Well-socialised and well-trained Jack Russell Terriers make for resilient companions who are up for anything, adore being around the family, and can keep up on a day-long hike. With a solid emotional grounding that starts in puppyhood, these rugged little dogs can physically tolerate rough handling from kids and keep coming back for more with a waggy tail. With Jack Russells, you get back what you put in.

In this guide, we’ll look at how to train a Jack Russell puppy and provide some more comprehensive Jack Russell training tips to help you if you’re a new owner of this great little breed!

If you leave a Jack Russell to his own devices, expect him to seek out mischief big time. Their considerably easy-bored personality takes over, but if channelled correctly, this results in a paw-some companion who keeps up with you all day. This is why new owners need to know how to train a Jack Russell puppy or be willing to put in extra effort to teach an unruly adult!

Owners need to be several steps ahead of their pup, with a plan for correcting bad behaviour, or there is a considerable risk of the dog running rings around them. This is one reason why Jack Russells are considered by many to be not ideal for first-time dog owners.

Unfortunately, a bored Jack Russell that lacks firm guidance will readily amuse themself in activities such as digging, barking, and chewing, whilst a dog that lacks experience with other four-leggers is liable to become over-anxious or aggressive very quickly. This errant behaviour is due to generations of selective breeding to produce bold working dogs capable of thinking for themselves and confronting danger. Their strong prey drive places the family cat in danger, especially as they are programmed to bite first without asking questions- so be careful!

This, at times, makes Jack Russell’s training challenging. The trainer needs to know how to engage their dog’s interest and hold it, along with having a good grasp of reward-based training methods that teach the dog to behave better and pay attention to their owner. This takes the owner’s time, knowledge, and commitment, with big stakes riding on the result. Unfortunately, when things go wrong, this can result in an aggressive or snappy Jack Russell or a bored dog that enlivens life by destroying the house or, better yet – escapes from it. After all, if you are a Jack Russell, “Why walk when you can run?”.

A well-socialised and well-trained Jack Russell makes for a resilient companion who is up for anything.

Jack Russells can be very headstrong, so being confident and consistent with them is very important in helping them learn to respond to you. It’s easy to give in and let them get their way, but never make this a habit. They will soon learn this is okay and run rings around you! This will make future training far more difficult. Set some boundaries from the start, and things will be much easier for both of you.

Known to be very brave, they must be socialised early on as puppies to prevent them from getting into trouble. Otherwise, you may find they will chase dogs and other animals, not worrying about the harm they could cause themselves! It’s important to keep this instinct under control as much as possible.

Use their mind! Remember, Jack Russells are intelligent and get bored quickly. Keep them mentally stimulated through trick training and searching games. Jack Russel Terriers can learn many games and tricks to display their intelligence. Imagine showing off what a good trainer you are!

Although they are small, they need a lot of exercise. Jack Russell Terriers have a tonne of energy and will get it out by running around in the park or digging holes and destroying furniture. Of course, if you’re not a particular case, you’d want that to be the first option. Reduce these behaviours to a minimum by taking them on plenty of walks, playing with them in the garden, and staying generally active. Your Jack Russell will love to come along on long walks with you, which helps to get the whole family out and about and active.

Known to chase small animals, this breed needs to be socialised with other types of animals, such as cats, at an early age and practise your recall! If you don’t do this, it may end badly for the cats of the future. As we’ve mentioned before, this breed likes to bite first and think later, so they must be socialised around other animals from a young age so that they do not see them as a threat and decide to hunt or attack them.

Pay your dog attention. They love to have a companion. If you want a dog that will give you back the love you put in, this is the perfect breed for you. They love being a big part of the family and will adore your attention! Jack Russell training can be a part of this – pay them plenty of attention and give them love as a reward.

Are you wondering how to train a Jack Russell most effectively? Well, the answer is to make training fun! Attention spans can wander quickly with this breed, so keep the training sessions short to get the best results and ensure that everything you’re trying to teach your dog is going in.

Start training at an early age. Jack Russell Terriers are fast learners and enjoy the common challenge. Here at Royvon, we’re a big advocate of puppy training and believe that your puppy’s first 100 days with you are vital to developing good habits that will carry on into adulthood, making both you and your dog’s life easier and more fulfilling.

Show your dog lots of love, and they will repay it with loyal companionship. They’re the perfect pet for owners seeking a companion for walks and just around the house. While they may not be the best first-time pet, they are great family dogs that kids and adults love to hang out with.

Check out this video for more tips and advice about Jack Russell Terriers and their training:

We also have this video about how to train a Jack Russell who is suffering from aggression. Gunner, the Jack Russell, showed reactive behaviour towards other dogs and people, making life extremely tricky for his owners. Our trainer, Romeo, needed to replace these stressors with a focus on his handler so that Gunner could ignore his environment. Slowly, Gunner became more tolerant of dogs around him, which is a considerable change compared to when he arrived. Gunner still needs to work with his owners during the owner training to get the most out of his training, but he is doing great so far! Well done, Gunner and Romeo!

Here at Royvon, we are passionate about training dogs of all breeds, including Jack Russell’s. We believe that having the best training gives your pup the best start in life so they can grow into wonderful family pets that aren’t difficult to live with!

We offer a range of training options across our sites in Esher, Merthyr Tydfil, and Bridgend. This includes everything from 1-2-1 training to residential training stays for those with problem pets! To learn more about everything we can offer you and your beloved Jack Russell, please get in touch with us today!