How To Stop A Jack Russell Terrier From Jumping Up

Jack Russell Terriers are known to be very high energy, excitable dogs. They are also adorable, loyal and protective. Some times their enthusiasm can get them into trouble. Usually in the form of jumping on visitors or family when they arrive, or jumping on furniture to get closer to the people he loves. This is actually an easily correctable issue. To better correct it, it is important to understand just why they do it. As mentioned, it can be out of pure excitement. This particular breed loves people, and they are just truly happy they are there. Another reason can be due to the fact that they are seeking attention. Usually when they jump to seek attention, it has worked for them in the past. Maybe someone gave them a treat. It was more than likely done to get the dog off the person, but he doesn’t perceive it that may. Though not known to happen that often, a Jack Russell Terrier may jump on someone to assert dominance. Oddly enough, these are often the reasons that a dog jumps up on furniture. Excitement, attention, or dominance. They can actually both be handled in the exact same way.

As soon as you notice the animal exhibiting these behaviors, take action. Don’t assume that he will stop on his own. The sooner you start reinforcing positive behavior, the sooner he will learn to stop the negative behaviors. It is also important not to give the dog the attention it is seeking. If you reward this kind of behavior, it will reinforce the negative action. More often than not, instead of stopping the jumping they will do it more. As we know, this is not what we want. The dog does not immediately understand what he is doing is wrong or unacceptable. It is our job to send them this very important message. This message can not be sent with yells or punishment either. This will actually cause an opposite effect. The dog may resent the admonishment and do it every time your back is turned in the opposite direction. You may be wondering what you can specifically do to handle this. Read on for some helpful guidance and suggestions.

This is one great way to turn this negative behavior into positive behavior. If you see your Jack Russell is ready to jump, divert his attention. The optimum way to divert his attention is with a command. If you were to command him to “stay” he will hopefully not jump and wait. Then you can give him lots of praise and love for listening and behaving. Another way to handle this is if you see him getting ready to jump, turn your body away from him. If he is getting ready to jump on a piece of furniture, put something between him and the furniture. Do not give the dog any eye contact; don’t say a thing, and just walk away. The dog will interpret that you are in fact displeased with his behavior. He also realizes that jumping gives him absolutely no attention. After a few times, he will usually stop the action to find another way to garner attention from you. In the case of breeds that are deemed “strong willed” (which a Jack Russell Terrier can sometimes be), you can consider the help of a pinch collar. This is a collar that the dog wears attached to a leash. When the dog performs a negative action, you give a quick tug on the leash. This will allow the collar to tighten a bit around the dog, giving him a negative association to the action. You should never tug on the leash for very long, or ever hurt the animal. This is usually used as a last resort tactic, commonly used by dog trainers.

Jumping on people or jumping up on furniture is not something a dog should do. Yet, it is not a major issue. It is not classified as a major issue because it can be corrected quite easily. If you are consistent and determined to make a change in your dog’s behavior, you will have no problem getting the point across. Soon your Jack Russell Terrier will be off people and off the furniture. Then you and he can concentrate on building a strong bond together.