Meet Barney, who I came across in Islington's Upper Street this morning.
Barney is a 10-year-old Airedale Terrier. I spotted him from quite a distance, as his tall, elegant physique, paired with a reddish coat and graceful gait, made him stand out even on a dull rainy day like today.
After a brief chat with Barney's owner, I found out that his ease in front of camera is due to him being something of a professional. He has dabbed in modelling, showing off handmade collars for Holly and Lil, and he can also be seen on You Tube in a selection of videos, showing him frolicking about with his friends.
None of this, of course, comes as a surprise, as Barney is an exceptionally good looking dog. It seems that Barney is fully aware of his Adonis appeal and often uses his good looks to get away with mischief, like chasing cats or not offering his paw first for a treat! To be fair, the second I put my hand out to him, he looked at me from underneath his fringe and put his paw into my hand imperiously as if to say: 'I know I am fabulous, so a treat, please!'
The Airedale is one of the largest of the terrier group, and has a quite an interesting pedigree. The breed comes from the Yorkshire town of the same name, and they were originally bred to hunt otters, hence the double coat, which has an undercoat to keep them warm in the water, and a wiry curly layer of hair on top. They have a quite an unusual colouring, with a dark saddle-like patch, as seen on Barney, and reddish coat on the rest of the body.
Airedales are strong, quick-witted and extremely intelligent, which is why there were used in First World War for carrying messages across trenches and for locating injured soldiers on the battlefield. Indeed, an Airedale called Jack was was awarded a posthumous George Cross for "Gallantry in the Field".
To find out more about Airedales, visit the South of England Airedale Terrier Club
