How To Stop Jack Russell Aggression

My Jack Russell lost control! He is aggressive towards dogs and other people. What can I do?

Aggression and same-sex aggression towards other breeds are well documented in this breed. It is strongly recommended that no more than two Jack Russells (of the opposite sex only) stay together unsupervised.

Most behavior problems are caused by a lack of companionship, discipline, activity, and exercise.
For a Jack Russell that is very aggressive towards other dogs, one technique is to spray the hound in the face with water whenever it growls at other dogs. No yelling or other action is needed in this case – just a flash of surprise.
Jack Russell terrier bites can be a big deal. You must stop this behavior before it becomes dangerous.
Do not allow your Jack Russell to win any aggressive games. The result could certainly be sending the wrong message to him.
Exercise, exercise, exercise! A tired dog rarely wants to fight.
Never put your hand between two fighting hounds
Jack Russells require firm and consistent discipline. They are extremely intelligent, continuing to test their limits throughout life.
Jack Russells can become very possessive of their owner or a favorite member of the family or what they consider their personal property if allowed to do so to the point of exhibiting aggressive defensive behavior. Aggression needs to be controlled from an early age.
Jack Russells can be very destructive if left unattended and unemployed! Most behavior problems are caused by a lack of companionship, discipline, activity, and exercise. If you only see perfect, well-behaved JRs, then they are lucky enough to be fit, socialized, and trained.

I am having aggression problems with my Jack Russell Terrier. Can you discuss issues related to aggression so I can understand what I can do? Typical dominant dog will growl if you try to pull him aside, growl in bed at night if you move, refuses to get down on furniture when told, won’t roll over on his/her back and will growl if you try, will try to bond people {also known as “humping”}, protect food/toys/treats, bark as a form of demanding something from you, among many other things. Some dogs will do one of the above and not be a serious problem, but when you put together a lot of dogs there will be problems. If ANY of the above happens in your home, you need to take action immediately. Don’t wait until it gets worse or until you or someone else is bitten. The sooner you catch the situation, the better. Do not sleep on the bed, do not lie on the couch, etc. This allows the dog to be equal to you. My dogs sleep in the bed and I have no problems. But they also have no problem with aggression. Read more: How to safely overclock your CPU on Windows. You decide when the dog eats. For a dog with serious problems, hand feed the dog. Make the dog work for his meals. Don’t just throw food in the bowl and let your child eat it. Ask him to “sit” or any other command, then give him a few pieces of food. Do the same until you run out of food. If the dog refuses to obey orders, the food will increase and that’s what’s for that meal. Trust me, a hungry dog will learn to obey commands if they want to eat. Taking charge of food shows that you are in control and that you are a safe person in the house. The same goes for toys and snacks. The dog must earn them. And do not give an unlimited supply. Hide the toy and when the dog is well behaved, let him have a toy. As Dr. Nicholas Dodman said in his book, “Dogs Behave Badly”… “NO FREE LUNCH”. The dog has to get everything from food to affection. And don’t let your dog get close to you and push you to get attention. That helps them take control of the situation. Don’t praise constantly. Praise him as soon as he obeys an order. The dog needs to understand what you want from it. You can’t just correct bad behavior without teaching your dog what correct behavior is. Another thing to remember is to always control play time. If you are playing “fetch”, YOU must start the game or the game will not be played. You also define when it ends. If the dog refuses to bring the ball back and wants to play catch, turn around and go inside and game over. Dominant dogs like to be in control of any situation. Read more: How much does it cost to buy a star Another thing to remember is to avoid confrontation at this point. If you know that something is upsetting your dog, try to avoid it. You are trying to teach the dog “good” behavior instead of constantly correcting the bad. An inexperienced person could be seriously injured trying to do this. In the early stages of aggression, {a dog just testing the water to see what it can get out of}, put it in its place immediately. Don’t wait until you are bitten and scared of the dog. Dogs feel scared and if they know they can push your button, they will happily do it. Body language is very important when dealing with dogs. This is a major way they communicate. I highly recommend Dr. Nicholas Dodman’s books “Dogs Behave Badly” and “The Dog Is Too Loving” on behavioral issues. There are other good books out there, but I don’t want to overwhelm you with tons of literature. And I strongly recommend finding a trainer to assess your dog and your situation at home. Going to your home and seeing what’s going on is always a plus. Make sure the trainer is experienced with hunting dogs and aggression. The wrong coach can make the situation worse. For minor issues, I recommend taking an obedience class as soon as possible. It helps create a bond and also teaches the dog that you are in charge.