Doggie Tales

THE AIREDALE The Airedale has been famous since 1850 as one of the most useful and friendly of dogs. His name comes from the river Aire in Yorkshire. Here the hardy Yorkshiremen bred a dog that would chase otters in the swift streams that feed the Aire. They hunted rabbits, too, for rabbit pie, and they ran down the rascally badgers in their snug dens in the hills. It takes a clever, obedient, brave dog to hunt like this, sometimes at night, on land and on water; and the Yorkshiremen set about to breed such a dog. The result is the Airedale of to-day, famous over the entire world.

He will drive sheep or cattle; he will help drag a sled; he will tend the baby; he will hunt anything from a bear to a field mouse. He can run like a wolf, and he takes to water like an otter. He is kind, obedient, and thoroughly trustworthy as a playmate for children, or as a watchman.

He is not very beautiful. But his spirited eyes and his mouth, that seems to smile so often, are winning, and there are fine lines beneath his wiry, shaggy coat. It is really a double coat. On top there is wiry thick hair which is a perfect armor against all kinds of thorns, claws, and teeth. In this jacket, Mr. Airedale can take a swim in the river, scramble out, shake himself, roll over, and be dry.