A dog called Colne Crack, who was a beautiful little terrier was
another of the early shown ones by whom the breed has lost nothing,
and two other terriers whose names are much revered by lovers of the
breed are Cholmondeley Briar and Briar Test.
Some years ago, when the breed was in the stage referred to above,
a club was formed to look after its interests, and there is no doubt
that though perhaps phenomenal success did not attend its efforts,
it did its best, and forms a valuable link in the chain of popularity
of the Airedale. It was at best apparently a sleepy sort of concern,
and never seems to have attracted new fanciers. Some dozen or so years
ago, however, a club, destined not only to make a great name for
itself, but also to do a thousandfold more good to the breed it
espouses than ever the old club did, was formed under the name of
the South of England Airedale Terrier Club, and a marvellously
successful and popular life it has so far lived. The younger club
was in no way an antagonist of the older one, and it has ever been
careful that it should not be looked upon in any way as such. The
old club has, however, been quite overshadowed by the younger, which,
whether it wishes it or not, is now looked upon as the leading society
in connection with the breed.
At a meeting of the first club--which went by the name of the Airedale
Terrier Club--held in Manchester some eighteen or twenty years ago,
the following standard of perfection and scale of points was drawn
up and adopted:--
* * * * *
HEAD--Long, with flat skull, but not too broad between the ears,
narrowing slightly to the eyes, free from wrinkle; stop hardly
visible, and cheeks free from fullness; jaw deep and powerful, well
filled up before the eyes; lips light; ears V-shaped with a side
carriage, small but not out of proportion to the size of the dog;
the nose black; the eyes small and dark in colour, not prominent,
and full of terrier expression; the teeth strong and level. The neck
should be of moderate length and thickness, gradually widening towards
the shoulders and free from throatiness. SHOULDERS AND CHEST--Shoulders
long and sloping well into the back, shoulder-blades flat, chest deep,
but not broad. BODY--Back short, strong and straight; ribs well
sprung. HIND-QUARTERS--Strong and muscular, with no drop; hocks well
let down; the tail set on high and carried gaily, but not curled over
the back. LEGS AND FEET--Legs perfectly straight, with plenty of bone;
feet small and round with good depth of pad. COAT--Hard and wiry,
and not so long as to appear ragged; it should also be straight and
close, covering the dog well over the body and legs. COLOUR--The head
and ears, with the exception of dark markings on each side of the
skull, should be tan, the ears being a darker shade than the rest,
the legs up to the thigh and elbows being also tan, the body black
or dark grizzle. WEIGHT--Dogs 40 lb. to 45 lb., bitches slightly less.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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