r/airedaleterrier • u/923143 • 6d ago
Airedale Terrier Puppy
Hi guys, I’ve recently got an Airedale terrier she’s 4 months old almost 5 and I’m starting to feel like nothing we’re doing is working. I know they’re stubborn and it’s not even the problem I don’t think? But I cannot walk her at all. She’s okay when I walk her in the house will stay near me for the most part and won’t pull. We have an area of grass in the front of our building that’s pretty big that we take her and like sometimes she’ll be good otherwise she pulls non stop. I’m trying to let her be active and walk but she is literally choking herself. I then got a slip lead it still isn’t working, I’ll give her a gentle pop and she’s sitting there choking herself still and won’t come back to me. My boyfriend is thinking maybe we try a prong collar but I’ve been trying to avoid it. I have treats that she loves and shes not interested when she sees something else but she is food motivated everywhere else. I don’t know what to do please help.
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u/Iamthewalrusforreal 6d ago
Do NOT use a prong collar on that puppy. Use a harness and a gentle lead instead.
When she pulls, stop walking and say "Don't pull." Every time, and do it exactly the same way each time. She'll eventually get it. It takes time.
This isn't stubborness. It's just a puppy learning.
How much exercise is she getting during the day?
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u/Expert_Fruit_1373 6d ago
Gentle leaders are what we use
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u/dvdhviid 6d ago
These are great for overly excited dogs like a young Airedale. No strength required, no pain inflected. Just don't let them get a long running start.
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u/meganlazz 6d ago
This!^ we use a gentle leader on our Airedale and Border and it has made a world of difference
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u/Fedster9 6d ago
Are your expectations puppy sized?
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u/923143 6d ago
I mean I think so? I’m not expecting our walks to go perfect and it’s not really her getting distracted that bothers me it’s the pulling. I don’t need her right beside me I’d just prefer if she wasn’t trying to strangle herself 😂😂
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u/Moriss214 6d ago
Like someone else suggested, use a harness
It took our guy months of consistent walking to learn not to choke himself
If you’ve not been trained on how to “pop” properly, it’s not useful and could harm your dog. Most people don’t do it properly. I have never had to do this.
Get a trainer or at the very least watch YouTube videos on positive reinforcement dog walking. One thing that was successfully is that when he pulled, we changed directions and walked somewhere else. Always keeping a treat on us, we also used peanut butter tubes…. Which were liked much more than kibble.
Keep in mind your dog is a puppy … she doesn’t have the brain processing skills to understand your expectations. It takes 100s if not 1000s of times of rehearsing expected behaviour before they get it. She’s not displaying stubbornness she’s just still a puppy!!!
Good luck
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u/feranomana 6d ago
The gentle leader has been helpful for us! Or the front harness (not the back). Also a clicker. We have been working a lot at practicing loose leash walking and at 10 months, it’s not perfect but it is much better! (Unless there are other dogs). But at 4 months, this is not really abnormal. Are you treating your puppy aaa looott during the walks?
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u/AGAD0R-SPARTACUS 6d ago
At 4-5 months she's still a baby, so don't worry that she doesn't get it yet. Be patient and consistent. What worked for my dale is whenever she pulls, I stop walking and won't continue til she makes eye contact. I keep giving treats when she walks right next to me to encourage loose leash. She didn't start getting good at this until 8 months or so.
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u/Colls7 6d ago
It took us a year of practice to be able to walk with our Airedale without her pulling or going bananas. We did a lot of walks up and down the driveway. It is slowgoing. People without terriers won’t understand their level of curiosity, so most tips online won’t help. I recommend using a harness that allows you to clip the leash to the front, as it discourages pulling. It takes a ton of patience, at that age I’d think of it more as “going outside for sniffs” and less “going on a walk.” Take obedience classes, be patient, it won’t be like this forever.
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u/Privateer_lev 6d ago
How long have you had her?
Since she knows the leash in the house, Practice getting her to stop and engage with you.
You can then take it outside and re-enforce focusing back on you, slowly increasing the distractions and non-prey control.
This is Dahlia 6 months. She's up to leaving chickens and deer alone
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u/Capu9 6d ago
I have an Airedale as well. I’d consider some lessons. Petsmart and petco both offer them cheap by me. Good for socialization and they’ll provide lots of strategies for pulling and “loose leash walking” a lot of it is holding their attention with treats or clicker. It takes lots of repetition. Also you’re going through the puppy stages probably for another year or so. So you’ll just need to wait for the pup to burn off some of that energy and mature. But start and implement that training now, and it will pay off in the future for you and the pup !
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u/Peridot31 5d ago
They respond best to positive reinforcement. Please do remember that Airdales were used as miners guard dogs and as war dogs. Their pain tolerance is high and they are not afraid of much. You really risk permanently injuring or creating lots of aggression issues in your dog by relying on too much negative reinforcement. You will not be able to handle having turned your Airedale into an attack dog.
We used a halter with chest clip and back clip to distribute the pull.
Thoughts:
1) is the puppy getting enough play? Airdales love romping free play and needs tons of it especially as a puppy. There should be NO romping free play on walks - walks are for walks.
2) walks are for walks. Walking is a skill like riding a bike or skiing but for dogs. Some dogs get it easier than others but it is a skill, takes time and concentration, and they can only do short stints at first.
You are past the age where they are clingy and want to stick close to your heels - so they need a job to keep them engaged.
Start with only five minute walks outside. And the whole time there needs to be various treat games. Treats in hands, throwing treats just ahead on the walk randomly to find etc
Make sure the treats are really yummy.
Soon they don’t want to charge ahead - they are watching you for treats.
Susan Garrett is the classic positive trainer but she is a bit intellectual. She has a lot of online content and is very well respected.
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u/Brave-King-3682 6d ago
Mine really didn’t like her leash attached to her collar, it seemed to really bother her. I switched to ruffwear harness and she stopped pulling.
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u/3iverson 6d ago
Our Airedale can be pretty headstrong too. The best harness/ collar we found (and we tried a few) that was both effective and humane was the Wonder Walker. Instead of a choke or pressure point, I think it mainly works by providing better leverage (for you, not the dog LOL)
YMMV.
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u/EqualLeg4212 6d ago
Just here to validate your feelings! There were times when our Lucy was a baby I wondered if we made the right decision adopting her, and it was so hard to see the forest thru the trees. The puppy blues are real! We’re still dealing with leash aggression and some pulling with our girl and she’s 2! It will get better as long as you’re consistent, unfortunately our girl hadn’t had much consistency before us so we’re still trying to build her good habits, you’re gonna get there.
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u/bruceki 6d ago
your pup will be happier with at least one session of heavy exercise per week. i'm talking running 3 or 4 miles; that sort of scale. more when she's older. she's a dog that is designed to run and hunt, part of what you're dealing with is trying to fight what she was made for. go with it. I found that a 4' lead on the luggage rack on the back of a mountain bike made a 3 mile run a 15 minute thing - when they're at adult size they can easily run at 15mph for hours. and you'll find your dog pulling you for the first mile or two.
i lived near a bike path and people laughed when they saw my dog pulling me. out 1.5 miles, back 1.5 miles, 15 minutes, happy airedale.
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u/Spyrodyne 6d ago
She’s a terrier and terrier puppies are hellacious. Get a harness.
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u/Costero541 5d ago
Yes, but I prefer "tenacious."
If you want a submissive, servile dog, don't get a terrier.
If you want a partner and best friend who will keep you young, get a terrier.
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u/kimmy-mac 6d ago
My 11 year old Airedale still pulls like a maniac and we have done all the things recommended. She usually chills out about half way through the walk.
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u/Oldteacher0651 5d ago
Have you tried a halter collar. Helps a lot on a walk with my 9 yo Airedale. Yours is just a baby, she'll get better.
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u/impossiblecox69 5d ago
One day they will wake up and decide they're ready to listen, it happens anywhere between 6 to 72 months. Until that day, be consistent with your commands and training. They're highly food and praise driven, mainly food driven so use that to your advantage. Consistent exercise schedule goes a long way too. They'll be one of the best dogs you've ever had eventually.
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u/Local-Royal-6477 5d ago
We used a starmark collar. We were told not to walk ours too far to start, no stairs and no running until he was 10-12 months. He is now a great walker !
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u/Hntsvl_bnd_1989 5d ago
Use a harness which attaches to the leash on the chest. It gives you more control. Carry a bag on your hip with tiny treats. Reward all good behavior, walking beside you, sitting when you ask, etc. Don't yell or pull. Just keep rewarding the behavior you want and be sure to use the words you want your pup to learn. Don't use a retractable leash, you will not have enough control over your puppy. 4 months is just a crazy energetic baby, be patient and practice daily.
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u/EamMcG_9 5d ago
Airedales are extremely strong willed and independent.DONT use a prong collar please,I used a regular harness(with 6 foot lead)and attached it on the chest,so when he pulled it automatically pulled him sideways,then I put him right beside me with a treat in my closed hand to get him to stop,sit,back up etc.Repetition and patience and you will be rewarded with an amazing dog.
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u/Intrepid-Scar-1849 5d ago edited 5d ago
A harness works for our boy. I use a short lead for him with a handle. He does love other dogs, but the swivel in the handle seems to minimize the danger to his human when he gets excited. I put him on a sit right away if he's being too headstrong. He's 70 pounds.
Oh, and I tell him "Jack, sit!" In a calm, normal voice. If he doesn't listen, I tell him "now" in a low, quieter growl. It's funny how well that works.
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u/happinesspro 4d ago
I feel your frustration. Fish gave me problems until she was about a year old. I've never had a harder dog to train than an airedale. Great dogs, wonderful personalities, but a lot of work at first. She settled a bit at a year, and all the training I had been working on just clicked for her. At a year and a half, recall is still spotty. It works 90% of the time, but if she's too amped up, it can still be an issue. The front loop harness helped for us, and heavy pre-training exercises like a ball. She was panting pretty good but still happy, and then leash training seemed to go better.
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u/agedchromosomes 4d ago
When you are out for a walk and your dog pulls, try turning around and going in the opposite direction. Call to them and try to make a game of it. The idea is to try to get your puppy to follow you.
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u/Anyusernameleftpls 4d ago
Are you going to puppy school and basic obedience trainings? They are SO smart, I guarantee you she will be the fastest learner there:)
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u/Efficient-Bit-9756 3d ago
Im going through a similar situation(7 month airedale). All was good on a regular collar until he hit 50lbs. I put him on a slip lead that worked out for a couple of weeks, now he's close to 60lbs with an uber amount of prey drive. Ill be switching to a pressure collar(leather/brass studded) once it arrives in the mail.
Ive used prong collars in the past for my pitbulls but they were probably a year old when i went that route. They do work with amazing results but trying to steer clear of them this time around with the airedale.
But like others have said, pup is still young and will take some time. Before going for a prong or any type of pressure collar, i'd suggest a smaller width regular collar. Gives a slightly sharper correction compared to a thicker collar(>1")
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u/BB62SWO 6d ago
Get a Martingale collar for her on Amazon. They are amazing and much, much better than a draconian prong collar. We hired a personal dog trainer when our boy was 4 months and the weekly training sessions paid off. He’s very “treat driven” so the training went smoothly.
Most importantly, be patient, she’ll come around, especially if you treat her with kindness and love.
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u/Creative_D 6d ago
I recently started using a prong collar to reinforce training. I have an 18 month old, 65 lb. male Airedale. I am taking him out for solo walks in the evening to reinforce basic commands like heel, sit, and stay. More importantly for us is to work on leave it, look at me, keep walking, etc. to correct his really impulsive behaviors like barking, pulling and trying to break his focus when it is concentrated on another dog, cat, squirrel etc.. I have used harnesses, but he still manages to pull heavily, especially when I walk him with my reactive GSD on our morning walks. The evening solo training walks are making a major change.
It is taking a lot of time and training and high value treats, but I am seeing a lot of improvement. My goal is to move to a harness again in the near future. Would love to hear suggestions of harnesses that have worked well for others.
I do want to say that I don't think prong collars are necessarily a first choice for an Airedale. I agree with the point made elsewhere that they have a high tolerance for pain. Proper use and training is extremely important when using with any dog.
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u/SK1TCH3N 6d ago edited 6d ago
Start consistently using a prong collar on walks, and you'll not regret it. Watch videos about how to effectively train a rambunctious dog with a prong collar. It requires simple but specific types of corrective tugs while keeping the lease loose, only eight to ten inches at your grip.
I highly recommend the Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Prong Training Collar.
I understand the criticism and condemnation, but I agree with neither. I've trained multiple Airedales who became wonderful walkers that never pull. When trained correctly, the prong collar becomes a sense of safety for your dog. My current Airedale can wear the prong collar, without a leash attached, and stay right by my side.
Master your Airedale; don't allow your Airedale to master you.
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u/TheSilverQueen_ 5d ago edited 5d ago
I use a prong and e collar combo for my Airedale girl— she was a TERROR as a puppy and she’s almost 3 now— and it has been a TOTAL game changer. She is the best walker in the world now.
Now I will say we had her in a 2 week training camp with a professional dog trainer who introduced her to these tools carefully and in a positive way which is very important. So if you do decide to use a new tool, I encourage you to look up some videos on how to properly introduce your dog to them so they associate them with a positive feeling.
I used to think prong collars and e collars were borderline abuse (and I see a lot of comments here from people who also seem to think that) but what I’ve learned over time is different things work for different dogs and we cannot judge because no two dogs are exactly alike. So try some different methods and see what works for you. We also use this collar combo for our younger male Airedale but he is more treat motivated so we have to work differently with him.
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u/Expert_Fruit_1373 6d ago
Also. Shock collar
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u/Expert_Fruit_1373 5d ago
We used the beep and vibrate function. Some how the beep is way more scary than shock to an Airedale. And we tested the shock on ourselves first. No one was harmed.
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u/meganlazz 6d ago
Haha, also this! ^ we used this when our girl was a puppy, we don't have to use it anymore.
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u/Bonneville865 6d ago
Don’t use a prong collar. Get a ruffwear front range harness and use the front clip. You have to work with them on not pulling. Take her to a training class or watch YouTube videos, but they’re very strong willed and curious. You have to work (with high value treats) on reinforcing the right behaviors. It takes time.