My Airedale Theo loves to climb in our laps when we’re on the couch, but I’ve learned that this isn’t always the case with his breed. I did some research to see how affectionate Airedales tend to be.
So, are Airedales affectionate, and do they like to cuddle? Airedales are loving dogs who enjoy spending time with their family. However, they do not always show affection in classic ways like cuddling up to their owners.
Bred for hunting and utility, Airedales are a very independent and strong-willed dog. Although they love their family and there’s nothing more your Airedale will enjoy than hanging out with you, their idea of quality time does not always involve cuddling. Instead, it’s more likely that your Airedale will want to play, go for a walk, or simply explore with you nearby. This wanderlust will be especially prevalent when they’re a puppy; as your Airedale matures, they’re likely to become more affectionate and cuddlier.
Airedale Temperament
Having an Airedale can be difficult for first-time owners, because it will sometimes seem as if the dog hardly even likes you. Understanding an Airedales temperament and why they act in the way that they do can help to ease some of these worries.
As I said above, Airedales are a highly independent breed. They were originally brought up for vermin control on farms, and because of this they were raised to think on their own and work without the presence of a human constantly around.
Now, Airedales have adapted more for modern life, but they still retain a little bit of this independent streak. It’s what gives them their stubbornness and what can, at times, make it seem as if your Airedale is fairly indifferent towards them.
I assure you, however, that’s not the case. Airedales are incredibly loving dogs, and nothing makes them happier than getting to spend time with their family — they just sometimes want to do it on their own time. If you had in mind that you wanted to pet your Airedale, but they’re in the mood to take a nap or go play in the yard, they’re going to do the latter.
That doesn’t mean, however, that your Airedale doesn’t like spending time with you. When they do want attention, it’s not uncommon for these dogs to run up and push their nose into your hand looking to be pet. Even if they’re not being quite so forwards, you might notice that your Airedale always finds his way into whatever room you’re working in. When I’m working out, my Airedale likes to come downstairs and lie in the same room as me, as if he’s looking to keep me company.
It’s not that your Airedale doesn’t enjoy you; they just have their own way of showing it!
Showing Affection
So, how do Airedales actually demonstrate how much they love their family? There are a few ways in which they do this:
- Shadowing you: Like I said above, one of the ways you can tell that your Airedale likes you is when they chose to be around you, even if they’re not specifically asking for attention.
- Spending quality time: While your Airedale may not be a lap dog, they still want to do their favourite activities with you. This includes playing, running, and sometimes roughhousing. Even at the dog park when my Airedale is surrounded by tens of potential playmates, nothing makes him happier than when we chase him around.
- Being protective: Airedales have a high protective instinct, and they tend to be suspicious towards people that they don’t know. Watching how your Airedale behaves with you versus how they treat someone they don’t know can be a good sign that they do like you.
Like I said, you shouldn’t be disheartened if your Airedale doesn’t come and sit on your lap at every possible opportunity. These dogs like their own space, and you just need to understand their ‘love language’ before you can see how much you truly mean to them.
Airedales and Cuddling
So, with all of that said, how do Airedales feel about cuddling? This question is going to vary a lot based on the individual dog, but there are still some generalizations you can draw.
For the most part, I would qualify Airedales as indifferent cuddlers. If you were to give yours a hug, they would probably tolerate it out of respect for you; after a few seconds, though, they might star to squirm and struggle as they try to return to whatever it is they were doing beforehand.
When it’s on their own schedule, some Airedales can enjoy a good cuddle. Mine will often jump onto couches and crawl into our laps when we’re watching a movie, although even then he rarely stays there for long; it’s more common for him to find an empty couch cushion and curl up within arms’ reach.
For the most part, these dogs are not very cuddly because they’re too partial to their own personal space. This is often for the better, too, because Airedales usually weigh upwards of fifty pounds.
If you want a cuddly dog, I wouldn’t recommend getting an Airedale, because you might be disappointed at their independence.
When do Airedales Mature?
It’s been said that Airedales get more affectionate and cuddlier as they age. Broadly speaking, I can say from personal experience that this is true, although I wouldn’t rely on this to happen. If you get an Airedale puppy thinking that, in a few years, they’ll love to cuddle with you on the couch, you might end up disappointed.
So, when do Airedales mature? Most Airedales grow out of their puppy stage at age two and reach full maturity around age five. Because of their energetic, independent, and chaotic nature, Airedales tend to mature in stages:
0-2: The Young Guns
Airedale puppies are chaotic and most definitely not cuddly. They show their affection by jumping, biting, and play fighting with you; if you pull one into your lap, they’re more likely to struggle and scratch until you let go.
At this age, it’s essential to train your Airedale to break it out of the worst of its habits; otherwise, you’re going to end up with one extremely stubborn dog on your hands.
2-5: Rebels Without a Cause
Because most dogs mature at 2, hapless first-time owners might be distraught to see their 3-year-old Airedale digging holes in the back yard, taking down dogs at the dog park, and tearing through your house.
The truth is, although they’ll be better trained at this age, your Airedale is still full of energy. Their high intellect means they love to explore and experiment, and if they get bored they tend to release their energy in destructive ways (like chewing through furniture). Staying firm and keeping your Airedale occupied is the best way to limit this behaviour.
5+: The Veterans
At 5, your Airedale will usually begin to lose some of their hyperactive tendencies. Here, it’s common for the dogs to slow down a bit, although you can still count on them being high-energy creatures. Your Airedales will grow out of their selective deafness, and this is where they might start to show a little bit more traditional affection and cuddly behaviour.
Airedales with Children
Given what you’ve read in this article, it might be easy to assume that Airedales and kids aren’t a great risk. After all, they’re very high-energy dogs, and I’ve said that they like to show affection through play fighting. That’s probably not a great mixture to have with small children in the house, right?
In reality, Airedales can be great with kids, depending on when you get them. If you have small children in your house and are thinking of getting an Airedale puppy, I would probably recommend against it; the odds are too high that your Airedale will jump on the child intending to play and run the risk of hurting it. They would never intentionally cause harm, but they’re so high-energy that accidents could occur.
‘In reality, Airedale’s can be great with kids… Airedales are one of the best breeds for babysitting once they’ve grown out of their puppy phase.’
If, however, you have a mature Airedale and you’re thinking of having kids, you shouldn’t be worried about that situation at all. In fact, Airedales are one of the best breeds for babysitting once they’ve grown out of their own puppy phase.
If you need any more convincing, look at this compilation of Airedales and babies being the absolute best of friends:
These dogs have a natural protective instinct, and a deeply-ingrained sense of family. With young children in the house, this protective nature is going to be multiplied exponentially.
When I was a baby, my family had a 5-year-old Airedale. After my sister and I were born, he took it upon himself to look after us in any way that he could. This involved watching us when we were outdoors, guarding the house when my dad was gone, and interposing himself between us and anything that might have been a threat. Despite having no formal training, that dog would have happily attacked someone if he thought they were going to harm myself or my sister.
So, don’t worry too much about your Airedale interacting with kids. As long as they’re given time to grow up themselves, this breed can be excellent guardians and extremely affectionate (but gentle) towards children.