Airedale Terriers have been around for many years. We've known them in the role of hunting dog, show dog, watchdog and family pet. There are many facts about the Airedale Terrier that many people are not aware of.

The Airedale Terrier has been the winner of four Best in Show crowns. Best in Show is about the highest honor a dog can get.

The Airedale has been given a couple different nicknames through the years. Because it is the largest of all the terrier breeds, it is also known as "The King of Terriers". They are also known as the Waterside Terrier because of their great hunting ability in the water. When they originated in the Valley of Aire in England, he was thought to be a cross between the Old English Terrier, the Otter hound and other varieties of Terriers. He was a sturdy useful dog that could do anything, it seemed, so was given the title "Jack of All Trades".

Did you know that before the German shepherd took over the role, the Airedale Terrier was used for Search and Rescue and police work? This in itself is a testament to their loyalty, courage and intelligence as only the very best dogs are used in such important work.

Did you also know that the Airedale Terrier was named after the Aire River in the Aire Valley of England? Terriers were used for the hunting work and crossbred with other dogs to create what they called the Airedale Terrier. The foundation sire for the Airedales is an Airedale from England named Airedale Jerry.

Some very famous people own Airedale Terriers such as the famous French artist Lea Stein, who owns a great little Airedale named Ric. Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge all owned Airedales at the same time. In fact, Woodrow Wilson liked the Airedale Terrier so much that he owned two of them, Sandy and Davie. Another interesting fact is that when the Titanic went down, two Airedale terriers also went down and lost their lives. John Wayne also owned an Airedale Terrier named either Duke or Little Duke. Warren G. Harding also owned an Airedale Terrier named Laddie Boy, whom he included in many of his cabinet meetings.

President Theodore Roosevelt is remembered as saying, "An Airedale can do anything that any other dog can and then lick the other dog".

Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan named his Airedale Terrier after the fiction character he created: Tarzan.

Bo Derek also owned an Airedale Terrier that she names "Harum Scarum".

The First Airedale to ever come into America was in 1881 and his name was Bruce. This was the start of the great hunting and working breed we know today.