The Airedale Terrier has had a reputation of being an all round dog that can do well at any task it is put to and I am breeding with this in mind.
The breed standard is of little use when determining what the Airedale temperament should be but says he should be outgoing and confident, not aggressive but fearless. Many Airedales end up as companion dogs therefore the Airedale should not be aloof but attentive to its owner and ready to do his bidding. Airedales make loving companion or family dogs but these are high energy dogs that require a fair amount of exercise. If you have very small children in your home then perhaps waiting until the child is capable of dealing with a medium size active dog before purchasing a puppy is appropriate and a small caveat is in order here as well. These dogs are terriers and they come from working/hunting stock and they can develop attitude towards cats or other small animals. Spaying or neutering should probably be routine for a family pet and should be done at an early age before any bad habits are ingrained.
I look for retrieve instinct in my dogs and it is my opinion that a dog that will retrieve has a strong desire to please and will make a dog that is easy to train and a joy to own. Many enjoyable hours can be spent at the beach or park tossing sticks or balls for your dog to retrieve.
The Airedales coat should be hard, straight and wiry with a soft curly coat being less desirable. I breed for a good hard coat but some pups have softer coats and these generally will go to people who are merely looking for a house pet where a softer coat is not a problem. They do require occasional grooming including once or twice yearly clipping of their coat so the cost of grooming or clippers should be factored into their upkeep.
I like an Airedale to be just over the size stated in most breed standards of 23 inches for dogs and feel that 24 - 25 inches is perfect. A dog of this height of approximately 65 - 70 lbs. should be agile enough to perform well while not being a burden to travel with or too small to function as a physical deterrent, retriever or hunter.
If you have never owned an Airedale I would encourage you to purchase or borrow from the library a book on Airedales which will go into far more detail then is possible here the care, temperament and history of the breed and talk to people that have owned or do own the breed. My goal is not to sell puppies but to ensure they go to homes where they will be loved and appreciated.