What are the Best Dog Foods for Airedale Terriers?
The lively, athletic Airedale Terrier makes an excellent family companion. A breed with an air of nobility, the Airedale is full of charm and spiritedness. Its high prey drive makes it best suited to families with terrier experience or those who can keep this breed mentally stimulated.
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Breed Info
Breed Group:Terrier | AKC Airedale Terrier Profile
Ideal Weight:Female Adult: 37 to 48 pounds
Male Adult: 51 to 64 pounds
Exercise Need:45 to 75 minutes per day
Breed Summary
The Airedale Terrier traces its roots to the Aire Valley in Yorkshire, England. Its original purpose was to rid properties of nuisance creatures, such as otters and rats. In later years, the Airedale played a vital role as a working dog, serving alongside soldiers in World War I.
The Airedale is a bold breed that possesses an innate intelligence. A dog that is playful to its core, the Airedale bonds deeply with its family and enjoys spending time in active pursuits with those it loves most.
A highly active breed, the Airedale requires vigorous, daily exercise to remain physically and mentally content. They make excellent companions for children and have the stamina to keep pace with their busyness and fun all day long.
The Airedale takes great delight in digging, chasing small animals it considers prey, and making lots of noise. It is a breed known for its independent spirit, making it a challenge to train. However, Airedales are sensitive by nature and require a gentle hand in training. Though the breed is quite friendly, it also possesses a strong instinct to protect its family members.
Fun Fact: The largest of all the terrier breeds, the Airedale is affectionately referred to as “the King of terriers.”
Physical Traits
Athletic, graceful, strong, flexible, muscular
Personality Traits
Playful, intelligent, friendly, affectionate, spirited
Health Considerations
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Though Airedale Terriers are typically a very healthy breed, there are some health problems that can befall them. The most common ailments which can affect the airedale are hip dysplasia, allergies, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, and von willebrand’s disease.
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Hip Dysplasia
hip dysplasia is a genetic condition airedales can inherit from one or both parents. It is seen when the hip bone does not rest properly within the socket, causing bone to rub against bone. It can be a very painful condition for the dog and often leads to lameness. arthritis often sets in early in airedales with hip dysplasia. The only prevention is genetic testing before breeding, but treating symptoms can help ease pain. For overall joint health, we like diets with:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Chondroitin・ Glucosamine・ Green Mussel・ Methylsulfonymethane・ Omega-3 from Fish Oil・ Taurine・ Turmeric・ Vitamin E -
Thyroid Support and Symptom Management
Thyroid issues can be common in airedales. hypothyroidism, for example, is a genetic illness that occurs when the thyroid gland does not function properly. The symptoms of this disease include obesity, poor energy, hair loss, and skin problems. Both diet and medication play a role in helping the airedale achieve a healthy thyroid.
Recommendations:
Large bites (to slow chewing)・ L-carnitine・ Low calorie・ Low fat・ Low iodine -
Von Willebrand’s Disease
Von Willebrand’s Disease is a genetic disorder that is seen in both humans and dogs. Airedales suffering from this condition do not possess the ability for their blood to clot properly. Though the illness is often identified when bleeding becomes profuse after an injury or surgery, it is also evidenced by nosebleeds, extended heat cycles, or even blood identified in feces. Medication is required to treat this problem.
From a nutrition perspective, Vitamin K helps blood clotting factors. Avoid nutraceuticals and supplements like turmeric which is a natural blood thinner.
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Are Fresh Food Diets Good for Airedale Terriers?
Only if they’re properly balanced.
Many well-intentioned Airedale Terriers parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.
Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets
✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists・ ✓ Customized portions for weight control・ ✓ Superior digestive and immune health ・✕ More expensive than standard dog food
Foods We Recommend for Airedale Terriers Puppies
How long do Airedale Terrierss need puppy food?
Until they're 12 to 16 months old.
Airedale Terriers are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young Airedale Terriers is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.
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Foods We Recommend for Airedale Terriers Adults
When should Airedale Terriers start transitioning to adult food?
When they're 12 to 16 months old
From a nutrition standpoint, Airedale Terriers become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for an Airedale Terrier
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Foods We Recommend for Airedale Terriers Seniors
When should Airedale Terriers start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but large dogs like Airedale Terriers can start to benefit from senior food around 6 to 8 years old
Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior Airedale Terriers slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.
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Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, and health considerations to recommend a science-based diet from over 10,000 options. Help maintain mobility, cognitive health, and quality of life.
Affiliate Disclosure:
We do not accept money to recommend pet foods. However, we do receive referral fees from online retailers (such as Chewy or Amazon) on qualifying purchases. Our recommendations are neutral, and diet recommendations are made without considering whether we will receive a referral fee.