dog carrying a stick in it mouth

Frequent Questions

There are many stages in the process of getting a puppy, and with each stage comes a lot of questions. From researching breeds and finding the right breeder, to preparing for your new puppy’s arrival and beyond, it can be overwhelming. We understand this and encourage you to ask us any questions you may have. We want our puppies to go to homes where they will be cherished, and families are equipped to meet their needs. We have worked hard to provide you with all the information you need and promise to always be adding more and more resources for you! We are dedicated to supporting you throughout the process and ensuring a smooth transition for your new furry friend.

Behavior Information
Helpful Links
Training Information
Other FAQs

Behavior Information

Are You Prepared for a Terrier Puppy?

I normally try to always tell people this information when they individually contact me about puppies and ask me questions about Airedales, Welshs and Lakelands. My guess is most of you have had one of these 3 terriers before (they are one of those breeds where once you have one, most people stick with them for life) so if you are one of those people I know you understand what I am saying here and I am really not talking to you as much as the people whom have never had one of these 3 breeds or a terrier. I mainly just want to make sure that if you have never had an Airedale, welsh, or lakeland terrier before (or any terrier), that you have done your research and know what you are getting. Terriers are not called Terriers for no reason! They can BE little terrors sometimes haha. If you are getting one of these 3 breeds because you think they look cool and haven’t done much research beyond that PLEASE RESEARCH, and consider whether this is the right breed for you beyond the looks!

I am not trying to scare people away, but I love my dogs and puppies and would rather scare away someone who is unprepared for a terrier than have them calling me a few months after they get their puppy saying that its not their puppy, its them, that they weren’t prepared for a terrier puppy, I want people to understand that terriers are unlike other breeds, that is why they came up with different breed categories like terriers, retrievers, hounds, shepherds, etc. Because within each category, those dogs all carry similar, characteristic personality traits, and also each have their own little things that will be more or less difficult than another breed. And terriers can be a little more difficult in ways IF YOU DIDN’T realize before you got them what those differences and individual challenges would be (example: some breeds, are HUGE BARKERS, if you get a beagle, you know you are going to be dealing with their howls, Airedales are not big barkers (unless taught by other dogs), that’s just one example of different breed “struggles”). They were all bred for different purposes; Terriers were bred to be smart, inquisitive, energetic, hardy, feisty, determined breeds. Then under the umbrella of their breed OF COURSE there are different personalities that affect them as well!

And then lastly, puppies are PUPPIES, they will go to the bathroom in your house, they will chew things they aren’t supposed too, they will bark and whine and cry when you leave, they will use their little vampire teeth on you and everything else, they will go through crazy bouts of energy where they just bounce off the walls and then they will drop and sleep for hours after the exertion, just to get up and need to go to the bathroom… ummm.. 5 seconds before you get them out the door. BUT IT WILL PASS!!!!!! And they are also adorable, fun and a true joy!

Just don’t kid yourself that you won’t have to deal with this! I feel this is important for me to include because I love my dogs and puppies and I want them to go to wonderful loving homes, where the new families are prepared for what they are getting! I don’t want anyone to be in for any shocking surprises. Don’t worry, I know most of you are FINE!!!! But I wanted to include this for anyone that may not be educated about Airedales, welshs and Lakelands! Let me know if you have any questions! See our “Differences Between Breeds” section for some more info about each breed.

How are they with kids?

I get this question all the time, and the answer to this question is SO important for parents to think about. The answer is that ANY puppy/dog AND ANY CHILD need to learn and be taught how to play and deal with each other!!!! In general, yes, Airedales, welshs, and lakelands are all great with kids, they LOVE to play, they love to snuggle and I get SOOO many pictures from past buyers of their dogs and puppies snuggled up with their best friend, the child in the family. BUT terrier puppies can get very wound up and very wild. So you need to train your puppy the boundaries of playing with your child, and your child the boundaries of playing with your puppy! You need to realize that if your dog/puppy has been crated all day, he/she will be full of energy and you may want to let them out to burn some energy before playing with your young child.

All in all though, all 3 of these breeds do great with kids! I just want to emphasize that YOU as the parent know your child best, and you know your parenting styles. If your child is scared when a wound up puppy jumps on them or nips at them, those are the moments you need to step in and teach your child and the puppy how to deal with each other in moments like that. If you are a parent though that freaks out and picks up your child and locks the puppy up… I can’t say that you may have the most successful time with a puppy in your household… Again, not trying to scare parents because 99% of parents that get puppies from me have nothing but success and love with their children and puppy and the children have an incredibly close bond with their childhood best friend! But I do want parents to assess their children and themselves and decide if they are ready for this step!

Why feed on a consistent schedule?

For a puppy, putting them on a feeding schedule is VERY VERY helpful, to them AND MOSTLY TO YOU!! For one thing, it’s very helpful when initially house training, because it allows you to know when they are “full” and “empty”. I recommend keeping track of how long it takes them after eating to go to the bathroom, you can literally put them on a bowel schedule (of course it may vary a little, but it gives you an idea, especially at first).

Second, a HUGE part of training a dog, and especially a smart dog like an Airedale or welsh, or Lakeland is being the alpha. For dogs, being the provider of food is definitely something they look UP to you as. Take advantage of this!! Once they figure out that they are about to be fed is an opportune time to work on training them a little bit and just general manners. You have their full attention multiple times every day and they want their reward (food!)

Airedales, welshs, and lakelands are all smart enough that once you get them house trained and trained in general a lot of people leave food out for them all the time. That is fine, they are smart dogs and won’t generally overeat. But its very helpful to use feeding time as a great tool in that first year or so.

The Importance of being the parent:

Just like kids and babies, puppies need you to be their parent, tell them when it’s time to eat, sleep, play. A routine helps immensely, but there are days when they get SUPER wound up and playful and you know they are tired, you need to make sure they get their rest. They will give up eating to sleep. So days of overstimulation can take their toll! Be vigilant! A young puppy needs about 16-20 hours of sleep every day! The rest will be spent, playing, eating, and going to the bathroom. You are the parent so you need to make sure their needs are being addressed!

What toys will my puppy enjoy?

Well honestly they love socks, shoes, towels, empty water bottles and shoestrings 🙂 But as far as PUPPY toys, Kongs that you can fill with pb or kong filling are great, that keeps them busy quite a while, TOUGH toys are what you want. They like rawhides, just make sure you get like the rawhide bones, stay away from the strips and things that once chewed down can be choked on (think of anything that ends up like a chip that you could choke on). They love rope bones too, and squeaky toys. I have found that crinkle toys are super fun for puppies! Most toys labelled for puppies are great choices, they are designed for their interests and development. We send one Life’s Abundance Bully stick with every puppy. THEY LOVE the L.A. bully sticks and provide long periods of entertainment.

We have compiled a list of our favorite puppy toys as well as tougher fun adult toys and supplies. Please check them out on the shopping page of our website.

Training Information

Do you have any tips for house training?

I recommend crate training, there is tons of great info online about crate training and I recommend you doing some research so you are prepared and can have things in your home set up correctly. There are also other great house training methods, so do your research and choose the one that works best for you and your lifestyle. Crate training works with your puppy’s natural instincts, a dog/puppy will naturally not want to go to the bathroom in their “den” or sleeping area. So the crate becomes that, it will become a safe place for them and many dogs enjoy their crates once they have established it as their “den.” Size of the crate is critical with crate training though, if it’s too big they will have a “sleeping” corner and a “bathroom corner.” There is a link below about picking a crate for your puppy. (For those of you who can’t last long with the crate before you bring them to bed with you, that’s ok too! They can identify your bed as the crate… crate training is recommended… And I encourage you to stand strong.. but I confess, I often cave and they sleep in bed with me…)

Some young puppies may still go to the bathroom in their crates as first simply because puppies do not get full bladder control until they are about 4 months old. So you can help this problem (if it occurs) by making sure you take away food and water an hour before bed, and give them a good long chance to go to the bathroom before bed also. Your first few nights, your puppy will be whining… loudly… it’s going to be hard to stand strong… so be prepared, put the crate in an appropriate place in your house.

During their time with us, we don’t push potty training with them as they are still young babies, but we do try to set things up to encourage them to learn and set the ground work. We encourage litter training during their time with us, and most leave understanding that. Some litters pick up super fast and are flawlessly litter trained when they leave, some are not much, some so-so. We just put a little litter box/tray out with pine wood shavings (from TSC) in it and then when they poop or pee on the floor we pick it up and put it in the litter box and clean it so it doesn’t smell like “the bathroom” on the floor, only in the litter box. Most puppies soon learn to only go in the litter box. You don’t have to try to duplicate this, though you can get some wood shavings and put them where you want them to go and then will give them a clear message. But overall it just teaches them to hold it and not just go whenever they have the impulse and also that there are certain places to use the bathroom. Though it takes time and you will have random accidents for a very long time, most people tell me they catch on pretty quickly. I don’t tell you this to confuse you, don’t hyper focus on trying to mimic our setup, they are now old enough to leave us and start on crate training and that is what I recommend, but its always helpful to understand what they are used to and have all the tools in your tool belt.

Check out the Helpful Links for some more help on housetraining.

What is the ultimate key to house training?

TIME! Just prepare yourself, its going to take some time… age is the ultimate cure.. with house training and… well everything.. Like I said earlier, puppies don’t even get full bladder control until around 4 months old. They usually grasp the concept of going to the bathroom outside even before they leave us. The problem is they are playing and then BAM “oh no I have to go to the bath…. Room… oops….” Too late… they already went. So YOUR job is to give them frequent chances to go out and go to the bathroom. And to reinforce the positive behavior when they go outside successfully… And prepare yourselves and your house for accidents, because they are going to happen! By about 9 months pups are usually done with accidents.

How do I bell train my puppy?

This is something I have done with several of my dogs, and really loved. All I did was buy a cowbell, it on a string and hang it from the doorknob of the door where I always let me dogs out of. Then as puppies just make sure the bell jingles and clanks against the door every time you let them outside. Then ANY TIME they bump that bell, you take them outside, even if it’s just really short. YES once puppies get the hang of it, there is a short phase where they will ring the bell out of boredom and wanting to go outside, and for a while there you have to let them out to enforce the meaning of the bell. BUT once they get the hang of it you can tell when they are just bored and wanting to go out, or when they need to go out. It’s a REALLY great way to communicate with your dog!

Are there any phases of growing up I should be aware of in my puppy?

Puppies often go through a “awkward teenage” stage at about 9-10ish months old. Especially Airedales, they are tall and gangly, kind of skinny from quick growth spurts, their wiry, curly, adult hair has started coming in and stands at odd angles, their faces haven’t caught up with the growth spurts their bodies have, and are still a little long and not full and square yet. So when they hit that stage and your starting to think… boy I love my little guy/girl a ton, but I think I have an ugly Airedale on my hands… JUST GIVE THEM SOME TIME J AND TAKE PICTURES!! You will look back and laugh when you have an incredibly gorgeous mature Airedale and you look back at their teenage pics.

How will my puppy do in the car?

Most puppies do GREAT with travel. But many times I get asked about how to travel with them in the car. You will want to have a leash and collar for stops, bags for picking up poo, bowl and water, towels and clean up supplies, toys and treats, and a crate is optional. Occasionally puppies get car sick, especially welsh puppies it seems. So you want to be prepared in case you need to clean something up and a crate in case you need to keep them contained if they just keep getting sick. This does not happen very often, but it does happen. Signs of the puppy getting sick are mainly drooling, when you start seeing excessive drooling that’s a sign they are getting sick and it might be a good time for a stop, or rolling the window down for some fresh air or letting them look out the window. As for drinking and eating: I would recommend not feeding them during your travels, unless it’s over 8 hours. They will be ok doing this, but filling their stomachs just makes the likely hood of getting sick higher. As for water, puppies can urinate about 15 minutes after they drink, so I usually quick pull off and give them some water about 15-20 min before I plan to stop so we can take a walk and let them go to the bathroom. Please read under the vaccination info above to be aware of parvo and their risk. Its good to be aware when you are in public places where dogs are.

Other FAQs

What do I need to know about puppy vaccines?

They will get their first shots at 6 weeks old (5 way vaccination), they will need a booster shot at 8-10 weeks old, we ask that you take them to the vet within 2 weeks of picking him/her up anyhow for our health warranty so this is about the right time for their next set of shots. This second booster is VERY important! The first shot will not work without  the booster.

We are now also making sure our puppies do not leave until they have had a vaccination of NeoPar, this is to work on building immunity against Parvovirus. We know lots of our buyers are traveling and want our puppies to leave with as much immunity as we can provide them.

Be aware that puppies do not have full immunity until they have completed their first round of vaccines (typically that first shot plus 2 boosters). So take caution in who your puppy comes in contact with until they get those boosters. Dogs you know are fully vaccinated are safe, but be aware of dogs that are not vaccinated, or that you do not know. Also be aware of public places where unvaccinated dogs could be going to the bathroom. This includes the ground/yard at your vets office Its very uncommon, but AWARENESS is what is critical.

  • Please discuss with your veterinarian about a rabies vaccination for your puppy (first one is typically around 6-12 months)
  • Your dog will also need vaccinated annually, please discuss your pets veterinary care plan with your vet.

What do I need to know about puppy wormings?

We follow a vet recommended worming regime for each of our puppies to treat and prevent worms in your puppy! Our puppies are wormed during their time with us according to our vets regime. Most vets will then start you on some sort of heartworm medicine which treats heartworms and intestinal worms both.

What do I need to know about puppy chow?

Our Dogs and Puppies Eat Lifes Abundance All Life Stages dog food. See the dog food page of our site for tons more info about this.

​You can order your own bag here: www.lifesabundance.com/annesairedales

​ I send every puppy with a 3lb bag of food, so if you decide to switch to a different brand, you just mix them together and wean them onto their new food slowly to avoid diarrhea/belly ache.  Purina puppy chow is a good middle of the road puppy chow. California natural, Blue Buffalo, and Fromm are also really great puppy foods, though we do feel like Lifes Abundance has been the absolute best choice for our dogs and puppies.

Puppies NEED a high fat (15-20% fat) and protein (at least 22%) diet their first year (Lifes Abundance grain free has a whopping 30% protein and 19% fat in their grain free food)  because they are growing so much. The higher fat and protein the better; most puppy chows are made that way. I have seen MAJOR growth deficits in puppies fed a cheap, low fat and protein diet in their growing years. Every bag of puppy food gives the fat and protein content, you can compare and see what you are getting. Also, the higher the meat content, the less fillers are in it and the better it is for your puppy, this also reflects the price often times.

I have struggled in the past with different brands of foods to get the puppies to like their food, they would often choose the adult food over puppy, which doesn’t have as high of fat and protein. NO PROBLEMS with this with Lifes Abundance.

What do I need to know about my puppies feeding schedule?

Everyone usually asks me about the feeding schedule. Our vet recommends us leave food out for the puppies all the time when we have the whole litter here with us. We don’t want anyone getting bullied out and not getting enough to eat! But once you get him/her home, you want to put her on a routine schedule with eating.

Feeding 2-3 times a day is recommended, but just try to do the same schedule everyday for the most part.  Most people do 2, as 3 times a day is not feasible for many, but do what works for you. Just be sure to do something that you can actually stick to consistently!

As far as the amount goes, puppies grow SO FAST, you are supposed to go with the amount on the back of the bag that gives the puppies weight, and change it as they grow. So go with that amount, divided into the amount of times a day you feed.

Airedale puppies are usually around 8-11lbs at 8 weeks old

Welsh and Lakeland puppies are usually around 4-6lbs at 8 weeks

Feeding your dog on a consistent schedule every day gives you a chance everyday to have their full attention on you, when you can work with them on some training and manners while you have their undivided attention as they wait to be fed.

What size collar will my puppy need?

Here is a video on our channel about what collar to get:  YouTube

I recommend an adjustable collar, not the ones with holes in them, but the ones that slide and adjust. Puppies grow SO fast at this age that you want to have one that you can adjust. A collar that is up to 10″ + typically works for an 8 week old Airedale Pup . They grow out of them so fast you will be AMAZED! They are about 10lbs at 8 weeks old. Welsh and Lakeland puppies are about 4-6lbs at 8 weeks, and a collar that goes UP to 9” usually works good, or a cat collar.

I really like teaching them to walk on a leash with a harness. They learn VERY quickly with a harness, they don’t feel like they are being pulled by their necks, and you can much more gently sort of pull them with their whole bodies with a harness, they pick up on this VERY quickly. If you do not plan on ALWAYS using a harness to walk them make sure you advance them to walking on a collar once they get the harness all figured out though! But harnesses are a GREAT way to start them on the leash.

Will my puppy lose baby teeth?

So puppies lose their baby teeth just like human children do!! Most people never even notice this, if they do they probably just find a little baby tooth around their house somewhere. But most likely you won’t even notice.  This happens between about 4 and 8 months, their adult teeth grow in and push out all the baby teeth.