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