Page 22 - ShowSight Presents - The Airedale Terrier
P. 22

                 “AN AIREDALE WITH A CURVY TOPLINE IS PARTICULARLY OFFENSIVE AS THAT TOPLINE INDICATES A PLETHORA OF
SERIOUS STRUCTURAL FAULTS.”
classic silhouette. On to the topline and to straight lines that are very crucial. The Airedale’s back should be “short, strong and level”! No dips in the back. His croup should be level! Never should there be a rounding or curving of the croup. This results in a low tailset when the “root of the tail should be set well up on the back”. An Airedale with a curvy topline is par- ticularly offensive as that topline indicates a plethora of serious structural faults. He shouldn’t be confused with the Loch Ness Sea Monster!
The Airedale’s underline should be a straight line running from the elbow up
slightly to where the loin joins the hip. This straight line should be gradual and continuous—no acute angles or curves. And lastly, when looking at the Airedale when standing in front of the dog, his flat shoulder muscles should blend into his “perfectly straight forelegs”. The shoulder muscles should not curve noticeably out from the body and back into the elbow area—this results in a cloddy, heavy, load- ed appearance in the front.
On to the properly placed structural curves. The Airedale’s shoulder blades should be “long and sloping well into the back”. The well laid back shoulder
allowing for a slightly arched neck “of moderate length”—a curve starting where the head meets the neck and flow- ing smoothly into the shoulders. Shoul- der blades that don’t slope well into the back and have little layback cause the neck to end in an abrupt sharp angle as it meets the shoulder blade—resulting in a straight line where there should be gentle curve.
Again, an important aspect of the Airedale’s signature silhouette is ruined when the shoulder blades are steep and don’t allow for the arched neck’s smooth transition into the back.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2015 • 181


























































































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