Fresh Airedale

Two years before he debuted Charlie Dog (the mutt who always invades Porky Pig's life) in "Little Orphan Airedale", Chuck Jones cast a different hound in "Fresh Airedale". Canine protagonist Shep accepts a bone to allow a burglar into the house, but when the cat stops the crook, Shep takes credit. His anger surges when he learns that another dog somewhere else is considered the Number 1 Dog.

I see that some of the scenes came from a never completed cartoon featuring Franklin Roosevelt, that they canceled following FDR's death. While I understand that people may have not been able to handle a cartoon depicting the 32nd president - or at least his dog Fala - after he died, I still think that it would be interesting to see what remains of that cartoon. As an insight into the population's understanding of the president, that is.

Otherwise, I didn't detect anything really unique about this cartoon. Worth seeing, if only once.

This is a hilarious cartoon. It is an anomaly for a Chuck Jones short in that it is mean-spirited to the core...with absolutely no 'justice' served to the protagonist; but like the vast majority of his WB cartoons, the timing is to a T. And if you like the more well-known classic Warner shorts, you will most certainly relish this forgotten gem. At the same time, you'll likely understand why it vanished. This was clearly Jones finding his voice; after directing various 'Disneyish' cartoons like the Sniffles series, Tom Thumb in Trouble, etc (all great by the way), he got a little nasty. Had he not, though, he may never have found his way to the extraordinary ones that were to follow.

Yes it is only a cartoon and evidently the previous posters that gave this cartoon a poor review may not have had the misfortune of working with an individual who was as two faced as the dog. I and many others have! This cartoon is so representative of the "luck" of the rat, it's a true classic. I have used snippets of it so many times in my classes and in the proper setting they have ALWAYS got the laughs and the comments they deserved. I believe it was made as an observation of Society and done so with tongue in cheek for our amusement. It's entertainment, and a lesson that not every negative act has a bad ending, it's made for laughs, enjoy and don't waste energy.

...you'll dislike this one. I first saw 'Fresh Airedale' on the compilation 'Canine Corps'. I am an avid fan of Looney Tunes and impressed with their idiosyncratic blend of enjoyment, humor, and cleverness. 'Fresh Airedale' is a gross aberration: unenjoyable and outright difficult to watch. The plot, which is painfully simple, features an unscrupulous, nasty, and greedy dog named 'Shep' getting his own way. That's basically it. His house-mate, a faithful and heroic cat, is framed and left out in the dark. OK, it's just a cartoon, but cartoons are supposed to be fun, and I don't understand what message Chuck Jones was trying to convey. This episode certainly does not seem fit for a compilation.

. . . just "Airedale"--weigh anywhere from 42 to 55 pounds when grown, standing about two feet tall if male, as is the title character here. Also called the B-i-n-g-l-e-y Terrier or Waterside Terrier, these critters have a Scottish doggy look to them, sporting medium length black and tan coats with harsh, wiry topcoats and softer undercoats. Alert and energetic, they are not aggressive but usually come off as fearless. Most people are not allergic to Airedale hair. Originating on their namesake River Air, in the West Riding country of Yorkshire, England, they are descended from Welsh Terriers and have begat Yorkshire Terriers. Some people call Airedales the "King of Terriers," because they're the largest in this class. The dog featured in FRESH AIREDALE does not resemble actual Airedales, beyond having four legs and a tail.