Airedale Terriers are what is known as a "trimmed breed" as such they need regular grooming to ensure both their coats and skin stay in good condition. Puppies need to be taught to stand still on a table to make life easier when they need to be trimmed which will need to be done at least three times a year, although this does depend on a dog's coat.
A puppy would need their first "trim" when they are around 6 months old and ideally, this should be done by a professional dog groomer who would be happy to let you watch them groom your dog so you get to see how it is done. Older Airedales need to he "hand stripped", not clipped and again, it's best to leave this task up to a professional dog groomer unless you know exactly what it entails and how to do it yourself.
Airedales do shed quite a bit and like other breeds, this tends to be more in the Spring and then again in the Autumn when more frequent brushing may be necessary to keep on top of things.
Being high-energy dogs, Airedale Terriers need to be given the correct amount of exercise on a daily basis and ideally this should be 2 hours. The more exercise an Airedale gets, the happier they are and it needs to include lots of mental stimulation. With this said, puppies should not be taken out for long walks to begin with because they are still growing and developing so too much physical exercise would put a little too much strain on their joints and bones.
Once they've had all their shots, puppies can be taken on short walks so they get to meet new people, other dogs and it's important for them to be introduced to new situations which all goes a long way when it comes to a dog growing into a well-balanced and confident character that is a pleasure to be around and take anywhere.
Airedale Terriers need to be fed a good quality, well-balanced diet throughout their lives making sure it meets all their nutritional needs when they puppies, mature dogs and then when they reach their golden years.
If you've decided on getting an Airedale puppy from a breeder, they will have provided you with a feeding schedule for them. It's important to keep to their feeding routine and to feed the same type of food to avoid them developing a tummy upset. You can change the food, but this needs to be done gradually over a period of a few weeks and it has to be good quality puppy food because Airedales do a lot of growing and developing in the first 12 months of their lives.
A mature Airedale expends a lot of energy during the day which means they need to be fed a good quality diet to meet their nutritional needs. They are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can opt to feed an Airedale a lower quality diet.
Because the breed is known to suffer from bloat/gastric torsion, it's essential not to feed an Airedale Terrier just before they are due to go out for a walk and you should not feed them straight away on their return home from a walk either. It's best to wait for a dog to cool down before offering them any food to avoid them developing bloat. It's also a good idea to feed an adult dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening for the same reason.
