People will ask:  “How can he be a terrier?  Why he is an outrage on the very word, which can only mean a dog to go to ground; and to what animal in the country of his birth can an Airedale go to ground?” Above ground and in water, however, an Airedale can, and does, perform in a very excellent manner everything that any other terrier can do.  As a water dog he is, of course, in his element; for work on land requiring a hard, strong, fast and resolute terrier he is, needless to say, of great value; and he is said to be also, when trained—­as can easily be imagined when one considers his power of scent, his strength, sagacity, and speed—­a most excellent gun-dog.  He is, in fact, a general utility dog, for add to the above-mentioned qualities those of probably an incomparable guard and a most excellent companion, faithful and true, and ask yourself what do you want more, and what breed of dog, taken all round, can beat him?

The Airedale is not of ancient origin.  He was probably first heard of about the year 1850.  He is undoubtedly the product of the Otterhound and the old Black and Tan wire-haired terrier referred to in the chapters on the wire-hair Fox and the Welsh Terriers.  When one considers the magnificent nobleness, the great sagacity, courage, and stateliness of the Otterhound, the great gameness, cheek, and pertinacity of the old Black and Tan wire-hair, such a cross must surely produce an animal of excellent type and character.

Yorkshire, more especially that part of it round and about the town of Otley, is responsible for the birth of the Airedale.  The inhabitants of the country of broad acres are, and always have been, exceedingly fond of any kind of sport—­as, indeed, may also be said of their brothers of the Red Rose—­but if in connection with that sport a dog has to be introduced, then indeed are they doubly blessed, for they have no compeers at the game.

Otter-hunting was formerly much indulged in by the people living in the dales of the Aire and the Wharfe, and not only were packs of Otterhounds kept, but many sportsmen maintained on their own account a few hounds for their personal delectation.  These hounds were no doubt in some instances a nondescript lot, as, indeed, are several of the packs hunting the otter to-day, but there was unquestionably a good deal of Otterhound blood in them, and some pure bred hounds were also to be found.  Yorkshire also has always been the great home of the terrier.  Fox-terriers, as we now know them, had at this time hardly been seen.  The terrier in existence then was the Black and Tan wire-hair, a hardy game terrier, a great workman on land or in water.

Whether by design or accident is not known, but the fact remains that in or about the year mentioned a cross took place between these same hounds and terriers.  It was found that a handier dog was produced for the business for which he was required, and it did not take many years to populate the district with these terrier-hounds, which soon came to be recognised as a distinct breed.  The Waterside Terrier was the name first vouchsafed to the new variety.  After this they went by the name of Bingley Terriers, and eventually they came to be known under their present appellation.