Secrets Behind Puppy Training A Jack Russell

We would all love to have angelic little pets that attentively respond to all our commands. The only problem with this is that puppies are highly-strung, easily excitable and incredibly active, and they certainly aren’t born with good manners. Jack Russell puppy training is essential in teaching them the difference between right and wrong.

The Easy Way To Train A Jack Russell Puppy

Thankfully, the training process doesn’t need to be long and gruelling. To their credit, Jacks are very smart and will pick up training rather quickly, especially if you begin at an early age. The hard part is finding the right time and right way to begin the process.

Traditional advice tells you to start young. Begin right away, the first day you bring your puppy home, as you don’t want any opportunity for bad habits to develop. Be consistent with your discipline and don’t allow any signs of disrespect as it’s important your puppy recognizes you as his master You are the master.

Early socialisation is particularly important to get him used to other animals, pets and people, so this should form a vital part of your Jack Russell puppy training routine. An effective way to do this is sign up for an obedience training course, as you’ll receive the benefit of a professional trainer and also socialize your dog at the same time.

Consistency And Positive Reinforcement

It’s absolutely necessary that you stay as consistent as possible when training your Jack Russell puppy. Mixed messages, such as playing rough with him one minute and then chastising him the next, will confuse your dog and paralyse his process. Settle on what type of behavior is suitable for your living space and be firm and consistent with the rules so that there are no exceptions to confuse your dog.

Positive reinforcement is another important part of the process. Heap praise upon your pet anytime he does as he’s told and pay no attention to his reckless behavior and soon he will learn that only good behavior will be recognized and rewarded. Punishment is a form of attention and attention should only be paid when your dog is behaving well, though of course you can tell your dog to stop what she’s doing, but leave it at that.

These practices can be used when it comes to things like toilet training as well. Offer heaps of praise when he completes his business outside and do not reprimand him if he as an accident-unless you catch him in the act-but instead demonstrate what the right thing to do is by taking him outside.

Be Patient Throughout Jack Russell Puppy Training

Even though Jack Russells are incredibly intelligent and very quick learners, it’s still going to take time for the behaviours you teach to become habits. The quickest path to changed behavior is simply to be consistent with your routine and always offer positive reinforcement, understanding that this process won’t happen overnight. Accept that this process will take awhile to sink in, especially because Jacks have such short attention spans that you’ll have to stick to brief, frequent sessions with lots of praise and support.

As long as you can be patient, puppy training is an effective and simple way to educate your Jack Russell. Keep a consistent standard for them to follow, be active in their learning process, and you’ll see the training start to work. Before long your puppy will be a mature and sophisticated adult dog who knows exactly how to behave. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Don’t take it personally if your Jack Russell likes to run off, as this tendency is a matter of genetics. Remember that these dogs were bred as hunting dogs who had to run far ahead of their masters in order to capture prey their masters had shot, and this impulse still remains. This tendency, joined with other rambunctious instincts, can have your dog darting far ahead of you and while this is in his nature, it’s also unsafe.

Obedience Training is Key

The best way to prevent your Jack from running away is by offering proper training. You need to teach your dog the proper commands and make sure he knows you’re the leader of the pack, and while it can be difficult for you to change the innate desire to run, it can be done – all it takes is a little patience and an understanding of what makes your dog tick.Obedience training is an absolute must. You can initiate this training yourself simply by being patient and positively reinforcing proper behavior, but often Jacks require additional training from the experts. Start early by taking your pet to a puppy training class where you’ll be with likeminded people who won’t judge you for having a difficult-to-control dog – they’ll know what it’s like and will help you on your way.In addition to classes, training techniques must also be applied at home. For example, keep reinforcing the ‘come’ command, by rewarding your dog each time he returns to you. The commands ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘come’ are the most important and you can practice them all at once by instructing him to sit, offering a treat when he does, slowly backing away telling him to ‘stay’ and then, after a moment, calling him to ‘come’. If he does these things then tell him to come, and if he does, he gets the treat. He’ll soon learn that if he follows your commands he’ll be rewarded, and that’s the best way to teach a dog how to behave and really reduce the likelihood of your Jack Russell running away.

Top tips

But, throughout the training process, remember that Jack Russells have very short attention spans. Light and consistent sessions will keep your dog from getting bored and likely foster the best results

Another bit of advice is to refrain from chasing your dog if he starts to run off. When you chase you tell your dog that you’re playing a game, which will only encourage him to run more, so don’t play along with his bad behavior. Don’t worry about how you’ll catch your dog when he runs off, because you’re not going to let him get away. Until your dog is fully trained you have to keep him on a leash to protect against his running impulses.The most important thing to remember is to never punish your Jack for running off. If you reprimand him when he comes back (or once you’ve caught him) it’s like you’re punishing him for returning, and that’s never going to help stop your Jack Russell running away. Rather than yell, review his basic commands and re-assert your dominance within the family and soon running away will become less and less likely.

Due to the breeding and temperament of the Jack Russell, owners are likely to encounter at least one run off now and again. Their energy and lust for chasing means that it could be difficult to correct, but if you spend the time to train him you’ll soon be able to take charge of your dog so he’s obedient and, above all, safe.