WE JUST WANT A PET

Dear Jubilee,

I was just wondering about the pricing for an Airedale puppy. My girl-friend fell in love with my late uncle’s Airedale, and we are just looking for a family pet. I am not looking for a papered show dog, but would like to have a quality pet and would prefer not to go through a retail store to purchase a dog. Could you please provide some information for pricing? 

A Concerned Consumer 

Dear Consumer,

Airedale puppies from responsible breeders range in price across the United states from a low of $800 to a high of $1500. If you are looking for a quality dog, then what you want is a dog from a responsible breeder who

  • shows their breeding dogs to ensure that they conform to the Airedale Terrier standard
  • certifies the hips of the sire and dam to be free of canine hip dysplasia through either the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) and/or PennHIP
  • can show you a pedigree and discuss the health of the dogs in at least three, preferably five, generations behind the puppy you are buying
  • requires an interview with you to ensure that (a) you are a good home for an Airedale and (b) you will enjoy working with the breeder (after all, you need to be able to call the breeder with any concerns you may have
  • requires a contract that includes a requirement that you will spay or neuter your pet Airedale and that, if anything happens and you cannot keep the dog, the breeder will take it back at any age
  • provides you with a packet of information on the care, feeding and training of your new puppy when you take your puppy home
  • provides you with access to information on the health of the breed (typically tells you about the Airedale Terrier Club of America website which includes a study that is now about four years old on the health of the Airedale breed -- go to www.airedale.org, click on About ATCA, click on Committees, click on Health Study)
  • gives you information about the needs of the breed in your home and how much work they are

Keep in mind that pets have the toughest job of all: they must be ready and healthy enough at all times to keep up with your active life, relax with you while you watch TV, be friendly to all your guests, and do just about anything you want to do with a dog, especially an Airedale. Today, there are many options for pet owners: obedience training, obedience, agility, flyball, and herding competitions for fun, hunting and working, therapy dogs, and much much more. The more you do, the more fun your dog should be so your dog needs to be of the correct build to do everything Airedales were originally bred to do and healthy enough to do anything. And if your dog is of the correct build and has a lineage of good health, your vet bills should be relatively low.

Jubilee

 

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