How can you tell if a Jack Russell is happy

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated January 15, 2025

Contributions sourced from

How And When To Start Training Your JRT Puppy

When you bring a puppy home, its easy to get lost in all of the great parts that sometimes seem to overshadow the harder bits that are coming. Its normal, of course, because we think hes so cute and such a good puppy, but having a puppy in our lives is actually a lot of work.

This is mostly because of the fact that a Jack Russell Terrier requires a lot of training so that you can have a happy life, and he can, too. So, heres all the information on training your brand new bundle of furry joy.

When should I start?

Training your puppy begins the same hour you bring him home. While an 8 week old puppy isnt going to understand much at first, he is going to be confused and not listen, but he will get the hang of it eventually and hell learn faster than you would have thought.

Remember, your dog is a sponge, especially with a Jack Russell Terrier breed, so hell learn quickly, even if you start his training early. If you get a dog that is older than a typical puppy, say 6 months old, you need to test to see what he already knows and then add to it as much as you can immediately.

How should I start?

When it comes to commands, there are definitely some basic ones that you should start with. The first words he should know are his name, and then No and Good or Good dog. These will tell him what is allowed and what isnt at its basic level, even if he doesnt understand what exactly he is doing that is good or bad.

Once you have that established with your lovable dog, try things like Sit, Stay, Go Pee, Lie Down, etc. If youre at a loss, make sure that you look online or ask some fellow dog moms and dads to see which ones they recommend. Jack Russell Terriers love to learn, so when he gets older, youll find that hell want to learn even more.

Teach him as many commands as you can, but make sure you start with the basic building blocks.

What does he need?

Remember that a dog is a creature that is totally used to a chain of command at a biological level. This means that you need to remember that rules and commands are not a bad thing for him, but a good one instead.

So, really, your dog needs restrictions and rules because it helps him learn his role in the family and it gives him something to learn and focus on. Your dog, especially with the Jack Russell Terrier breed, is going to need a lot of attention and rules so give him that.

Are treats okay?

Treats are a normal part of training, but you have to make sure that he doesnt rely entirely on them. If you do, then he wont sit or stay for you when he realizes you have nothing in your hand. Its normal to want to shower your dog with treats, but do it on a random basis.

In the beginning of learning new command, give more treats and as you see your Jack mastered it, every other time pet him when he does what you asked and tell him hes a good boy. That way hell listen to you because he doesnt know whether you have a treat for him, but hell listen just in case.

This is the best method at training your puppy. Consider, too, a click training device, those are great too and dont rely on replacement and replenishment!

Keep a schedule

When training, you have to make sure that you keep a schedule, and that it is consistent. This is essential for making sure that both him and you are content and happy as well as well behaved and in control (respectively). Take time to train him every day and make sure that he understands this is just part of the system and he has to listen and learn.

Hell get the hang of it sooner than youd think and hell be better off for it for sure. Try to incorporate very short training session whenever you can. Every walk is a chance to learn him how to walk politely on leash, coming home from a walk is a chance to learn him to wait for you to take your jacket off use every day situations to learn him how to behave.

Be consistent

Jack Russell Terriers are hyper and wicked intelligent dogs. They want to learn as much as possible, which means you have to keep your training consistent. Make sure that you always discipline him at the right time and remember that he is going to appreciate the training as much as you appreciate his good behavior.

Rules and commands are a good thing for him. Most people think of training with two different parts tricks as funny part of it and commands as hard and serious part. Looking from a dogs point of view, walking politely on leash or giving a paw, its all the same, these are all tricks for him.

So try to see them that way yourself and make learning those serious commands funny and interesting and your dog will learn it it no time and will be eager to do what you asked.

So, theres all of the information you need to make sure that your dog is well trained and taken care of for his long term life, even as a puppy. Its critical to remember that training is important for long term health and he needs to be happy with you as his boss as much as you want to let him rule the world.

If you need help, there are tonnes go guide books out there to check out, and you can always join a puppy school, theyll love giving you advice for anything you need.

8 Signs Your Jack Russell Terrier Attached To You

Why is it so important to have a strong bond with your Jack Russell Terrier?

Its simple it is the main ingredient for a healthy and happy life together. Attachment and bonding behaviours develop as you, and your terrier spend time together exercising, playing and training.

There are a few tell tail signs that you and your Jack Russell Terrier have a strong connection. When theyre attached to you, Jack Russell Terriers:

Make eye contact
Come to you for physical affection
Are happy to see you
Returns to your side after short intervals
Their body language is calm and relaxed in your presence
They snuggle with your belongings, especially clothing
Listen and respond to you
Yawn when you do

#1 They readily make eye contact

For humans, making eye contact can be seen as a challenge when we dont like someone or are intimidated by them, but in loving relationships, its a sign of trustand love. It is the same for dogs. When your Jack Russell Terrier regularly makes direct eye contact with you, it is a sure sign of love and trust.

Eye contact isnt just a sign of a strong bond between you and your terrier, it is also a way tocreateand improve that bond. For this very reason, eye contactis often one of the first things learned in basic obedience classes because it helps dogs focus.

According to a report inScience Magazine, dogs and humans who made regular eye contact with each other show elevated levels of oxytocin (aka the love hormone). This in turn starts a feedback cycle of love and attachment.

#2 They come to you for physical affection

Physical affection is one of the most important bonding activities you can engage in with your Jack Russell Terrier. Spending quality one-on-one time with your Jack Russell Terrier can strengthen this bond.

If your terrier seeks out pats, snuggles, and even hugs, its a suresign they have developed an attachment to you. Furthermore, if they rest their head on you, its their way of showing you that they feel safe and trust you.

#3 They are happy to see you

Does your Jack Russell Terrier ever get super excited or do zoomies when you come home?

There isnt an owner out there who doesnt love it when their terrier greets them with excited yelps, crazy tail wagging or ridiculous, out-of-control joy. Its easy to see theyre excited to see you and odds are youre just as happy to see them.

An excited, happy, tail-waggy greeting from your Jack Russell Terrier is one of the surest signs that the two of you have a strong bond.

#4 They return to your side after short intervals

A Jack Russell Terrier with a strong attachment to their owner will typically check in and make sure their owner is close by when in new and unfamiliar situations.This is evident when your terrier regularly comes back or makes visual contact with you.

Even the most adventurous, independent dogs are far less likely run away when they have a good attachment to their owner and they also tend to have a strongrecall response.

#5 Their body language is calm and relaxed in your presence

Once your Jack Russell Terriers initial excitement of seeing you settles down, a tell-tale sign of a bonded dog is also a relaxed, comfortable dog. A relaxed dog wants to be close to you and will lay down by your side being close to you, another sign of a strong bond.

The most common signs ofrelaxedbody languagein your Jack Russell Terrier are:

A slightly open mouth, with no facial tension, lolling tongue, and a faintly up-turned mouth
Rolling over and exposing their belly for a rub this shows they trust you
Soft gaze and relaxed facial expression
Wagging tail
relaxed, playful body movement with exaggerated facial expressions and body movements

#6 They snuggle with your belongings, especially clothing

According to a study published in the journal Genome Biology, a dogs sense of smell is about 40 times greater than ours. Furthermore, dogs have something called neophilia, which means they are attracted to new and interesting odors. If your Jack Russell Terrier is stealing your clothes, more than likely it is because they smell like you. When you wear your clothes (and shoes), your terrier picks up a scent that is unique to you and for him, taking these items this is a way of feeling close to you. When your terrier lies close to items of yours, he is bonding his pack together.

#7 They listen and respond to you

One of the biggest signs that you and your Jack Russell Terrier have formed a strong bondis when they listen and respond to you when you speak, and they obey the commands you give. When you speak, if they stop what they are doing and give you their attention, they are showing how important you are in their world.

Not only does coming to you when called (recall) show they have a strong bond with you, it is one of the most important cues you can teach your terrier to respond to. Recall could potentially keep them safe in a dangerous situation. It is important that no matter what they are leaving behind, when called, coming to you should be the best thing that happens to them all day. So make a fuss every time your terrier comes to you when called!

#8 They yawn when you do

Research shows that dogs, just like humans, are more likely to yawn when their owners do. This phenomenon, called contagious yawning, is actuallya deep-seated signal that demonstrates an empathetic connection with another person who is yawning. It is then reasonable to assume that your Jack Russell Terrier yawns when you do because they are emotionally connected to you.

Ways to improve the bond with your Jack Russell Terrier?

If you feel that your connection with your Jack Russell Terrier is not as strong as you would like, there are several things you can try.

The first six months of a Jack Russell Terriers life are some of the most informative and impressionable. The experiences they have during this stage often determine their lifetime behaviors. If you are the one who spends the most amount of time with them, and feeds and plays with them during this time, they will form a lifetime bond with you.

However, dont despair if your Jack Russell Terrier is more than six months old, you can still develop a strong bond with them. Terriers like to have physical affection from their owners and if you treat them with cuddles, belly rubs, ear scratches they will love to spend more time with you. Furthermore, paying attention and being available to your Jack Russell Terrier whenever he needs you will also increase this bond.

Is my Jack Russell Terrier too possessive of me?

The two main reasons why a Jack Russell Terrier may be possessive of you are they want to protect you and jealousy over sharing you with another human or pet.Signs your Jack Russell is overly possessive of you can include growling or attacking someone in your close vicinity or whining when momentarily separated from you. A possessive dog is afraid of losing your love and attention.

It is important to avoid adopting two same-gender Jack Russell Terriers in your home. Jack Russell Terriers of the same gender will often seek to be the dominant, or alpha, in the pack, which can lead to jealousy, conflicts and, sometimes, vicious fight because they dont like to share the love and affection of their owner.

This type of unwanted behavior can be counteracted by only rewarding your terrier for acting the way you expect him to act. You can ignore behaviors like squeezing in between you and another person by standing up and not saying anything, not looking at him or not touching him. Affection is something you give to your dog on your terms, not his. When unwanted behavior is ignored, your terrier learns that his behavior is not acceptable, and he wont get your attention until hes calm and not displaying jealous behaviors.