I know that Airedales are medium sized dogs, but I wanted some more information on what that actually meant. I did some research into Airedales to see just how big they are.

So, how bis is an Airedale terrier? A male Airedale terrier will be 22-24 inches tall and will weigh 45-60 pounds. A female Airedale terrier will be 21-23 inches and weigh about the same.

Of course, these are just average weights and sizes. I had one Airedale terrier, probably the runt of his litter, who was only about 40 pounds; to contrast that, my current Airedale weighs 80. In terms of height and size, Airedales are classified as a medium sized dog, although they’re on the larger end of the medium scale. The 24-inch measurement is from the base of their front paws to their shoulders.

Airedale Size

Now, simply saying that your Airedale is 24 inches tall fully grown doesn’t really capture the whole story. Let’s look at some other measurements to help give a more complete picture:

• At the top of their head, an Airedale will probably be 30 inches (2.5 feet high)
• When they stand up on their hind legs, your Airedale will probably be around 4 feet, tall, although they might be larger (Theo stands around 4’10).
• From their nose to their tail, your Airedale will be about 3-3.5 feet long.

Airedales are on the larger side of the medium dog spectrum. Additionally, they are very high-energy dogs who aren’t afraid to let their presence be known.

If you get a puppy, you’ll probably receive your Airedale at about 8-10 weeks old. At this age, they’ll be about 10 inches tall and weigh around 10 pounds, although they will grow quickly. Read on to find out when your Airedale can be expected to reach their full size.

Airedale Weight

Size isn’t everything, and Airedales can be pretty heavy dogs. They usually weigh 45-60 pounds, with the largest of the breed sometimes reaching up to 90.

Because of their active lifestyle and roots as a hunter, these are bulky creatures that tend to put on a fair amount of muscle. While they don’t get as stacked in the chest as a Pitbull, or another similar breed, you can expect your Airedale to be solidly built.

Becoming overweight can be an issue with Airedales, so you need to make sure to watch what they eat and exercise them frequently. When they do gain weight, you want to make sure that it’s from muscle and not fat. Frequent walks, playing with them, or bringing your Airedale to the dog park is a good way to ensure that they get this exercise.

When Are Airedales Fully Grown?

Even as someone who’s owned several dogs in my life, I’m still astonished at the rate that they grow. It’s weird to get a tiny little puppy who you can pick up with one hand and then watch them quadruple in size over the next few months.

In general, Airedales will become fully grown 8-12 months after they’re born, although they retain some of their lankiness and might not fill out until a year and half. Some males will take even longer, not reaching their full size until they’re two years or older.

There are some general milestones you can use to measure your dog’s growth:

• As a puppy, your Airedale should weigh from 5-10 pounds
• By three months, your Airedale should weigh roughly 30 pounds, and they should be growing rapidly
• After 6 months, your Airedale’s growth is going to slow considerably
• Between 8 months and a year, your Airedale should reach their full size and their growth will peter
• From one year old to two years old, you can still expect your Airedale to be gaining weight. However, you need to be careful that your Airedale is not too heavy; consult a vet if you’re worried that your dog might be overweight.

Is an Airedale Right for Me?

So, we’ve talked about Airedale sizes, which is something that people often consider before they look to purchase a dog. However, it’s also important to take into account the other factors about the dog before you decide if you want to purchase one. In the rest of the article, I dive a little more into detail about whether or not an Airedale is the right dog for you.

Size

As I’ve said, while Airedales are classified as a medium-sized dog, they’re on the larger end of that spectrum. If you or a member of your family is scared of dogs, particularly large ones, buying an Airedale may not be the right choice for you.

Another thing to consider is whether or not you have small children in your house. I’ve written about it before, but Airedale puppies and small kids don’t always mix. These dogs will rarely be intentionally hostile, but they’re big enough that they can cause unintentional injuries.

On the other hand, the Airedale’s size can be a benefit to them. They’re solidly built and can be relied upon to act as guardians, because of their natural protective instinct. Given their weight and height, they’re also big enough to hold their own in a fight if need be.

Even if you don’t need them to fight, Airedale’s are still big enough for utility tasks such as hunting (more on this later).

Temperament

Airedales are extremely playful and high-energy creatures. These dogs love to romp, explore, and spend time with those who they love.

The Airedale is a good-natured dog, and they are rarely aggressive without being provoked first. When it comes to members of their family, they’re very tolerant and will always be thrilled to be around you. They like to play with other dogs, but they might not be the best mix with cats or other smaller animals (unless socialized from a young age, the Airedale’s hunting instinct tends to kick in).

Personality

Although I might be a little biased (consider I’ve owned Airedales for the majority of my life), I’ve always been impressed with the depth of these dog’s personalities. They have several admirable traits around them, while also being very independent and inquisitive creatures. There are a few main traits about the Airedale that I think are worth mentioning:

Stubbornness

This isn’t necessarily a good trait, but it’s one that defines the Airedale breed. You may have heard to these dogs referred to as ‘air heads’ in the past; this nickname comes from the misconception that Airedales can’t understand commands. On the contrary, they’re more than intelligent enough to understand what you tell them to do, but they might not always feel like listening.

Once an Airedale sets their mind on something, it can be very difficult to sway them from this task. Because of that, it’s incredibly important to train these dogs when they’re young so that the worst of their bad habits can be broken.

However, the Airedale’s stubbornness can also be a virtue. They’ll rarely ever back down from a challenge, and they’ve been known to fiercely protect the members of their family even when the odds are against them. In WWI, this determination is the reason that Airedales were used to relay messages behind enemy lines; there are countless stories of them delivering important information despite suffering terrible injuries.

Wanderlust

Above all else, it’s important that you always keep your Airedale entertained. This dog was brought up as a working breed, and for years they were relied upon by farmers, hunters, and police officers. Because of that past, Airedales tend to get bored easily if they’re not occupied. This can lead to them wandering off (my second Airedale was constantly getting lost on our property when he was a puppy).

If you don’t have enough land for the Airedale to wander around on, they’ll take this energy out in more destructive fashions, such as digging up your back yard or chewing your furniture. This isn’t because they’re trying to be bad; it’s simply because the Airedale has a lot of energy that they need to get out.

This curiosity also comes up when you’re trying to train your Airedale. You need to come up with interesting and engaging ways to challenge them, or they’re going to get bored of what you’re doing.

Intelligence

As I’ve said, anyone who calls these dogs ‘air heads’ is simply showing that they’ve ever owned an Airedale. As long as you train them at a young age and teach them in a way that excites them, there’s virtually no task that your Airedale can’t do. In the past, Airedales have been hunting dogs, police dogs, messenger dogs, demolition assistants, and a range of other tasks.

There are also some thigs that the Airedale picks up on intuitively. They have a very good protective instincts, and they can sense who is part of their family and who needs looking after. When my sister and I were both born young, my parent’s Airedale immediately understood that he needed to look after us, especially when strangers were around.

So, Is the Airedale Right for Me?

Given all of that, it should be pretty clear that an Airedale isn’t the right dog for everyone. If you want a low-maintenance animal that will chill around the house and cuddle with you, I wouldn’t recommend getting an Airedale.

Instead, these dogs are great for people who want a partner if life — someone who’s always happy to play with them and be by their side. However, this engagement is a two-way street; you should only get an Airedale if you’re prepared to put in the effort to keep it entertained.

In terms of size, I would say don’t get an Airedale unless you like a little bit of roughhousing. Like I’ve mentioned, my current Airedale Theo is a big guy, and there’s nothing he loves more than when we chase him around and fight with him. This means that I sometimes get scratched, bitten, or jumped on.

Now, that type of play isn’t for everyone, so I would recommend taking that into consideration before you get an Airedale.

Dogs Similar to an Airedale

So, if an Airedale isn’t for you but you want a medium-sized dog, what are some good alternatives? There are several dog breeds out there that are similar to an Airedale with some different personality traits.

Poodles

Poodles come in three different sizes, with the largest being roughly the same size as an Airedale. A male standard poodle will be around 22 inches tall and weigh 45-70 pounds; that makes it almost exactly the same size as an Airedale.

Beyond their dimensions, poodles and Airedales share a lot in common:

• Both of them are hypoallergenic, which means that they shed less and have less dandruff than most other dogs do. However, it should be noted that they aren’t completely allergy-free.
• Poodles are also very intelligent, and maybe even more so than the Airedale. Poodles are considered to be one of the most intelligent dog breeds.
• Poodles are very playful dogs, although they’re not as high-energy as the Airedale. They also don’t like to roughhouse as much, although they still enjoy playing.

Poodles are a very common dogs breed, and they have a lot going for them. If you’re a first-time dog owner or you don’t think you want to deal with the stubbornness of an Airedale, a poodle would be a good choice.

German Shepherd

Although these are classified as a large dog, they tend to be pretty similarly sized to an Airedale, coming in slightly larger at 24-26 inches tall and about 50-100 pounds.

As a breed, these dogs have gained massive popularity because of their intelligence, trainability, and loyalty. They’re the favoured breed for work and utility rolls such as police and border security, because of their good scenting ability and how smart they are. In fact, it was the German shepherd that replaced the Airedale in this roll.

German shepherd’s do shed a lot, which can be a disadvantage for some people. Additionally, as a larger pure breed, these dogs tend to be fairly prone to health issues, which can shorten their lifespan.

Labradoodle

Playful, cute, and with a hypoallergenic coat, the labradoodle has a lot in common with the Airedale. In fact, Theo seems to love labradoodles, and he always seeks them out to play at the dog park.

Originally bred to be a guide dog for people who were allergic, the labradoodle has since morphed into a household presence in America. Although there’s some controversy surrounding the breed, Labradoodles have become known for their playful and quirky attitudes. They combine the intelligence of a poodle with the goofiness of a Labrador.

One thing about this breed is that they don’t like to be left alone. They’re very codependent dogs, and they required a lot of attention (especially as puppies). That’s a decently strong contrast to an Airedale, who likes to spend time on their own and values their personal space.

Husky

One of the most instantly recognizable dogs out there, Huskies share a lot with Airedales in terms of size and temperament. They have almost identical physical measurements, although Huskies can be a little bit larger. Like Airedales, they were bred for hard work, as they used to haul sleds around the frozen reaches of Alaska.

Similar to Airedales, Huskies are stubborn, sometimes reckless, and very independent dogs. They like to do things their own way, and they can quickly become bored with the daily routines of a mundane life. You should do your best to keep your husky tired and entertained, or they may turn destructive.

Like German Shepherds, Huskies tend to shed a lot, so if your household has someone with allergies, these dogs might not be the best choice.