The wiry coat doesn't shed, but requires lots of trimming and clipping.
Many owners keep the coat short to avoid burrs, weeds and tangles.
This medium to large dog has a hard and wiry coat, with bushy eyebrows and a beard. Although black and tan are the most common color combinations, your dog might be marked with a white blaze on its chest. In addition, this is one of the most versatile terrier breeds, used for such activities as hunting, retrieving, pit fighting, ratting, herding, police work, guide dog work, and as a messenger dog and sentry during the first world war. This breed was developed in the English river valley of Aire, in West Riding, Yorkshire. It is thought that the Airedale first appeared in the middle of the nineteenth century.