Hey Tusker, I'm picking up my Airedale bitch tonight!!!! Did you have any joy with this breed and the end of the day. I need a versatile dog......I know many say it can't be done........with the right dog and patience it can. I hope to have this dog rough shooting, tracking and the hardest retrieving wildfowl over long distance in the chopiest of waters Lough Neagh which can see 1-2m waves. Not that I would send a dog out in those conditions. I am an experienced springer man, but I am going to think outside the box on this one............kind of excited really........it will either make or break me.