Jack Russell Puppy Training
Jack Russell puppy training is essential for a good owner/dog relationship! Puppy biting can be an extremely annoying, and sometimes painful, problem. Most puppies learn to stop biting when they are around 8 weeks old, because when they bite their littermates they get bitten back. That’s another great reason to keep litters intact until the pups are at least 8 weeks old. Left unchecked, puppy biting can lead to dominance and aggression issues later on.
Young Puppies
Puppies removed from the litter before 8 weeks of age may not have learned to not bite-Mom didn’t have enough time to teach that! A quick response from you is required to stop this nipping and biting before the pup gets older.
Puppies and dogs should never be hit or kicked to stop biting, as they may learn to fear you, which is not the same as you being the leader. They can develop anxieties and fears that could lead to more serious aggression problems later. Instead of striking the puppy or dog, you should reward positive behaviors only. Games such as tug-of-war should be avoided as well as any type of game where the puppy is encouraged to chase you, since they encourage nipping and biting. Jack Russell Terriers love these types of games, so being consistent with the training is vital to the puppy getting the message clearly!
Jack Russell Puppy Training Through Obedience
Obedience class is a great way for you and your puppy to learn skills to help him become a better companion. It also gives the puppy a chance to socialize with other puppies which is important for his development. Some trainers offer “bite inhibition” classes that teach you how the mother dog would respond to puppy biting and give you similar skills to use on the puppy. Socializing your puppy in this type of class may help avoid aggression issues later.
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Another way to change a puppy’s biting behavior is to divert his attention from your hand to something he is allowed to chew on like a favorite toy. A stern “NO” will stop the biting long enough for you to redirect his actions.
Responding to a bite with a “yip” noise will let your puppy know that it has hurt you. The puppy will usually stop biting so you can remove your hand and redirect his teeth toward a toy.
It is important for you to take puppy biting seriously, especially when it occurs in pups over 10 weeks old. The earlier the puppy understands that biting will not be tolerated, the less problems you are likely to have with future aggression issues. Jack Russell puppy training is essential for the owner as well as the puppy!