Last June 2010 my fiance and I purchased an Airedale puppy (Zoey) from Hemingway Terriers. Zoey was born May 2, 2010 and at around 8 months of age she began to have difficulty walking. Her hips were popping in an out of the sockets causing her pain and discomfort. When the breeder (Sandra Hanson) was first contacted about this she seemed surprised and suggested she may be overweight, under-exercised or have lyme disease. After several visits to the vet and an orthopedic specialist we found that she without a doubt has severe hip dysplasia.
When the breeder was contacted to tell her this was definitely hip dysplasia and we described the pain the puppy was in, she suggested to us if the puppy is in that much discomfort we should put "it" to sleep.
I have come to find three other people who have dogs from three different previous litters with this same problem. It is really awful to see a puppy that you love so much struggle to stand up, and basically collapse in discomfort after a short walk.
This breeder has no compassion for these animals or the families who buy them from her. Please be careful when considering an Airedale puppy and do research on the breeder so you don't have the same experience we have had. This breeder lives in Westerlo, NY and may have changed the name of her business.
