Common Behavioral Characteristics of a Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russell Behavior – The Good
Jack Russells are known for their tremendous personalities. They are tremendously sweet and social, showing great affection and warmth for their owners. They are known for their warm greetings and lifelong loyalty. These dogs love to be active and play and are easily bored when they sit still. They ooze so much emotion, in fact, that it’s incredibly fun to watch as they dig their ghost holes and run in endless circles.
Jack Russell Behavior – The Bad
Like any dog, the Jack Russell also has some unappealing characters. Jacks were bred to hunt and as a result can occasionally be somewhat aggressive towards other dogs. Also, they can be quite fearless when it comes to a confrontation, which is sometimes a problem when facing larger dogs. Likewise, while they are extremely loyal, they can be overprotective of their owners if they feel any threat from other dogs.
improve their behavior
Even in light of these negative characteristics, Jack’s positive traits tend to overshadow his bad ones. Furthermore, all of these negative attributes can be corrected through training, and as long as he spends time with his pet, he will be able to promote more of the good tendencies and less of the bad ones.
For training to be effective, owners need time, patience, and above all, consistency. He must start shaping his dog from an early age; Like the rest of us, once habits have been learned, they are much harder to unlearn. Start training from the first day you have your Jack Russell puppy, as this will maximize the chances that your dog will develop a temperament that both he and you can be proud of.
The importance of positive reinforcement
The secret to stopping (and encouraging) any Jack Russell behavior begins and ends with positive reinforcement. This means you praise good behavior and ignore bad, and punishing your dog when he misbehaves isn’t always the way to go. Remember that Jacks love attention, even the attention they get when they are grounded. So if your Jack misbehaves, the best thing to do is to ignore him and only pay attention to him when he’s earned it through good deeds. They’ll soon learn to associate good behavior with reward and bad behavior with nothing, and that could easily be all they need to start forming a habit.
be head of the house
Be sure to assert your dominance early on, before your dog gets the illusion that he makes the rules and can be as disobedient as he wants. The best way for your dog to learn his role is by feeding him after eating and greeting him only when you want. Soon your dog will understand his condition inside the house and should respond to his commands.
Certainly though, there are some dogs that need professional assistance. Most of the time, obedience classes can work wonders for young dogs, while owners of misbehaving older dogs may need to speak with a behavior specialist, depending on the severity of their habits.
In short, while Jack Russell behavior can present certain challenges, proper training can address most of these issues. If you want your dog to have the best temperament possible, be sure to encourage those behaviors in him and avoid the bad ones, and with careful training and lots of love and care, you’ll have a dog that will make a fantastic family pet.