Airedale Terrier

Well balanced, with no apparent difference in length between skull and foreface.

Free from wrinkles.

Skull: Long and flat, not too broad between ears and narrowing slightly to eyes.

Stop: Hardly visible.

Nose: Black.

Muzzle: Foreface well filled up before eyes, not dish-faced or falling away quickly below eyes, but a delicate chiselling prevents appearance of wedginess or plainness.

Lips: Tight.

Jaws / Teeth: Upper and lower jaws deep, powerful, strong and muscular, as strength of foreface is greatly desired. No excess development in the jaws to give a rounded or bulging appearance to the cheeks. Teeth strong. Scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws preferable, but vice-like bite acceptable. An overshot or undershot mouth undesirable.

Cheeks: Level and free from fullness. “Cheekiness” is undesired.

Eyes: Dark in colour, relatively small, not prominent, full of terrier expression, keenness and intelligence. Light or bold eye highly undesirable.

Ears: « V »-shaped with a side carriage, small but not out of
proportion to size of dog. Top line of folded ear slightly above level of skull. Pendulous ears or ears set too high undesirable.

Clean, muscular, of moderate length and thickness,
gradually widening towards shoulders, and free from throatiness.

Back: Short, strong, straight and level, showing no slackness.

Loin: Muscular. In short-coupled and well ribbed-up dogs there is little space between ribs and hips. When dog is long in couplings some slackness will be shown here.

Chest: Deep (i.e. approximately level with the elbows) but not broad.

Ribs well sprung.

Previously customarily docked.

Docked: Set on high and carried gaily. Good strength and substance.

Undocked: Set on high and carried gaily. Good strength and
substance.

Shoulder: Long, well laid back, sloping obliquely. Shoulder-blades flat.

Elbow: Perpendicular to body, working free of sides.

Forearm: Forelegs perfectly straight, with good bone.

Forefeet: Small, round and compact, with a good depth of pad, well cushioned, and toes moderately arched, turning neither in nor out.

Thigh: Long and powerful.

Stifle (Knee): Well bent, turned neither in nor out.

Lower thigh: Muscular.

Metatarsus (Rear pastern): Hocks well let down, parallel with each other when viewed from behind.

Hind feet: Small, round and compact, with a good depth of pad, well cushioned, and toes moderately arched, turning neither in nor out.

Legs carried straight forward. Forelegs move freely, parallel to the sides. When approaching, forelegs should form a continuation of the straight line of the front, feet being same distance apart as elbows.

Propulsive power is furnished by hindlegs.

Hard, dense and wiry, not so long as to appear ragged.

Lying straight and close, covering body and legs; outer coat hard, wiry and stiff, undercoat shorter and softer.

Hardest coats are crinkling or just slightly waved; curly or soft coat highly undesirable.

Body saddle black or grizzle as is top of the neck and top
surface of tail. All other parts tan.

Ears often a darker tan, and shading may occur round neck and side of skull. A few white hairs between forelegs acceptable.

Height at the withers:

About 58 - 61 cms for males.
About 56 - 59 cms for females.

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities.

N.B:
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.