Colonel Richardson's Airedales: The Making of the British War Dog School

These are two stories that take place close to the same period of time. The first book is about Colonel Richardson and his efforts and struggles to establish a canine training school in England at the beginning of World War 1. At the time such a school did not exist in England although numerous other countries already had such programs. Colonel Richardson is credited with training over 2000 dogs that would be used to support the soldiers in the battlefield. Airedales were used to guard outposts, carry messages behind enemy lines, transport carrier pigeons in boxes tied on their backs, and support the Red Cross in the aid of wounded soldiers.

Preparing dogs for war consisted of direct exposure in the battlefields where they were subjected to what would be known as “Baptism by Fire”, meaning they were exposed to the sounds of war as they were trained. This was the only way to make them battle tested so they would not fold later when they were carrying out assignments alone. On December 28, 1940, “The Illustrated London News “ did a feature story on Colonel Richardson’s Airedales working and performing as war dogs.

Where the Water Is Cold

The second book “Where the Water Is Cold”, takes place in Western Pennsylvania and begins with a young Airedale showing up at a Families home. It is April, 1925 when the dog first appears and makes friends with the young boy named Jim who lives there. After much pleading Jim finally convinces his parents to let him keep the dog. In the years that follow the story unfolds through the life of a young boy, his family and their Airedale named “Bum”. The stories are easily relived through their experiences from long ago when life was very authentic and people could find true fulfillment in their own families and friends. The author writes in a very natural and descriptive way where a mental picture is easily formed of the town, the boys, and Bum the Airedale. Anyone who has ever owned an Airedale will find this book very entertaining as you will find yourself saying over and over, now that sounds like something my dog would do.

Both of these books along with many others about Airedales are currently available on Amazon.