How to raise Jack Russell terrier?
Jack Russell terriers are wonderful dogs. They adapt perfectly to their owners. If you want to sleep all day, they’ll sleep; if you want to go hiking in the mountains or for a walk in the woods, they’ll happily run around; however, they are dogs that require consistency in their upbringing and training.
the need for training
An essential part of raising any JRT puppy is completing basic obedience training. This can take the form of a ‘puppy class’ – these are sessions, usually held at weekends or in the afternoons, where owners and their puppies meet up with other puppy owners and learn basic commands. Dogs are naturally intelligent and communicate very well with people, but it is the new owners who must learn to interpret these signals correctly. Such classes usually last two months, once a week, typically comprising six to eight sessions. The cost varies – in Lublin, it is between 350 and 600 PLN. Classes are held in practically every major city.
Why a doggy day care centre rather than training at home?
Jack Russells are intelligent dogs that love to exercise, and they’ll learn absolutely everything at home, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be obedient on a walk, around other dogs, or in a busy environment. To develop this aspect – that is, obedience in every situation – the dogs must be trained in the presence of other dogs. However, you should be aware that Jack Russells are stubborn dogs – they have a mind of their own on every subject. They understand perfectly well what is being said to them, but they ignore it. You can undertake plenty of training, but this is a breed of dog that has a mind of its own on every subject.
Consequence
The second key element in training a Jack Russell Terrier is consistency. If the dog is not allowed on the sofa, it must never go on it. If it is not allowed to sit on a chair at the table, it must never sit there. If we are teaching the dog not to beg at the table, we must never feed it there.
It is very important that all family members have the same priorities when training the puppy. It cannot be the case that one person allows begging at the table, whilst another does not. A Jack Russell will very quickly pick up on this inconsistency and determine which family member is the easiest to manipulate.
Learning to relax and be at home on your own
Jack Russells are high-energy dogs and usually struggle to wind down. Jack Russells never sleep whilst sitting in the garden, unlike, for example, Corgis, who sleep under a walnut tree in the garden. That is why it is very important to teach them to wind down – in other words, to get a Jack Russell to sleep and rest. It is also important to teach them to stay home alone; this is something that should be practised from the very first days to prevent separation anxiety.
Proper socialization at the kennel
Socialisation is a process that begins at the kennel. From a very young age, puppies should be exposed to a variety of stimuli – experiencing different surfaces and sounds, and forming bonds with other dogs and people. At the breeder’s, a puppy must be loved and respected, but it must also have boundaries set for it and be taught basic commands such as ‘no’ and ‘leave it’. That is why particular care should be taken when choosing a breeder, selecting one who cares about their puppies and matches a puppy to a family, rather than focusing strictly on selling puppies. Puppies should be taught at the kennel how to travel by car and to tolerate grooming – having their teeth and ears checked. Puppies should also be taught to travel in a travel box.
