How Long Do Airedale Terriers Live? Vet Reviewed Average Lifespan, Data & Care
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Known as the “King of Terriers”, the Airedale is the largest of all terrier breeds. These dogs are energetic and love to be part of everything you are doing. They make an excellent family companion, but they do require a lot of exercise, attention, and consistent obedience training. Nonetheless, they are intelligent, clever, and courageous dogs with a nature to please their humans. And if all goes well, you can expect your Airedale Terrier to live for 10-13 years.
These dogs have a friendly nature and have earned the reputation of being hunters, athletes, and companions. Read on to learn more about these fascinating dogs.
Airedale Terrier Average Lifespan
The Airedale Terrier has a lifespan of 10 to 13 years. However, for your Airedale Terrier to have a long lifespan, they must be cared for properly. In the post, we’ll discuss the Airedale Terrier’s needs so you know how to provide them with their best life. We’ll cover care, feeding and diet, healthcare, and more.
How to Care for Your Airedale Terrier for a Long Lifespan
1. Feeding & Diet
The Airedale Terrier will do best on high-quality protein, and the easiest way to achieve this is by feeding a good-quality commercial dog food, without artificial flavors, preservatives, or fillers. You can also feed home-cooked meals under your veterinarian’s supervision or try human-grade dog food, such as The Farmer’s Dog, if you’d like to feed fresh food.
The Airedale Terrier is an energetic dog and will burn many calories daily, making the quality of their food important. Any dog food you purchase should be 100% complete and balanced, including the appropriate amount of protein (aim for 22% or more), fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Your veterinarian is an excellent resource to utilize for choosing the right food for your Airedale Terrier.
Ensure the food is age-appropriate for your Airedale Terrier’s life stage, such as puppy, adult, and senior.
Be aware that the feeding guide on a pack is just that; a guide. If your Airedale is staying super lean and needs a bit of filling out, increase their servings by 10-20%. Equally, if your Terrier King is turning into more of a California King, feed them less than what it says on the pack. Dogs that require a lot of exercise like the Airedale are often more prone to weight gain when their exercise needs aren’t being met, so it is important to make sure you are feeding, and exercising, your dog to match their physical needs and lifestyle.
2. Environment
The Airedale is quite adaptable to many environments, and can tolerate hot or cold climates. Given that these dogs are medium to large, they do best with a decent sized fenced yard to run in, especially to burn off their boundless energy levels. Apartment living is not recommended unless you have the time to take your Airedale on several walks daily, or two long walks per day. Since these dogs have high energy, they do well with owners who jog, run, or hike, or can take them for a regular swim.
3. Care
You must have the time to devote to an Airedale Terrier. These dogs do not do well being left alone for long periods, and will become frustrated and destructive if they are. They need an outlet for their energy levels; that’s why they do best with owners with a fenced yard or ready access to a dog park. An Airedale Terrier will always be up for a game of fetch or throwing a ball around.
Physical and mental stimulation is key for this breed’s health. They are happiest with a job to do around the house, and providing games and puzzles is an excellent way to keep them happy and stimulated, both mentally and physically.
4. Cleaning/Grooming
The Airedale Terrier has a short and wiry coat that needs moderate maintenance. A simple weekly brushing will suffice in keeping the coat in good shape, unmatted, and remove dead hair. However, since these dogs have thick, wiry coats, a good hand-stripping should be done 3–4 times per year by a professional groomer, which is a technique of pulling dead chunks of hair from the coat. They don’t need regular baths, and they shed minimally, which is ideal for allergy sufferers.
The ears should be checked weekly and cleaned as needed. Check the nails often and clip when needed as well. Establish a dental hygiene routine and aim to brush the teeth at least three times per week. Ideally, brush every day if your Airedale will allow it.
5. Pairing/Breeding
Genetics play a role in the longevity and lifespan of any purebred dog, and it takes responsible breeders to select healthy dogs for breeding. Regarding the Airedale Terrier, hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism are common inherited conditions in the breed. A responsible breeder would not pair any dog with another with any health disorders to prevent the offspring from developing potential life-threatening issues. Both parents should be checked by a vet and given a clean bill of health before pairing for breeding.
Additionally, pups should always be vet-checked before going to new homes.
6. Healthcare
An Airedale Terrier will require annual checkups with a licensed veterinarian. Your vet will administer yearly vaccines required for a healthy life and check your dog’s teeth, ears, eyes, and overall body for lumps, masses, or anything unusual. Listening to their heart and checking their lymph nodes are essential for good preventative care.
Heartworm medication and flea and tick medications should be given monthly to keep your dog free from parasites.
You should also consider spaying/neutering to eliminate the risk of cancer and other health problems later in life. Much debate surrounds the topic of when you should spay/neuter, but for a larger breed like the Airedale, it is recommended that you wait until they reach sexual maturity. For females, this means spaying after their first season, and neutering males at around 12-18 months, but this can depend on a number of factors. Your veterinarian can help you decide when is the best time to have the procedure done.
The Life Stages of an Airedale Terrier
Puppy Stage: 0–6 months
If you are adopting an Airedale puppy, they will usually come to you at around 8-10 weeks old. It is essential that you get them started with their vaccinations as early as possible, to allow them to start socializing. As a breed, they are known to be a little wary of other dogs, but this doesn’t have to be the case; early socialization can create a well-rounded dog who loves the company of others. This should be well underway by the time they are 16 weeks old.
This is the ideal age for them to learn their manners from adult dogs, who will be firm enough to put them in their place, but patient with a puppy; patience wears thin once the pup is over 6 months old and approaching their adult size.
This is also the time to expose your Airedale pup to as many noises, sights, and experiences you can think of. Play with their ears and feet, open their mouths, and make sure you can remove food and toys from them. These are all much easier to achieve with a young, small pup than a headstrong, large, adolescent.
Juvenile to Adolescent: 6 – 18 months
This is the period that will test you. When all the training you have put in will seem to somehow vanish, and you find yourself faced with a naughty teenager, bent on testing the limits. This is completely normal, and the only way through it is by being consistent and persistent.
Just like with children, the moment you let them get away with something, you will be fighting that battle for a long time after. Remember to be strict and clear about what you are asking of them, enthusiastic about praising and rewarding good behavior, and if you feel mean some of the time, you’re probably doing it right!
Positive reinforcement is still regarded as the most effective training method, and the Airedale Terrier is smart. If you are consistent with what you are showing them, they will soon figure out how to get the reward they want, which is most likely to be your love and praise (with a side of dog treats, of course!). Punishment only results in frustration and resentment; a loud, sharp sound to interrupt unwanted behaviors should suffice.
Adult Stage: 18 months–7 years
An Airedale Terrier is fully grown at this stage, reaching a height of 22–24 inches for males and 20–23 inches for females. The weight can be between 45 and 60 pounds. They will likely settle down just a bit, and they will be mentally, physically, and sexually mature.
Senior Stage: 7 years +
Airedale Terriers become seniors around 7 to 10 years of age. At this point, they will slow down quite a lot. You may see grey hairs in the coat, increased sleeping, and possible mental and physical decline.
Seniors require high-quality senior dog food. Dog food made for seniors varies in nutrition and ingredients to accommodate a senior’s nutritional needs. Senior dog food will likely have less protein and calories due to decreased activity and to prevent obesity. It’s important to discuss food choices with your veterinarian before making a switch to ensure you feed a dog food appropriate for your particular senior.
It is a good idea to start your Airedale on joint supplements at this age, if you haven’t already. They are far more effective as a preventative measure, especially for a dog that has likely made maximal use of their joints!
How to Tell Your Airedale Terrier’s Age
If you adopt your Airedale Terrier from a rescue or shelter, it may be hard to determine the exact age. However, the dog’s teeth will be a good way to determine a ballpark age. For example, juveniles will have a full set of sharp teeth between 3 and 6 months and will show no signs of wear and tear. The teeth will be white, and the gums will be a coral-pink color. As the dog ages, the teeth will show signs of wear and tear and will not be as white. If the teeth have not been properly cared for, you may see signs of tartar or periodontal disease.
The coat will show grey as the dog ages, and you may see a grey muzzle. You may also see a decrease in muscle tone and energy.
Dogs over the age of around 7-9 years old develop something called nuclear (or lenticular) sclerosis, which is a completely normal degenerative change in the lens of the eye. Often confused with cataracts, nuclear sclerosis is a bilateral cloudiness seen in the pupil. It does not significantly affect their vision, but causes a gradual dimming of the lights.
Conclusion
Airedale Terriers are medium-sized dogs with an average lifespan of 10–13 years. Providing the right care is essential to ensure they live a long and healthy life, and that includes a high quality diet and right exercise to meet their needs. Ensure you stay up-to-date on yearly vaccines, feed high-quality dog food, and provide the Airedale Terrier with plenty of daily exercise.
See Also:
- How Aggressive Are Airedale Terriers? Care Facts & Tips
- 2 Beautiful Airedale Terrier Colors (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: jarobike, Shutterstock
