Full Cry Column
June 2002

Kevin G. Kelly - Southern Working Airedale Terrier Association correspondent

Crack of dawn at the RDR Ranch, mid-April, sun coming through loud and clear but temperature holding at only 40 degrees. Yesterday I got up put on my work shorts, boots and a sweatshirt and walked out side to take Dan to school and thought this 'shorts' idea may need to be re-thought. I believe I was writing in Feb. about what great spring weather we were getting so early now it's switched around. I actually like the idea of sweater weather at night and early morning and t-shirt weather during the day. I think the dogs like it too. They can really move out in this type of climate.
Despite the temperature, the robins have made their presence know with their morning and evening serenade, the narcissus have come, as well as the tulips and wild Iris'. Spring has arrived and you can feel it in the air.
Well the wild pig predation at the local country club is going well I would say. We haven't harvested a great number of pigs but they have been harassed enough to move to the other end of their twenty mile range and stay off the course. I will be taking the dogs and pursuing them farther into the woods. So far, I have just set a trap and a stand. We were there on the night of the full moon and witnessed a whole drift of pigs moving towards the fairways. I tried to take a full moon shot without benefit of the spot light and missed. I'm still not sure why I wanted to take that pig, with out the aid of technology, excluding the gun of course. But I missed the shot and they all headed for the hills. We sent them into the next county I believe, at least for the time being.
I picked up an idea for a corral type trap that I like a lot. It has a trap door at the face of a circle of cattle fencing. Five feet high seems to be sufficient to keep them from jumping over. I've been baiting an area and will put together the trap door very soon.
We got a nice pig in my box trap yesterday. As I approached the trap the pig charged straight at me several times, convinced it could break through the wire. I yelled back to the superintendent of the golf course that I believed the pig to be about 120 pounds. When I shot the pig and it fell down I told him it was probably closer to 80 pounds. "They just look bigger when they are coming straight at you!"
The front page of the Valley Press, our local newspaper, ran an article on the pig population in Santa Cruz County and the surrounding areas yesterday. I think there will be a need for more predation work. We will see.
The dogs are all doing fine we get out to chase things around in the woods fairly often and I have been taking them with me out into the world at large more often. Brisk has always gone with me and is very calm around most situations but as the number of animals in the dog yard increases, the amount of socialization decreases. That is part of the number one influence on my keeping the number of dogs as low as I can; I don't want a bunch of Airedales, not getting to do, enough, of what they love to do. " I'm just going to have to hunt a lot more. It's the best solution, I think."
I have heard from Keith Monteith from up in Washington on the progress of his Kelly/Abby pup that he named Kelly. I had written to him to tell him I had a friend near where he lives that has had Labradors until recently when he had some bad luck with the early death of his good Lab, Jack. I would like to give him an Airedale so I thought maybe he could see Keiths. This is what Keith had to say; " Kevin I don't think your friend would be disappointed with an Airedale. Before I bought this pup I had a chocolate lab that was a real good hunting dog but he had so much energy that he was a real pain. I kept him for six years spent two thousand dollars on getting him trained. I finally gave him to a kid in Ferndale, Washington who lived on 160 acres. The Airedale has been a very fun dog with lots of energy in the field but she is a much smarter dog and is a easy dog to live with. Your friend is real close to where I live 40 minutes or so if he would like to see my pup work I would be glad to show him. I don't know how well the Airedales take to the water as this is my first purebred Airedale and I didn't want to take her in any deep water as its still pretty cold here and I'm just waiting for the weather to get warm, she runs through the marshy puddles without hesitation, and she sure seems to be hearty enough. I have been working her on quail I haven't had her retrieving any big birds yet I am taking it real slow with her I want her to be big enough to easily carry one before I try her on them I believe that can start a pup towards being hard mouthed. She is soft mouthed so far. The birds have been coming back alive and undamaged. She is growing so fast she will soon be able to pack a large bird with ease and I would really like to hunt with you this coming year.[the lab I owned had three hunting titles the Airedale has already impressed me more in the field at equal ages no contest. She marks better and is just way nicer to have around. That's the most important thing to me; hunting season only lasts a few months. Take care Keith Monteith"
Keith thanks for staying in touch. I don't keep up with the Labrador dogs enough to know whether that sort of high strung, energy level is more or less prevalent today than in the past but my neighbors have a female that will not calm down. My friend has loved every one of his labs, and I knew a couple of them to be nice dogs. But I am a complete and total Airedale fan all the way. One of the reasons is because of their personable nature. Another is their ability to hunt any given game on any given day. If you give the young Airedale the exposure, as you are, they are going to make a great partner.
The Airedale as a water dog is a very natural occurrence. They were bred for water rat competitions in the rivers and ponds in the Aire River Valley. Most Airedales if introduced to water properly will love it. I use Brisk as a waterfowl dog and she loves the water but does not like to sit in the blind… waiting. (The way I shoot she waits more than she should have too!)
I wrote Steve Brown awhile back and ask what he had heard on the Dusty/Shonie pups and if he had kept any? This is what I heard back, on April 7th ; " I have kept one male pup. I call him Tracker. He is a beautiful short, yet very curly and mostly black coat with short facial beard and at 61/2 months is only about 21 inches and 45 lbs.(a small fellow that retrieves and is a gamy boy on coon and is a good hide locator when a hide from a coon is drug around and hidden)
I ended up with 3 smooth coats like Shonie, (2 females and one male) one very shaggy long curly boy, one in between (Tracker) short coat but curly, and 4 boys with Dusty's coat which is medium shaggy with facial beard and leggings.
I have received nice letters and pictures from 3 new owners saying that they were very pleased with the looks and intelligence in the training of their new pups, and that they blended in beautifully in there new surroundings. Two new owners have called me on the phone expressing there thanks for selling them such awesome dogs. One pup has earned the name Einstien, because his owner, Linda Ward, can't believe just how smart and happy and willing to please, that he is, and he looks just like Dusty and fortunately is living just 15 miles from me. And one female who was slick and went to a bear and hog hunter in Klamath Falls, Oregon is totally amazed at her hunt desire and smarts. Stan Wickersham, bear and hog hunter says Lacy treed 15 coon already, and bayed up 2 wild hogs in a thicket all by herself already and that she retrieves anything and is a very good tree barking girl and that she has trained easily using a training collar and sleeps in their house on a mat. Most sold as pets and only 2 actually went to hunters, and I have not heard back from the other hunter yet.
And 2 breeders that saw my sign stopped in and would like very much to breed their females to Dusty. He is a real eye catcher. So I told them yes, and I would either charge $400 stud fee or pick of the litter. So things are really coming together quite well. And I never had to ship any of them. I drove 200 miles twice, to meet buyers at a halfway point and I enjoy doing that. Only 1 female went out of state (Eureka,Ca.)
And Shonie is due to drop another litter on 5/1/02 so I'm very excited about seeing some more puppies soon.(: That pretty well sums it up.
Thanks for your interest and I hope to meet you in person sometime.
See Ya, Steve
P.S. I hope this finds you and your family in the Best of Times. Sincerely, Steve and Katherine Brown (Airedales Lovers in the Great Northwest (:(:
Well Steve, you and Katherine know how to have fun. That new litter will be here for about a month when this edition of Full Cry goes out and that's about when they start getting real interesting.
I still think A Dusty (Cajun/Maggie)/Brigid (Slim/Brisk) cross would be a good one, we will see…
Speaking of Cajun offspring I saw a post from Taylor Johnson about his good dog Cully, he said "Back some time, I wrote about Cully and the porcupine. Well he had me worried again. I was putting up some fence and he was running rabbits around behind my house when I got ready to go to town I called for him and he did not come. So I walked back behind my house to call him and still nothing so I went a little further and I could here him treed hard, so I ran back to my house and got my gun and went to him. He was in as big and nasty a swamp as you would ever want to walk threw, the water was up to my crotch and the brush was so thick you could barely move in it. I went a ways and stopped to listen on a high little patch of ground in the swamp I could hear him blowing the top out of the tree a very hard chop. From that point on I could see a big tree on the other side of the swamp and I could also see something big and black in it and I got fired up. Now from there I could see all the brush laid down and bent over a head of me so I started making tracks to the tree. At this point the icy water didn't have an effect on me I had to much adrenalin going and the second half of the swamp was shorter than the first or at least it seemed that way. When I got there I could see what he had it was about a 250 to 300 pound bear in a big white pine tree. I was very proud of him for treeing it all by him self and let me tell you he wanted that bear to come down that tree, he was chop barking and slobber mouthed bug eyed crazzey it was beautiful. The walk out of the swamp was allot colder than the walk in just to give you an idea there was still snow on the ground and I was very, very wet but it did not matter to me I was to proud of my dog and best of all it was knot a porky.
I called MR. Glenn Overstreet and told him and he was happy for me to. His old Cajun dog { now Matts dog } was a good bear dog and had a chop mouth just like his boy Cully.
Taylor I'm real happy for you and Cully. It is so satisfying, seeing these dogs doing what they love to do. Thanks for telling your story.
Taylor and Cully live up in Springbrook, Wisconsin. Cully is from one of the Cajun/BosLaydee litters bred by Glen Overstreet in California, before Cajun went to Matt Thom out in Arizona.

Well this being spring there is more than one litter hitting the ground. I heard from Nancy and Eddie Boatwright from back in Tennessee and they had another healthy Chief/Katie litter. This is what Nancy had to say about the delivery day; "Eddie asked me to send you the news on Katie's puppies when I woke up this morning and was better able (meaning "more awake") to let you know what we have. She spent all day yesterday outside in the big whelping box very quietly lying on her side panting, occasionally sitting up or scratching at the carpet. We had rain and thunderstorms all day which usually frighten her and send her to her hiding place under the porch. She pretty much ignored them all day. After dinner we decided since it was getting so cool outside after the front came through that she should come inside. Eddie went to bed around 8 since he has to get up to go to work at 4 a.m. She delivered the first pup, a 13 oz. male, at 8:40 and the seventh at 11:20. Since I usually go to bed when Eddie does I was too tired by then to try to keep up with gender and weight so I don't know which one was born last. I did determine gender and weigh them all this morning and have them identified by the amount and shape of white on their chests. We have four males and three females for a total of seven. All but one male and one female have a little white on their chests. We like for them to have no white at all but understand that a white mark on the chest of an Airedale is acceptable. Their weights this morning range from 11 oz. to 15 oz. with most of them weighing in at around 13, at least that's the best I can tell with them a wiggling on my food scale. Katie and all the pups are doing great and are happy and healthy. Katie is tired, of course, and is not ready to leave them yet. She did eat a little cottage cheese with her usual food a little while ago. I am very proud of her and a little bit relieved for her sake that she didn't have a litter of twelve again even though there are going to be some disappointed folks on the puppy list.
We'll try to send some pictures in a day or so. Nancy "
It sounds as if the birthing went very well and I am always happy for that. If there is a female Bucky in that litter sign me up. (Bucky is a male from the last litter from this cross and he is causing a lot excitement in the way he turned out.)

I got a letter from Earl Hubb saying he was going to get one of Kraig Glazier's Chukar/Molly pups, the following week-end. And I'm hoping to get some good field reports from him. He is a cat and bear hunter in Idaho and I believe will put that pup in the world it should be in, to test it's make-up and prove it out as a hunter. We almost had a second one go to an outfitter in Montana, but as hard as Sandy Seaton Sallee and I wished it so we couldn't get her husband Scott's brother to pick one up, to work it into the network. I hope he doesn't regret it later. I also know what it is like to want a certain pup from a certain litter and decide for one reason or another why it's just not time. I wouldn't be surprised if that cross, got made again.
Here's what Earl had to say in his own words; "I talked to Kraig the night you had sent me that email. He described the pups to me and I will be going to Helena in two weeks to pick one up. I can't wait. Too bad I'll have to wait till next year to take him on the good hunts. As soon as I convert some pictures to digital I'll send you pictures of a couple of my Airedales.

Spring bear opened this week. I have already heard about one bear walking along a road here. We are getting snowed on right now but hoping to maybe see one myself this week end. Happy hunting. Earl Hubb"
Thanks for staying in touch Earl. Let us know how that pup is progressing for you.
A while back I received a phone call from Joe Vitali, looking for a full grown, hunting Airedale to be used for Upland and Waterfowl. I put the word out and heard from a couple of people. One of the guys that called was Tom Anderson. He kept two pups from his last litter but due to a change in situation, he has decided to sell the male pup, Stanley(Steele/Dixy). Steele belongs to Billy Harkins and Dixy is Tom's. Here's what he said; " Dixy's parents are a sister to Henry's, Sandhill Cove Mink, a littermate called Gingko. Her father was Lawrence Alexander's dog Dwyaire's Johnny Reb. The pup is about 17 months old. He weighs about 70 lbs. He looks like his daddy Steele. He has no hunting experience, but I feel he would take to it. I had planned to hunt these dogs, but I changed jobs last year and I simply do not have the time. It is unfair to the dog and I would like to see him somewhere he can be used for what he was bred. We intend to keep his sister as a farm dog who will probably even be allowed to come inside on occasion. I have good reports on several of the littermates who are being hunted on coon, squirrel and bear. Hope this helps. Best regards, Tom Anderson"
If any one is interested, get in touch with me and I'll connect you to Tom. The dog has some pretty impressive ancestors and most likely could be worked into a very good hunting dog.
I had correspondence with Ken from up in Bend, Oregon, he has a pup from the Tagger/Micky cross. My Airedale is just a pup right now, she (Sadie) is my first Airedale, before that I kept just bird dogs (springers).
Sadie's sire is Tagger who is from Matt Thom, and the dam is Micky who is one of John-Henry's dogs. No field reports yet but give her time.
I love Tagger, he's Athena with a "Third Quadrant" coat. A lot like Steve Browns Dusty (BTW, I'm in Bend Oregon, is Steve Brown local to me?) I was in the local Wally-World last week and saw a young, 6 month old slick coated pup in the back of someone's truck, just wondering."
I included this little bit from Ken because he says Tagger strikes him as quite a bit like Athena in a third quadrant coat. Athena, was John-Henry's compadre' and hard hunting partner that he unfortunately lost to a Javelina. We are sorry for your loss John-Henry and Matt Thom, and hope that your other Airedales and pups of the future can rise up the ladder and help fill the void.
Ken do stay in touch and keep us up to date on Sadie's adventures. And to answer your question Steve Brown is northwest of you but it sure could have been one of his pups.
Step back in time to June 1992. The Tennessee Valley Airedale Terrier column in Full Cry. Written by Henry Johnson Jr.: "In mid-march I attended the WBCA(Wild Boar Conservation Association) baying contest at Eufala, Alabama. Bay dogs only are allowed. Any dog that catches is disqualified. Most of the hog dogs entered in these events are Catahoulas, Plott hounds or Cur crosses of one kind or another. Little by little, Airedales are beginning to come into use. Some, like Alabama Hacksaw, belonging to Henderson Johnson of Skipperville, Alabama, are used primarily as catch dogs. Mark James of St. Petersburg, Florida, who hunts Blueticks and Mastiff/Cur crosses on hogs, told me a friend from the Gainesville area who switched to Airedales from Bulldogs because the Bulldogs were too quarrelsome and quick to fight with other dogs. I have heard this from other hog hunters who are looking to Airedales for a dog that will catch solid yet be less quarrelsome than a Bulldog.
In general, I think it is the male Airedale that is more likely to catch. The females as a rule are more likely to be content to bay only. I suppose the ideal would be a dog that both bays and catches but catches only on command or in what it considers an emergency situation where a human is involved and is in trouble. Airedales have the reputation of being thinking dogs and of exercising judgment about when to hold off and when to pull all stops and give it all they've got. Bobby Harper of Pembroke, Georgia, says his Airedale Bo has been very catchy when hog hunted with several other dogs or when Bobby himself was in the middle of the fight.
He was surprised to see Bo bay only when entered in the one-dog baying contest at Eufala. "I believe Ol' Bo has got more brains than I've been giving him credit for," said bobby. " I'm going to start hunting him by himself or teamed only with a dog I know will only bay and will not catch under any circumstances." The trick, of course, is to have dogs that will put enough pressure on the hogs to stop them and hold them but not so much to make them break and run another mile deeper into the swamp. Chances are you are deep enough already.
If you can get dogs that will catch only on command but will catch good and solid when they do, two or three would be all you would need for any dangerous game. More than that just get in each others way I a fight and cause loss of judgment so the dogs get too aggressive and get cut or killed because of it. I think dogs are a lot like high school boys. Any one of them alone has a certain amount of brains and judgment. When two come together the combined brains and judgment become marginal. With three or more packed together, you can pretty much kiss the brains and judgment good-bye and macho takes over. I know about this phenomenon because I was a high school boy myself once. Anyway, I think the solidly-bred working Airedale can do it all if properly trained and given time to mature and learn the job.
Bobby Harper's Airedale Bo, Airedale Shadow, owned by Lawrence Pace of Woodstock, Georgia, and Henderson Johnson's Alabama Hacksaw were all, present at Eufaula. They are much alike, all being good, solid, old-breed Airedales with stable temperament, wagging tails, grinning faces and all the guts in the world when the chips are down. These three are all in the 50 to 65 pound range, which I think is just about right to give the best combination of power and quickness in the working dog."
I'm sure glad we can go back to those columns of ten years ago and reflect on what was considered and thought, in regards to these hard working Airedales and see that in most cases it rings very true and it is good to have the reminder. There is a lot of hog activity these days and nobody wants to see their dogs, their hunting partners, cut up or killed.
I want to remind all of you readers to send in your field reports, to both Clint and I. Folks all over the country are interested in reading about fellow Airedale adventures in the field, so keep sending them in. If you see a dogs name that you recognize from the past or if you see your own name, get in touch I would like to know what you're up to today. Do you still have Airedales? Are you still, hunting them?
Quote of the month; "Discipline is the bridge between Goals and Accomplishments."
Well that's it for this month but Clint and I will be here in the future, with more tales and comments, about Airedales as hunting, working, companion dogs.
As Henry S. Johnson Jr. says; " Let us hear from you Airedale people. And don't forget to put your arms around those furry black and tan dogs with the beards and the moustaches and talk to them. They are people dogs and family members."
Respectfully submitted, Kevin G. Kelly, Corresponding Secretary for the Working Airedale Terrier Association. No rules, regulations, officers, dues or formal affiliations. It's more a state of mind.