Re: Help with a 7 month Jack Russell

In Reply to: Help with a 7 month Jack Russell
Posted by:  Cheryl Klanderman
Posted on:  December 30, 2001 at 22:12:30

: Help!!! Our 7 month Jack Russell has recently (since neutered) started having reverting to going to the bathroom inside...he has also started running away...and continues to CHEW everything! We love Jax, but are getting frustrated!

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Hi Cheryl,

It sounds like Jax needs a refresher course in housebreaking. This sometimes happens. Most people experience set backs in housebreaking with this breed and most of these dogs aren't really 100% until about a year of age.

It also sounds like Jax needs to be enrolled in obedience school where he will learn all the basic commands to make him a good canine citizen.

But this will be up to you to commit to the time and consistency it takes. Many people make the mistake of enrolling their dogs in school, and either going to the classes but never doing the work everyday between classes or only going to one or two classes and then dropping out and then blaming the dog.

In order to be successful in the training of any dog, the owner must make the commitment to attend all the classes and do the exercises with the dog between classes. It's real easy for an instructor to see who has worked their dogs between classes and who hasn't because there usually is a drastic difference in a dog even 3 weeks into training.

These dogs are chewers, you need to be consistently redirecting Jax's chewing to items he is allowed to chew on. When you catch him chewing on an inappropriate item, give him a verbal correction "NO" and then hand him something he is allowed to chew and when he takes it praise him. You may end up having to do this what seems like a gazillion times but he will catch on. Every time you don't correct him you will end up that much longer in the process, so CONSISTENCY is the key!