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An Airedale Pitbull mix’s look is often unpredictable, but there are plenty of shared traits between their parent breeds that you can expect in this surprising combo. Any family looking for an offbeat and active pup can appreciate the devotion and talent these hybrids offer.
Though Airedale Pitbulls need a capable owner to reach their potential, they bring delightful energy and a reliably loving, loyal temperament to a suitable home. Find out if you’ve found the perfect dog for your family as we explore the care and characteristics of the Airedale Pitbull mix.
Breed Overview
Colors:
Black, grizzle, tan, fawn, tan, brindle, blue, white, brown, red, gray
Suitable for:
Active families, single-pet families
Temperament:
Loyal, friendly, intelligent, courageous, affectionate, patient
The Airedale Pitbull mix blends two hardworking and devoted breeds. Airedale Terriers and Pitbulls have proven themselves to be extremely versatile, highly trainable, and family-friendly dogs throughout history, ensuring their hybrid offspring boast similar talents.
As Airedales have fulfilled jobs from rat hunting to cart pulling to military work, Pitbulls have shown a similar intense tenacity in their diverse assigned roles. Unfortunately, many of these consisted of bullbaiting, ratting, and dog fighting in the early 1800s, sparking their persistent negative reputation. Despite the aggressive lifestyle, this background positively influenced the Pitbull’s behavior around people, as breeders selected them specifically for their obedience toward owners.
Airedale Pitbull Characteristics
Airedale Pitbull Breed Puppies
The Airedale Pitbull is an unusual hybrid many don’t consider a designer dog, and breeders are rare, if not non-existent. But given the Pitbull’s popularity and prevalence in the shelter system, searching for Airedales in your area may yield the exact mix you want. Nationwide searches on Petfinder or Adopt a Pet will usually generate a few results. You could also get lucky with a call to your local shelters.
Adopting an Airedale Pitbull as a puppy can be as much a challenge as an opportunity. The athletic, energetic pup is even more active as a puppy. At this time, socialization and training are crucial in developing your dog’s temperament and helping them overcome some of their natural aloofness or potential aggression. Despite the hard work involved, starting young gives you a better chance to shape your dog’s adult personality.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Airedale Pitbull
Airedale Terriers and Pitbulls are multi-talented workers with a high intelligence and eagerness to please, making them well-suited for training. Stubbornness isn’t uncommon, requiring a firm, confident owner who can positively show leadership. While it can create extra hurdles during training, this stubborn attitude usually manifests as determination. Airedales and Pitbulls can focus intensely on a goal and have difficulty breaking away until it’s complete.
An Airedale Pitbull mix is highly energetic and loyal to their trusted circle. While Airedales are often warier (though not aggressive) toward strangers, the Pitbull’s indiscriminately lovable nature can make their hybrid more social. As a bonus, the Pitbull’s temperament can also reduce this mix’s susceptibility to excessive barking, which is a core trait of many Airedale Terriers that makes them good guard dogs but becomes disruptive in many situations.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪
Airedale Pitbull mixes are fantastic family dogs, particularly when you want a trusted guardian around the property. Airedale Terriers have a long history of fulfilling guardian roles in the home and beyond. They’re highly intuitive and understand their roles in the household and when they need to take charge. You’ll notice patience and gentleness around children and a reliably poised, protective nature when they sense a threat.
Though less suitable as a guard dog than the Airedale Terrier, Pitbull varieties are no less fit for young children. Pitbulls are goofy and good-natured with children, often earning a label as “nanny dogs.” Paired with the Airedale, their mixed breeds will undoubtedly be affectionate, playful, gentle, and protective of every family member.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?
Though Airedale Terriers and Pitbulls are relatively easy-going with people, their relationship with other animals can be challenging and potentially stressful. Early socialization and obedience training are critical with this mixed breed to restrict aggressive tendencies.
Trouble may arise from either side of the mix’s lineage. Airedales can be dominant over other dogs and could become aggressive when there’s conflict in the home. Pitbulls are even more worrisome, given their dog-fighting history. Many owners are wary of bringing Pitbulls to dog parks primarily because of their potential for damage if play becomes too rough.
Another pet in the house isn’t always a bad idea. With a dog as energetic as this, another playmate could be beneficial in satisfying their mental and physical activity needs to stave off boredom, depression, and unwanted behaviors. Consider your dog’s sociability and age if you want multiple pets. Introducing animals while young will establish a much healthier dynamic, but an adult Airedale Pitbull with little social experience likely won’t get along well with a new pet.
Things to Know When Owning an Airedale Pitbull
The central concerns regarding the Airedale Pitbull are typically training and exercise. Airedales and Pitbulls are Terriers, meaning their independence often matches their intelligence. While docile and motivated to do their job and please their owners, both breeds have had plenty of roles relying on their self-drive and intuition. They want to work, learn skills, and earn praise. But their confident personalities demand a strong-willed, patient, and attentive owner.
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
Airedale Pitbull mixes vary considerably in size, affecting their daily dietary needs. If your dog gains more of the Airedale’s frame, weighing around 50–70 pounds, they’ll need roughly 2–3 cups of food daily split between two meals.
The food and feeding schedule will change as your dog matures. Working with your vet will help you determine the best time to switch from puppy to adult food, ensuring proper development and a healthy weight.
Exercise 🐕
Airedale Terriers and Pitbulls are high-energy breeds, leaving little chance of anything other than an active, athletic, and exuberant mix. They need space to run and at least an hour of daily exercise. They’re inappropriate for apartment life, but Airedale Pitbulls thrive in rural or suburban homes with expansive fenced-in backyards. They’re always game for activity and make great companions for hiking, playing fetch, or splashing around at the lake on a hot day.
Training 🎾
Airedale Pitbull mixes need a patient, experienced trainer to help them stay engaged and willing to learn. They can quickly understand what you expect of them, and their loyalty to you makes it easier for them to comply. But there’s still a strong will to consider. Too much leniency can lead to insubordination, and uncertainty or disorder may make you lose their admiration.
Training requires consistency, attention, and optimism. Airedale Pitbulls will be happy and motivated to learn when you treat them with respect. While you shouldn’t put up with any slip-ups, you must train with joy, excitement, and positive reinforcement. Short sessions around 10–15 minutes long are ideal to maintain focus and keep your dog engaged. If possible, obedience training is an excellent opportunity to socialize your dog while benefiting from expert guidance.
Grooming ✂️
One of the most unpredictable sides of the Airedale Pitbull is their coat. Your dog may inherit the Airedale Terrier’s wiry coat or the short Pitbull hair. Some Airedale Pitbull mix coats are unique mixes of the two, such as a smooth Pitbull coat alongside the familiar Airedale furnishings.
Airedale Pitbulls shed lightly throughout the year, requiring little maintenance if they have a shorter coat. A couple of passes with a rubber and bristle brush weekly and a bath every 1–3 months may be all your dog needs. Wiry or curly double coats could require a few annual grooming appointments and frequent hand stripping to pull out old hair.
Regardless of the coat type, brush their teeth several times weekly. Meanwhile, monthly ear cleaning and nail trimming will ensure optimal health.
Health and Conditions 🏥
Since they’re greater than the sum of their parts, mixes often sidestep their parent breeds’ common physical issues. A diverse gene pool can lead to healthier dogs. Nevertheless, a few shared susceptibilities between Pitbulls and Airedale Terriers could make your mix prone to certain conditions.
Serious Conditions
Male vs Female
Though every dog is different, male and female Airedale Pitbulls can differ generally in size and temperament. Males are often more outgoing, playful, and energetic and treat all family members equally. The smaller females are quicker to mature and typically more reserved in their excitability and acceptance of people outside their family.
3 Little-Known Facts About The Airedale Pitbull
1. There Are Four Types of Pitbull
The Airedale Pitbull mix can have many meanings. While there’s only one kind of Airedale Terrier, searching for the hybrid won’t yield many results for “Pitbull” but rather reveal Airedale mixes with a specific Pitbull type.
There are four Pitbull breeds:
All breeds stem from the original Bulldog and Terrier mixes and generally have similar temperaments. However, the size and body shape differences can significantly impact your Airedale Pitbull mix’s growth, creating a broad range of possible outcomes.
2. They Show Incredible Resolve
Though they’ve earned their reputation in vastly different ways, Airedale Terriers and Pitbulls are incredibly determined. Many know Pitbulls as unrelenting in dogfights, but their resolve is even more apparent in their hardworking background and versatility as detection dogs, therapy dogs, and search-and-rescue animals.
A can’t-quit attitude similarly defines the Airedale Terrier. Since their early days as rat hunters along the River Aire, they’ve focused on completing their jobs to please their people, regardless of the threat to life and limb. Thanks to their superior resolve and intelligent approach to work, modern-day Airedales are a preferred guard for ranchers facing threats from wolves, bears, and mountain lions.
3. Airedale Pitbulls Have a Military Background
The Airedale Pitbull is one of the few mixes that can brag on the military accomplishments of both sides of their family. Airedale Terriers and Pitbulls both gained renown for their wartime bravery, each offering unique stories of heroism on the battlefield.
Airedales were popular military, medical, and messenger dogs in the First World War because of their bravery, intelligence, athleticism, and drive. Jack, an Airedale messenger dog, saved an entire battalion by relaying an urgent communication for backup, enduring shrapnel and gunfire over a half-mile run to deliver the message. Though his wounds proved fatal, Jack refused to succumb until he completed his job to save the soldiers.
While Airedales earned fame in WWI, the Pitbull was arguably the most notable dog on the front. A Pitbull mix named Stubby earned acclaim for several acts of heroism. In the field, Stubby did it all. He treated the wounded, captured German spies, delivered messages, and saved soldiers from mustard gas. As an unlikely military dog, Stubby became the ultimate ambassador for all dogs serving in the Great War.
Final Thoughts
The Airedale Pitbull mix may have some naturally rough edges to iron out with training and socializing, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more hardworking and devoted crossbreed. They’re gentle and patient yet playful and protective. As an excellent friend for kids and a trainable companion, the Airedale Pitbull offers an incredible adoption opportunity for a loving family.
Featured Image Credit: Left – otsphoto, Shutterstock | Right – Aneta Jungerova, Shutterstock