Jack Russell training must be started with the understanding that from puppy to adulthood, there are several stages of development before you can consider yourself the owner of a well trained dog. There are infinite opportunities to provide your Jack Russell with social skills and it is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your four legged friend.
If you get it right though, I can’t guarantee it but take Eddie in the popular sitcom Frasier for example… Was there anything he couldn’t do? What a star!
It is important to be aware that there are many age related tasks and they must be taken in stages. This is to provide you and your dog with the best chances of success and you will both reap the rewards of a job well done.
Age related tasks include but are not limited to:
- Interacting and socialising with other dogs from the age of 4 weeks.
- From 5 weeks, they learn how to behave with humans – use this time to introduce them gently to new environments and experiences, ease them in and they will develop more confidence this way.
- From 5 – 16 weeks of age, Jack Russells are ready to explore their surroundings and love to play new games!
Doggie Social Skills
Ease your puppy into your world by giving him as much dog to dog contact as possible, from his parents and his brothers and sisters. This is found to be extremely good for the wellbeing of your pooch as he can use this time to work on his doggie etiquette. Mastering the dog world before about 8 weeks of age will assist in making it much easier for him to join you in yours.
Always choose a Jack Russell puppy from a reputable breeder. Anyone who tries to sell you a puppy before 8 weeks is not allowing the natural interaction to develop between other dogs, making it harder for you to train him.
If you are arranging social time with other dogs, always make sure that he has received the proper vaccinations. Also be aware that if there are older dogs around, they may well teach the puppy some bad habits, so make sure that they are well trained too!
Following these simple steps will give you a massive advantage, you will be much more likely to own a delightful Jack Russell – a happy and self assured little bundle of fun!
Checklist for success
After about 8 weeks, your Jack Russell training will be showing you just what a wonderful companion you have. Here are some pointers to follow to make sure you are on the right track:
- He will start to enjoy being in the car and will jump in and out of it without any overt cajoling.
- He will enjoy lots of different games and contact with various people will not alarm him.
- He won’t mind going to different places and will be accustomed to various noises, smells and visual stimuli.
- You will be able to give him lots of strokes and tickles with ease.
Puppy fear and how to minimise it
When you embark on your new life with your little furry friend, it is inevitable that he will feel fear at the new stimuli being exposed to him. This can be as minor as being a bit nervous around unfamiliar people, animals or environments and recovering in a few seconds to display curiosity, but if he remains fearful for a little while, then there is something wrong.
It is never advisable to continue exposing a dog to a new stimulus that clearly has an adverse effect. This is not training in any form and could leave you will a hot coal in your hands. It can even trigger behaviour such as peeing/pooping or whining through fright.
Other symptoms of fear include:
- Trying to hide
- Wriggling if you are holding him
- Drooling
- Not eating/drinking
- Heavy panting
- Patrolling
- Constant assessment of surrounding
- Shivering
- Being sick
Nipping these worries in the bud takes careful introduction to new environments and experiences. If a puppy becomes anxious early on, if it isn’t dealt with properly, he will become disturbed as a grown dog.
Again, it is important not to expose the puppy to the fright inducing stimulus, or you could have a lifelong fear instilled in the poor creature that would be very hard to shift.
Housetraining
This is one of the most important things you can do when training a Jack Russell. After about 9 weeks or so, your puppy will be ready to start exercising control over his bladder and bowels, learning that his toilet is outdoors.
You can let him decide for himself as to his preferred conditions, whether it is grass or pavement, you still have to scoop it up! He will catch on very quickly that when exposed to his toilet, he is required to go to the toilet.
This housetraining achieves two fundemental objectives:
- Training your dog to go to the toilet on a certain surface outside.
- Training your dog to keep patient until the opportunity to go is presented to him.
The key here is patience and persistence. Do not be annoyed if he doesn’t catch on as fast as you hope, it will happen in time. Training a Jack Russell is one of the most rewarding things you can do and each minute spent sharing this quality time will further cement your bond.
Fact: Jack Russell dogs were named by the Reverend John “Jack” Russell who also liked to hunt as well as breed dogs.
