My Airedale is very outgoing, but I know that’s not the case for all other Airedales. I did some research to see how they treated other canines.
So, are Airedales good with other dogs? It depends, Airedales are generally friendly and outgoing. As long as your Airedale is properly socialized as a puppy, they should have no problem with other dogs.
Airedales are a cheerful and social, who tend to love to play. Whether you want to have multiple dogs in your household or you just want to know how your Airedale will react to random dogs that it meets, the answer is that they will usually be very friendly. Because of their strong pack tendencies and their playful nature, Airedales tend to not be very hostile around dogs they just meet. However, if they get off on the wrong foot, or if they’re not properly socialized, you may have issues with your Airedale.
In this article, I cover a few different situations in which your Airedale might have to interact with another dog:
- Buying an Airedale when you already own a dog
- Getting another dog when you already own an Airedale
- Having your Airedale meet other dogs
Getting an Airedale When You Have a Dog
One common question that people have when they’re considering buying an Airedale is whether or not the Airedale will be okay with a dog you already own.
In general, Airedales will do very well if they’re brought into a family that already has a dog. In fact, this can be a great benefit to the Airedale, as it will help them socialize from a young age. The older dog can act as a role model and a mentor, and may help the Airedale get over some of their early rebelliousness .
Airedales are a friendly breed who enjoy having company. They’re not jealous dogs, so they won’t mind having to share your attention with someone else. They’ll love to have a playmate who they can burn some of their energy on, and having two dogs might save you the trouble of always needing to be the one to entertain your Airedale.
Because of how outgoing Airedales are, there’s a good chance that your two dogs are going to get along. Of course, this is going to depend a lot on the individual personalities of your dogs and how they react to each other, but Airedales tend to be very social.
The main thing I would worry about is whether or not your existing dog has the temperament to welcome an Airedale into the family. There are two scenarios I would be concerned with:
- Your dog’s personality doesn’t match with the Airedale
- Your dog gets jealous of the Airedale, which leads to conflict
If you have a shy dog, who prefers sitting around and getting pet to playing and roughhousing, they might not be a good fit with an Airedale. These are high-energy creatures who love to get rowdy, and it won’t do either of your dogs a favour if they have different energy levels.
The other thing to worry about is whether your dog will get jealous of the Airedale. Puppies required a lot of attention, and it’s likely that you’ll need to divert some of your time away from your pooch to give to the new member of your family. This can lead to the other talk taking out their frustration on the Airedale.
While Airedales aren’t hostile, they are very proud and stubborn. If they sense that another dog dislikes them, they’re rarely one to back down, and they have trouble forgiving and forgetting. Having two dogs with a grudge against each other can cause a headache for anybody, especially if one of those dogs is as strong-willed and proud as your Airedale.
So, for the most part, you should feel fine bringing your Airedale into a family that already owns a dog. If they’re very different personalities, though, or if your dog tends to get jealous, you may want to give it some second thought.
Getting Another Dog When You Have an Airedale
So, what if it’s the other way around? If you already have an Airedale, are they going to react well to you bringing another dog into the family?
In general, the answer is yes. Airedales are friendly dogs who have an innate understanding of who’s a member of their pack. They’ll likely love having somebody new to play with, and doing so will take some of the load off of your hands — your new puppy and your Airedale will tire each other out plenty.
More than that, though, Airedales are unlikely to jealous of the new dog. This is an independent breed, who likes spending time by themselves and don’t always need to be the center of your attention. While it wouldn’t do well to completely abandon your Airedale, you won’t have to worry about feelings of jealousy or inappropriate behaviour.
When it comes to looking after the new puppy, you can expect your Airedale to be patient and protective. These dogs are proud and pack-oriented, and having a young one around can even help the Airedale grow up a little by forcing some responsibility onto him.
If you’re going to rescue route instead of shopping for a dog, you can expect your Airedale to be just as welcoming. These guys are rarely hostile towards dogs they don’t know, and as long as your new dog is respectful towards the Airedale, you can expect to see the same type of response from him.
However, the same warning stands about the competitive nature and stubbornness of these dogs. Airedales rarely back down from a fight, and they don’t take kindly to dogs being aggressive towards them. If you bring in a new dog who’s hostile towards the Airedale, you might want to brace yourself for a showdown.
Airedales and Other Dogs
What about when it comes to dogs who aren’t part of the family? Do Airedales need to be muzzled in public, or can you count on them to behave? We answer those questions next.
Friends
If your Airedale finds a dog who they get along with (usually a medium-to-large, high energy breed who also loves to fight), expect them to be friends for life. Your Airedale will delight in romping around, playfully nipping, and chasing each other around until they fall down from exhaustion.
Airedales make friends easily and can be expected to get along well with most dogs that they meet (especially if they’re socialized from a young age). They’re an outgoing breed, and they’re intelligent enough to remember and recognize the dogs that they like.
Check out this video of two Airedales playing:
Strangers
When it comes to meeting strangers, your Airedale will treat the other dog about as well as the other dog treats them. While they’re rarely outwardly hostile, Airedales do have a bit of a suspicious streak, especially when it comes to newcomers. They’ll usually reserve judgement until they get to know the dog a little better.
Upon first meeting, your Airedale will probably want to play with the other dog (because, once again, they’re extremely high energy). If the other dog plays back, you’re good; the two of them will rollick happily until someone gets bored. If the other dog snarls, though, or gets too aggressive, you may have a bit of a fight on your hands.
In the same way that they remember their friends, Airedales also have a knack for remembering their enemies. Theo has a couple of dogs who he recognizes at the dog park who he’ll consistently engage with in an aggressive manner. While they’re usually friendly, Airedales can also hold a grudge, so make sure to watch out for that.
Socializing Your Airedale
I’ve mentioned a couple of times in this article how important it is to socialize your Airedale to make sure that they know how to behave around other dogs. So, what does that actually look like?
The most important thing to do is to start at a young age. Dogs learn by doing, and the only way for your Airedale to socialize is to have them exposed to other dogs. During this phase, you need to be prepared for your puppy to make mistakes — be over-aggressive here, get a little shy there — so make sure you’re on the lookout for this.
Sometimes, however, the best thing you can do is to let the encounter run its course. I still remember when my new Airedale puppy, Theo, decided it was a good idea to pick a fight with a dog who was three times his size. The dog growled in warning; Theo didn’t listen, so the other dog sat on him and held him there until Theo calmed down. Letting your dog get taught a lesson by larger, more experienced pets is one of the best ways they’ll learn social cues.
Another good way is to make sure your Airedale spends enough time in their litter. This is something you should speak to your breeder about, but know that removing your Airedale from their pack too early may slow down their socialization process.