Airdales

Devin...Dad has always said they were egyption greyhound crossed on airedale....to me, cause I have seen egyption greyhounds, it can't be that...the ones I seen are a toy breed... George was an old gamekeeper I expect they really were greyhound crossed on airedale. A lurcher.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Duane@ssuNever been around terriers of any kind, till Devin talked me into a cross of his Jagd,Airdale. Been pretty happy with it thus far, but it is still a baby. This little dog is nuts, but he will go a 20 mile day will me beside a horse, fight cattle, and make it back to the rig everytime day after day.As for curs getting wore out gathering a "few 1000 acre pastures", cut them back on there feed, and use them more often.I know for a fact that I use mine daylight to dark, and never had them were out.Maybe the pitbull that Tony breeds into them takes out some of the dogs wind. Not being a dick, just saying that bred right a cur will wear out a horse, and 12 to 15 miles a day is common for us. not four times a year, I'm talking about 45 days in a row.I trade out horses but use the same dogs day after day, if a dog gets hurt, they get a break, I take a diff one,to fill the spot.Fed right, and shaped up, most dogs can keep up with horses on the gather.Just my thoughts.


Duane, reread my post please. We have a whole set of dogs to work cattle. 16 dogs as of now. I never said they get tired.

My decoy dog does not work cattle. He is for coyotes only. If we hunt hogs, we take our hog dogs(9 dogs), if we are working cattle, we take our cow dogs(16 dogs). If I go coyote hunting, I take Nuts.

Our cattle dogs get used most everyday. We have 3,000 momma cows, 150 bulls, and buy and sell stockers as well. We also have 20+ head of horses in our remuda. There is always work for the dogs. Only way one has quit is if it dies or gets hurt. If it just plain quits, it gets some lead treatment. Havent had to do too many of those latley though.

When we are working cattle which is twice a year and then we gather once a year to preg check, it is from before daylight til after dark everyday for a month at a time. You work on a ranch, you know how it is. Always something to be done.
 
Last edited:
I know alot of people would just use the same dogs for different stuff. But we dont want our cattle dogs to go from gathering cattle to running a hog track and vice versa. with as much timber we have you would never know until it was too late.

and another thing is that my personal dogs bought out of my personal money and the dogs bought out of the ranch's money are different. as for my dogs, i dont want just any of the hands loading them up and taking off. they know which dogs are mine and which dogs they can take. i dont want my high dollar aussie killed by a cow when im not there or the same with one of my hog dogs. if they see a set of hogs they know which dogs to come get and go after them.

and since i am the one who hunts the coyotes on the ranch, Nuts is off limits to everyone but my wife if she goes while im not there. haha
 
Thought I might resurrect this thread. I was offered a 10 month old Airedale pup. He is [beeep] on wheels tore up the guys sprinkler system 1 hour after he spend 8 hours and 10 blisters fixing it from the first time he tore it up. Dog is obviously bored/untrained. Did some interwebz searching for a little info but nothing beats first hand knowledge. I would like to hear from some guys that have or had them and what they expected and what they got. I plan on using him as a general hunting companion. Retreive birds find wounded game. If they can handle the Arizona heat well? I don't need a dog great at anything just good at some. I have trained stubborn/driven breeds before so that will not be a problem. No bad advise here.
 
As stated above, I think they were a different breed "back in the day".
Famous NM Game Warden, Elliot Barker who did did predator control and eventually ran Vermejo Park back in the thirties caught allot of Lions with his two Airedales.
I guess they live a good long time too as he has a pic in his book of them at 19 and 21 years old.
 
CC, I'd take the pup, then wear him out. He'll love it and it might save you some wear and tear on whatever the little terrorist decides to tear up.
smile.gif


They are a different breed.
 
I have a 14 month old female Airedale and she is awesome! Although she ate my TV Cable, sprinkler system wire, outdoor electrical outlet cover and the trailer brakes on my camper! If I exercise the heck out of her, she does great. If its been a few days since I exercised her, she lets me know it is time to go for a run! I would not trade her for the world. Great stamina, awesome disposition and is very very loyal! I have harvested a few coyotes with her last winter but work interfered with hunting! Have fun you wont regret having an Airedale!
 
Well I'll throw in too. Had a Airedale -Lab cross pup from the pound & now a purebred female that i had spayed as she is parrot mouthed (did not catch that when i bought her ) I am not impressed by her so far ,not very keen nosed or keen in general. The cross with lab was fabulous ,Nose was superb ,could find lost trap sets in 2 foot of snow,would hit the water to retrieve,pulled a deer home on my trapper sled on wet grass on and on ! Now i have a 2 yr old AD cross with I guess maybe plot or cur (somewhat brindle )very much like the lab cross ,this dog is so willing to please and so wants a job ,sight and nose first class . The only downside so far is that he is slick haired and really does not like water but he will go in if there is a good reason. He is an outside dog all winter but is not as dressed for the cold as if he had more hair. I did not trap much this winter so he has not been used as much,though he and the female pulled a deer home on my sled ,she is a good dog on sled when i go ice fishing. I conclude that the first cross out with horses, dogs and cows is often a good one that brings hybrid vigor ! I have limited experience just my opinion.
 
We had the opportunity to watch a litter at about 9 weeks old that was from an 85 lb female and a 105 lb male. After almost two hours and watching them eat and play we were able to settle on one that we liked his personality a lot. He had an independence we liked, he didn't rush the food with the others, he watched and waited until they were done and went over and got what he wanted. The females sort of ruled the roost but he stood his ground with them and didn't let them push him around like the others did.

Getting a good one it helps to understand that there are two types, hunting and show breed. The show breed can't be over something like 55 pounds or they are disqualified. The other line is huge compared, I know a guy that has a 135 and a 125 pound male. The larger type are called Oorangs, breeders will say whether they are breeding show or Oorangs. Their personalities can run true to the parents so look for a breeder that has a history, they try to make pairings that have the best characteristics in temperament. Breeders that aren't paying attention to what they are doing can be selling puppies that are a mess both physically and temperament wise. We found this out looking for rescue Airedales, some of them are basket cases. There's a breeder in Oregon that has a record for consistently selling problem dogs.

I saw where people have been using Airedales to run coyotes down and kill them, the context was an article saying it was illegal in some states.

It would be fun to breed an Airedale to a Cur or another good decoy type dog, might come up with a great line of dogs.

I just wanted to add something in reference to breeders, the price fluctuates between $800 to $1200 or so, there are people who call themselves breeders that are selling basket cases for $800 and more, so it's not how much you are paying, it's about making sure the breeder has the right integrity and you like the pairing he is using. Good breeders are going to have females spoken for in advance, so deposits are often in order.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top