How To Keep your Jack Russel Active and Fit

You beautiful, hyper Jack Russell Terrier is the apple of your eye, am I right?

It’s understandable that you want to keep him happy and healthy then, and part of that is done by taking great care of him by letting him get plenty of exercise. Remember, this breed is particularly hyper and needs to be exercised regularly to keep your dog, your sanity and your home in good shape.

By not exercising your pooch regularly, you’ll be causing him pain and discomfort, which can make him a handful at home. Here are some great options to consider.

Exercise, exercise, exercise

Firstly, remember that even a little bit of exercise helps your Jack Russell. It doesn’t take a whole lot of time to properly exercise your dog, and it goes a long way, not only to your relationship with him, but his health and lifestyle, too. So, keeping that in mind, try to make sure you spend some active time with him everyday.

Let him sniff around and jump around for the first couple of minutes to satisfy his needs and then engage yourself in the activity you both enjoy. Doing stuff together creates and reinforces the bond you have, makes him be more obedient and removes him from engaging in unwanted behavior.

Find the activity you both enjoy, it could be fetching, playing tug of war, urban agility or anything you can think of. Mental stimulation is much more exhausting than pure physical activity, so try to incorporate it in your daily exercise. Make him do tricks for a ball or Frisbee, search for treats, toys or you, jump on low walls… just have fun together. Even if your Jack Russell is older, he’s not too old to learn a new trick or activity, maybe he’ll learn slower than before, but he’ll definitely learn.

If possible, try to make this walk part of a routine. Your terrier will respond well to a routine in the long run. Yes, a dog can’t tell time like humans can, but he will notice when something in his routine is off. Make sure you leave twenty minutes twice a day to take him out and about, and one longer walk during a day to engage in your favorite activity.

It builds a great connection between the two of you and ensures that he gets out, even if it’s just for a little bit. Of course there will be days when you won’t have enough time to take your Jack Russell for along walk, but don’t beat yourself for that, he’ll be OK if you skip it once in a while.

Hire a dog walker

Secondly, consider the option of a dog walker during the long business hours. This should not replace the time the two of you have to go for a walk, as that bond is important, but a dog walker can give your enthusiastic pooch some love and attention so that he gets some exercise. Dog walkers can be found through companies that offer cheap services, or you can look at private options within the family or network of friends.

You have total control over how you want your dog walker to handle your pooch’s situation, so make sure that s/he is a good fit for you and your furry companion.
On that same note, consider letting your dog walker (or you, if you have the initiative) to take your Jack Russell to a dog park.

He’ll love the chance to run around crazily and socialize with other dogs. It’ll get him moving and also allow him to make new dog friends and explore the dog centered part of the world for a little bit. Taking a dog to a dog park should be highly monitored activity, don’t let him do what ever he wants, possibly terrorizing other dogs.

Your dog walker can do this service for you, or you can consider the option of making it a weekly thing between you and your terrier, yourself. The option is yours, and should definitely be considered.

Get your Jack Russell a companion

If you find that your Jack Russell is spending a lot of time tearing the house apart, odds are that he is lonely and bored. If the dog walker is exercising him alongside your own routine, it may be simply that your dog requires more attention.

It may be as simple as getting him a dog companion. I know the idea of having two dogs seems overwhelming, but the truth is that they will keep each other out of trouble and will only be a little more work than you would have with one dog.

It will keep your terrier’s emotional side much better, too. After all, what’s a dog to do while you’re working? This will keep everyone happy and well cared for. Be sure to read my article on Jack Russell and cats.

Doggy daycare

Remember that you know your Jack the best and consider his personality if you are thinking of getting another dog, if your Jack Russell would be stressed of jealous of another dog, you could make the situation even worst. If a second dog isn’t an option and you want your dog to be engaged all day, consider a dog daycare. You will know that your pooch is in good hands and will get his exercise all day long while you are at work. There are all sorts of companies available, some of which can offer you in home services.

The bottom line is that you need to keep your Jack Russell entertained, and if you are not in the position to offer that regularly, you have to find a professional company that can do that for you. Your beloved dog’s health depends on it, and you have to remember to keep his best interests in mind, even if it seems inconvenient to you in the beginning.

Proper nutrition

We’ve talked a lot about how you need to make sure that you keep him entertained, but his health is important, too. Major part of health, beside exercise in proper nutrition. There is no one best way to feed your dog, consider all options and choose the best one suited for your dog and your lifestyle. You have to make sure that he stays around for many years so that you can enjoy his company, and he can enjoy yours. Part of that is by making sure that he stays fit and in good shape.

By playing games and going for walks, or just running around in the backyard with you for a bit, you’ll experience a better relationship with him on a deeper level, and also make sure that he stays fit. It won’t take much time out of your busy schedule to exercise your Jack Russell terrier, and no matter how you look at it, it’s the best option for both of you to take those extra few minutes in the evening to throw a ball around.

Since he’s your beautiful fur-baby, you have to keep his best interests in mind. And, if all he needs in life is to spend fifteen minutes fetching a tennis ball in your backyard, you’ve gotten off pretty easy, am I right? Take those minutes and cherish them, for both of your sake.