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The doghouse

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Original poster

Airdales,what are they like?Or Lurchers/wolfhoundy types?

33 replies

hellymelly · 29/07/2011 15:31

My old fox terrier has some health problems and probably won't be around for much more than a year or so,and we are mulling over getting another dog while he is still with us (he is very sociable) or getting another when he dies Sad. I've only had fox-terriers,although I grew up with a hound cross.We may well get another foxy,but I am wondering about an airdale,and have no idea what they are like.I am assuming they are rather similar to fox terriers,but maybe that is wrong? The other sort of dog I like aside from terriers are lurchers, or any hairy wolfhound/deerhound type of dog,and my dog really loves them too,but again I've never owned one so am not sure what they are like. My dds are quite small still (4 and 6) but very good with animals.

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Original poster
hellymelly · 29/07/2011 21:47

bumping..

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Singlediva · 29/07/2011 23:09

We had an Airedale was I was younger. He was a lovely dog, really laid back but no sense. He couldn't be let off the lead as he would just run and used to get really excited if he saw another dog.
He was great with children but almost impossible to train.

Original poster
hellymelly · 29/07/2011 23:52

hahaha that is just like a fox terrier.Although fox terriers are clever,they will just run when let off the lead and they are ridiculously excitable.That's why I like them I suppose!..so maybe airdales really are just huge fox terriers? Both my fox-terriers have had skin problems and that is partly why I'm mulling over a different breed, have also thought about Bedlington terriers.

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Merle · 30/07/2011 08:14

We have a 12-week old lurcher puppy and we have found him to be great. He is sociable but not too crazy. We know a few lurchers and they are all gentle and good family pets. They will run about like the wind when they are taken out, but are not disruptive at home.

Merle · 30/07/2011 08:18

hellymelly I would have liked a Bedlington; I would have liked two (future plan). Ours is a Bedlington X.

I like the look of Airedales ;(we live there). I always think they look a bit cartoon-ey - it's a unique look!

DooinMeCleanin · 30/07/2011 10:01

I know of a couple who got a puppy while their older dog was ill. The older dog did not appreciate a young, boisterous puppy jumping all over him all of the time. The puppy now lives elsewhere.

Please don't do it. It is not fair to your older dog who needs a quiet life and extra care in his senior years.

Original poster
hellymelly · 30/07/2011 21:50

Yes,we have thought about the puppy angle,and would probably get an older dog if we do get one while ours is still here.Although having said that,he loves having other dogs to visit,perks him up no end.He isn't ill in the sense of feeling horrible,he has a spinal problem and is on painkillers,it is well managed,he still wants to play etc.

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mablemurple · 30/07/2011 22:01

Have you thought about a Welsh Terrier? They are exactly like Airedales, but the same size as a fox terrier. Just as nuts, though but generally no skin problems, or the hip problems that Airedales can be prone to.

Or an Irish Terrier - beautiful red colour, bit bigger than a Welshie, but not as big as an Airedale.

Original poster
hellymelly · 30/07/2011 22:17

No to Welsh terriers.Even though I am welsh.I have known quite a few and they have all been far more aggressive and snappy than my good tempered FTs.Ditto Irish terriers actually,I have known three,and they were all unpredictable and seemed rather highly strung. I am devoted to FTs but the skin problems are not great. My dog himself loves lurchers,and bedlingtons,and bedlington/whippet lurchers most of all!

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chickchickchicken · 30/07/2011 22:48

lurchers and deerhound here www.grwe.com/homingWelfare_dogsForHoming.asp

word of caution though - our oldie loves having dogs to visit and will play with our two younger dogs. however, she would prefer two youngest didnt live here!

Original poster
hellymelly · 30/07/2011 23:10

Thanks chickchick.I like the look of Eddie! We may well not get another dog yet, because of his spinal problems my dog has bladder control issues, and so house training might be more tricky if it took cues from Dog. I had read that a younger pal can breath new life into an older dog,but I can see it could go either way!I am trying to prepare myself for him going as well, he is pretty good now,but had a blip a few months ago when a combination of a slip at home and side effects from meds put him in a bad way,and we are aware he could go downhill at any point.I am dreading that his back end will go completely and he will be unable to walk at all.

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superdollyfragilistic · 30/07/2011 23:22

My Irish Terrier is entirely predictable actually. Predictably naughty, but beautiful, and charming. He is very friendly, loves other dogs, but then he was socialised and around other dogs as soon as he was innoculated.
He is a massive flirt with all the dog owners on our regular walks, and has persuaded one lady to choose a puppy from the breeder we went to.
Dying to see it.

vanillamum · 30/07/2011 23:35

We had a lovely rescued lurcher, he was the most gentle and loving quiet dog ever but incredibly stupid. Just before christmas he ran into a park bench because he wasn't looking where he was going. As they run very fast he injured himslef very badly and basically all our Xmas savings went on the dog as we had only had him a month so had not sorted out insurance! my only gripe with him was he hated me leaving the baby to even wimper in her cot, the moment she stirred he would come and nudge me and make me pick her up, he was so good with children I can't recommend getting one enough. Ours was a greyhound whippet cross and not too big, just lovely and so grateful to have a good home.We got him when he was about a year old and he settled really nicely into the family.

Original poster
hellymelly · 31/07/2011 00:30

Thats good to know,both about the irish terriers (maybe that is not a very representative sample then, the ones I've met!) and about Lurchers.I am very touched at yours nudging you to go to the baby vanillamum!
Both my dogs have been very well socialised,a much easier thing to do in London parks than where I am now (Wales, country village). I do wonder if I would ever be able to get a dog really well socialised here, as there just aren't the spaces, although the beach in Winter is good. My friend in London was a dog walker who also had five of her own,so with dog2 (current one) we often were walking with a group of people and as many as 15 dogs. With dog1 I walked with a group of old ladies and five or so dogs at a time.Also with fox terriers the bitches are more prone to snappyness than the dogs,the dogs are usually pretty good tempered.

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lurcherlover · 02/08/2011 12:31

Luchers get my vote Smile

Recall training is essential. They love to run (and run, and run...) and not letting them have the time/space to do it is cruel. So your recall has to be spot on. They are wonderful housedogs. Mine is very lazy and loves to sneak on the sofa, then goes mad outside. Highly recommend them!

Original poster
hellymelly · 02/08/2011 22:06

That's why my dog loves lurchers,they love to run and he loves to chase.Although he can no longer run flat out any more, I think it must hurt him too much,or possibly he just doesn't have the strength in his back legs. My DH saw a lurcher wandering about late in the evening a few days ago,it looked very stressed but he couldn't catch it Sad. Asking around it seems there may be someone who lets their dog out to mooch around at night Shock but we don't know if its the same dog.

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SkipToTheEnd · 02/08/2011 22:28

My mum has a lurcher and he's so loving but he is very stupid bless him! He also had a running accident like vanillamum's. He ran over a tree stump and ripped open his chest poor boy. Needed surgery and stitches etc but he loved the fuss he got afterwards!

He also ate an entire tube of deep heat once Shock I have no idea why! And he ate some energy sweets from my labour bag and didn't sleep all day. He's normally quite a lazy boy in the house and has never chewed furniture etc. He just seems to have some food issues as in 'if I see it, it must belong to me'

Original poster
hellymelly · 02/08/2011 22:53

hmm.The stupid thing seems to come up a lot.That is what my friend says about her lurcher too,beautiful but no brains at all. I am used to brainy dogs My dog will do a "big wuff" (full on bark) or a "little woof" (whispery bark) to order,when in hope of a biscuit. (proud emoticon needed here)

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SkipToTheEnd · 03/08/2011 09:30

I shold think my mum's lurcher would learn anything for a biscuit though!

In certain ways we can't decide if he is clever or not. He learnt how to ju the back fence but would only ever do it when no one heard him at the back door. He'd jump out of the garden, run down the ally and bark at the front door to be let in! I can't decide if he's clever for going to the front door or stupid because he never realised he could run off where ever he wanted!

He's fantastic with the kids though.

Merle · 12/08/2011 09:18

we have decided that our lurcher is clever. He is still a pup and we are all in love with him, so I think it is the same as the stage a baby's life, when we start thinking our child is a genius.

Quodlibet · 12/08/2011 09:25

We have a now-doddery old lurcher and she is a wonderful wonderful dog. Not very bright despite being a border collie x greyhound (she got the greyhound brains) but just lovely natured and no trouble at all - she was always so much easier to live with than our border collie who was always looking for something to 'help' with! Very patient with small kids too.

Shoutymomma · 13/08/2011 13:22

Our lurcher was an absolute darling. Rescued her at around a year old and finally lost her this spring, some 12 years later. We now have a wonderful rescued whippet.

Our piano teacher has an airdale. It is completely bonkers, seemingly untrainable, but totally harmless.

Besom · 13/08/2011 13:33

We had an Airdale when I was a child. Absolutely lovely natured dog, brilliant with children. She was good with other animals as well (we had rabbits, cats, birds, you name it).

She was trained to sit and come to heel etc but I know my parents had problems with her running off and refusing to come back when she was a puppy. I think they took her to dog training and that solved it.

Original poster
hellymelly · 14/08/2011 22:04

The running off thing is a trait with all terriers,fox terriers are notorious for happily running miles and miles away on a walk,but they do come back ..eventually. I assumed it was because they have been bred to be independant,to go to ground etc. Besom your airdale sounds so lovely.

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DizzyDummy · 16/08/2011 00:58

We have an Airedale and his good points are he is gorgeous, looks like a teddy bear, sweet natured, loves other dogs and laid-back, bad points are he runs off given half the chance, he smells, needs hand stripping regularly and is terrible with cats or sheep etc. We love him to bits but we wouldn't have another one.