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How And When To Start Training Your JRT Puppy

When you bring a puppy home, it’s easy to get lost in all of the great parts that sometimes seem to overshadow the harder bits that are coming. It’s normal, of course, because we think he’s 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, here’s 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 isn’t 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 he’ll learn faster than you would have thought.

Remember, your dog is a sponge, especially with a Jack Russell Terrier breed, so he’ll 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 isn’t at its basic level, even if he doesn’t 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 you’re 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, you’ll find that he’ll 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 doesn’t rely entirely on them. If you do, then he won’t sit or stay for you when he realizes you have nothing in your hand. It’s 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 he’s a good boy. That way he’ll listen to you because he doesn’t know whether you have a treat for him, but he’ll listen just in case.

This is the best method at training your puppy. Consider, too, a click training device, those are great too and don’t 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.

He’ll get the hang of it sooner than you’d think and he’ll 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 dog’s point of view, walking politely on leash or giving a paw, it’s 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, there’s 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. It’s 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, they’ll love giving you advice for anything you need.

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