 
means that they know how to con¬ 
duct themselves in the drawing¬ 
room as well as in the field. They 
are easily trained, either in a 
purely utilitarian sense to make 
them good house dogs and general 
companions, or for various special 
purposes. The Airedale especial¬ 
ly is qualified by his size and an¬ 
cestry to be developed into a first 
(Continued on page 80) 
The Airedale’s coat is tan with a blackish saddle. He “can do any¬ 
thing that any oilier dog can do, and then lick the other dog” 
An Irish terrier is an ideal dog for a live boy. He is keen and eager, 
and his tan coat is a good protection against briars and cold 
