Hi I am having problems with my jack russell since he has turned 3.
He is constantly challangeing me. He growls and groans at me when I am on the computer so I will stop and take him outside to play ball. He gets the ball and sits down and chews it, that's it. Lately I have and still will have to go out from 4pm to 10pm.. that was tonight... I walked him this morning at 10am and he weed over 10 times, and he has been done and this is all new. I heard that when He has been done they don't mark. Anyhow he also poohed twice on this mornings hour walk. Then we come home and played and then I got on my comp and he barked for my attention. I need him to stop that. I am writing a book and I need time to me. Anyhow I walked him earlier today than normal and he was OK with that and he peed about 7 times... marking!! And poohed once... I wanted to get him to poo more as he will poo in the house after dark when I am not home... so I walked for 3 hours and was so tierd and my feet hurt and he only poohed once. So I come home, gave him his dinner and left to go to important meetings of AA, I was gone 6 hours and I know fully well he was empty. I come home and he was excited and I walked into the kitchen and there it was.. poo and wee.. I have no idea how he squeezed that out, even the wee. I can't let this dog do this too me. I am fair, I walk, run play with him. But I need my time. He watches me when I am home constantly, if he can't see me, he will move so he can see me and just sit there and stare. If I don't take my car out he knows I'm going with someone else and gets incredibly jealous and poos and wees every time. I have to go out and do things and have a life but I can't live like my house is a toilet. I tried putting him in a small room and he howled and barked and the neighbors complained so bad. He hates me near men. If I have friends around he puts himself between me and my friends. If I am on the phone he barks and acts like some one is at the door.
When I wake in the morning he won't jump up like normal dogs, he just lies there until I say come on for a walk. At night he goes to bed in my room with me and gets in his bed, and I call out to him 15 times by his name to say goodnight, and he ignores me and then slowly on the 15th time he slowly turns his head at me, grunts and goes to sleep.
He licks me all over all the time and I can't get him to stop, I have a shower and he licks me again. He wants to get on the couch and I won't let him so he stares at me all night and I find it a bit strange. I have never owned a dog like him.
He never poos or pees in the house when I am here. He never does it when I go out in the day. If I go out for longer that 3 hours, I will have a mess to clean up every time, without a doubt, especially at night. I leave treats, toys out, lights on, TV on, kong full of peanut butter. He will touch nothing and he will not eat or drink or touch treats.
He wants me, me me and if he can't get me, he poos and wees... and I am at the end of my teather.
Please someone please help me. I went out tonight thinking please don't poo and wee in my house and couldn't enjoy myself... I never do as I know the mess I will clean up when I get home. Tonight I sliced my finger badly with a very sharp knife and had to come home and clean up yet again.
I don't understand the marking... He has been done and he has only just started marking.
Also if I pick him up to pet him, he gets aroused... its terribly distressing, and I have to put him down. I rung the vet and told him I was worried about that and he told me he is excited... Not right.
He is controlling me. Its all about him. I haven't and can't have a boyfriend in 3 years since I have had him. I tried but he comes between them and constantly won't let me out of his site. He even goes to the point of regurigitation when I'm otherwise ingaged and I jump up thinking he is going to vomit and he stops when he has my attention.
But I just can't go out. People tell me to come out and I say I can't my dog will poo and wee and bark and howl, how can I.
Please someone help me I am so so very desperate.
I am so angry right now once again I clean up poo and wee because I went out and he emptied all of it on two walks today... this was squeezed out... I can tell.
Why is this happening? Please please... answers please.
He gets lots of exercise and wants and gets my attention all the time. Its in my face 24/7 and when I go to get away from it, I look over to him staring at me and then he's bites and scratchies till I can stand it no longer and tell him to stop... Then he once again gets my attention. I can't take this any more. Please help .thank you in advance

I guess you have figured out that your JR rules the roost. And this is definitely a common trait with that breed. He definitely does to know, or doesn't want to know that you are the alpha in the household. Very intelligent little soul; he isn't marking, he knows exactly what he is doing. He wants you around all the time and he is making that very clear by messing when you are gone, to come home and find it.

Whether he likes or not, you will have to establish a very strict regime with him, a very strict routine and I know it will be a lot of work at first, but will pay off in the long run. You are going to have to say NO and mean it. Start by getting a crate (most people I know with JR's have to crate).

Ziggysmom, I am not the dog expert around here; we have several and all good. I had to put my two cents in as soon as I saw your post. I do hope you hear soon from some of our expert ladies.


Tick

I didn't get a chance to read your entire post, but after the first paragraph I got the jist. Crating is an acceptable solution for house breaking issues while you are away. Just remember not to use it as punishment.

One thing I will suggest is obedience classes as soon as possible. Obedience classes will establish you as alpha and pack leader and a great way to bond with you and your pup.

Right now, he is alpha and you are his minion. Stop doing what he demands. When he barks, you turn around and in a loud "non means no" voice say "NO". That's it, then return to work. Don't expect this to work right away, you have possibly one of the stubbornnest breeds going. :D It make take a few No's and you getting your grump on and turning your back to him before he realizes he isn't going to get his way. Some people need to resort to a spray bottle with water, and a quick burst to the face with the command "NO" and "lay or down" (try to stick to one word commands). I personally would only use this as a last resort, end of your rope method.

Keeping your dog occupied will also help him be less annoying. So when you sit down to write, offer him a bone or a toy that he only gets when you need your piece of mind and sanity.

Another great way to establish alpha would be to use the protocols of relaxation and deference. Under no circumstances can you touch, love, or otherwise interact with your dog (and this includes letting him outside to use the bathroom) unless your dog defers and awaits your attention. Having your dog sit does this. Sitting need not be prolonged (5 to 15 seconds), and offer a piece of kibble as a reward.

For a dog that already knows how to sit, the only problem is going to be to reinforce this for everything that the dog wants. The rule is: the dog must sit and be quiet to earn anything and everything it wants for the rest of its life. This includes sitting for the following:

Food and feeding
Treats
Love
Grooming
Being able to go out – and come in
Having the leash, halter, or harness put on
Having its feet toweled
Being invited onto the bed or sofa
Playing games
Playing with toys
Having a tick removed
Having a wound checked
Being petted or loved
Attention
ANYTHING the dog wants!

Sound exhausting? It is. But you breed will excel once he learns his position in the house. You have a very smart dog on your hands, and his training is not to be taken lightly. He will only continue to get worse, so intervention is necessary for the two of you to live in harmony!

Wow... thank you for a great response.. so many things that I found so helpful.. I was grumpy when I went to bed last night.but a new day today. I made ziggy sit for everything, and he wouldn't do it for some things... have found he never sits when I ask if I have friends around or other dogs are around.. but he most certainly knows how to sit.
I don't have a crate here in Aussie... so today I had to mow the lawn and it takes awhile and he can't come out with me because he runs out on the road... so I have decided for him to use my bathroom as his kind of den.. no punishment, but in you go mate, and time away from me as I do my thing and he knows, well I hope he knows... that that's where he will be going each time I go out. I have done that before but he barked soooooo badly all the time I was gone the neighbors said he was howling and barking to distress... but I need a life and not around him. One thing I wonder if you could help, why does he stare at me all the time, never stops? Thank you

Hi Tic. I tried to put an answer in to your answer but it won't work and I wrote a whole lot out Maybe I will keep it short. Thank you so much for your help, it means a lot to me as I can't do this on my own.
I need all the help I can get. Today when I wipper snipped and mowed for 5 hours he didn't do a thing.. probably as he knew I was outside, but I put him in the bathroom with his bed and his ball and water.
He knew I was upset about last night and am not putting up with this any more. I cant. I am stubborn as well and no jack russell is going to be the boss over me... in fact no man ever will be.
So I have put him in the bathroom before and he raised hell because he was unable to see if and when I left but the neighbors complained... I figured that can be his den as crates in aussie are hard to get for me so I will make that a nice place for him to go and he just will have to get used to going in their.. I do hear they will not poop in their own space. Is that right? I also can't handle him staring at me, so I have to put something up to block his view to me when I watch TV at night.. Silly really but he won't stop staring at me.. its constant, /actually,guess what? He's doing it now.. I don't know what I'm meant to do or is this a challenge but it has to stop... Please anyone have any ideas, the list goes on with him taking pack role, and I am losing and my home is turning into a circus,toilet,kennel. Thank you for your answers previousoly

Your dog staring really reinforces my opinion of him being alpha. This behavior was handed down by the dog's ancestors that had to depend on their own abilities to survive in the wild. A dog would stare at another dog to interact. Wolves that stay in a pack are always headed by the alpha male. The alpha male stares at other dogs of lower rank to remind them that he is the one in charge, that all should follow his bidding.

Like I mentioned, obedience classes will REALLY help with establishing you as alpha, as will the protocols. Another thing I don't normally suggest, but will in your case, is to always eat first. For the time being, do not let your dog in your bed or on your couch. When he is more of eye level, it's a dominance thing, and really as a dog, his place is on the floor. I let my dogs on the couch or in my bed every now and again, but they must ALWAYS wait for me to invite them before hand.

Another thing you will want to try, is when you are asking him to sit before he enters or exits a door, make sure you enter or exit first. This is showing you are the boss.

Our other dog expert is a fellow Aussie, she might be able to help you with finding an appropriate crate. Oh, and yes it is true that most dogs will not mess in their crates, so it's important that you get one size appropriate. In the wild, the dogs live in dens, and dens are small. Enough room for them to stand, turn around and lay down. So the crate needs to be about the same time. There are going to be accidents, as he adjusts to this new role in life, but be patient, once he knows what he is supposed to do, he will be your best bud!

I notice that you wanted to comment with in Tickles post, I see you are using the new "skin" on the site, but if you could actually use the answer box for answers, and the comments feature for one or two word comments, that would be great! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ziggysmum

so i walked for 3 hours and was so tierd and my feet hurt and he only poohed once. So i come home, gave him his dinner and left to go to important meetings of AA, i was gone 6 hours and i know fully well he was empty. I come home and he was excited and i walked into the kitchen and there it was..poo and wee..i have no idea how he squeezed that out, even the wee.

---

I just want to point out that you need to fix your feeding schedule. You walked him until he was 'empty' but you 'filled' him up again before you left.

He should be fed early enough for you to give him a potty break just before you leave especially if you are going to be gone for six hours.

Bella has given you some great advice on the dominance issue. Do remember though that Jack Russells do need lot of exercise. Unlike a lot of small dog breeds they are not lap dogs. They are not only a hunting breed but are terriers. They are bred to have an attitude and their owners have to be willing to work very hard to keep the dog in its place. I suggest you read up on his breed if you haven't or check into a Jack (Parson) Russell Terrier breed club. They can give you insight on how to work with your dog.

Thank you so much for all of your help. Boy you are right.. I was thinking not to feed my dog but fact is I left at 4pm and wasn't home till 10pm and his feeding time was 5pm but next time I will feed much earlier, thank you for that. What a interesting few days. I have reinforced some rules, along with play and things like that. Yesterday I mowed and wipper snippered the lawn and it took me over 4 to 5 hours to do that and I put ziggy in his new dog home in situations like that and when I go out. Anyhow this morning I let him out and he weed twice and pooed 15 times... no I don't believe it but it seems when I clean the lawn, you know really mow and clean, he will go out and poo all over the lawn, leaving no lawn un turned. So, well I had to go pick it all up, because well it looks bad in some areas. Then I took him for usual walk and he pulled on the lead and when I pulled him up he barked at me... lol... didnt put up with that.. he did no toilet on the walk. I have him in his new den/bathroom until I get a crate.and he is sitting there, but now he knows I'm getting ready to go out he comes out, I said "back" and sit and he wouldn't and I had to repeat many times and then he did I said good boy. When I did ask him to sit he barked at me... MMM... Last night he was in the lounge with me,and this time out of eyesite so the staring stopped. Yes he used to come and paw me until he got on the couch,and also lick me, he licks me all over and over from toe to leg, and won't stop, I have to pull him up, I don't like it.
I am going out for 2 hours in half an hour and will close the door where he is, I leave it open so he doesn't feel like it's a punishment, like he is getting used to it, and now will close upon leaving. When I arrive home, we will walk and play. Another thing he does is put his ball behind you,when you don't know and my parents are elder and nearly fallen over because of this, and he does it to me and I too have fallen over with this ball and not knowing he did it, so very silently on the floor right behind me, it's a very heavy small ball.Then he distracts you and you turn around and bang, I often try to keep my guard but so hard sometimes.
If he can't see me, like last night he will run and bark at nothing, then he knows what I'm doing, and prompty sits down.. there is no one there , he alwaays does this when he can't see me.
Like just before in the bathroom he come out and pretended someone was there.
My mother has said to many times... that dog has problems and worries for me.. He has bitten me once and I needed stitches and the ambulance was called, he got me in a vein in my hand and would not let go and when I screamed crying on the floor and blood was pouring out, he just watched at a distance. If I cry he is always there for me well not that time. I could go on and on about him. I do love him very much. But to get him in training etc is very expensive in Queensland wheere I live.
I know jack russelss are stubbhorn but didn't know when I got him, didn't know much in fact. I want to learn and not throw him away like a used toy.. never.
Hey was wondering why his eyes turn out green every time I take a photo of him and my friends and familys dogs are normal... His are soooooo green and shiny. Its very freaky. My mum has a dog and his eyes are normal when I take photos.
I can tell you right now my ziggy is hating it that I am taking leadership and he is trying any thing but I don't want my dog to rule ME anymore.. Thank you, and if you think of anything else, help would gladly be appreciated. Have a great day

Thank you so much for that.. I will do that next time, with feeding, he normally feeds at 5pm and I left at 4pm, and didn't get back till 10pm but I will remember that next time. We have heappppppppppssss of exercise and go to the park as well, I let him off but he runs off and don't listen,so we come home after the walk and play ball in the yard and then he sits down after 6 throws and plays no more. I will check that site out and thank you a lot

Thank you soooo much for your words of wisdom and I will use them, some I already use and cave LOL... but I will have to stick to it otherwise we will both get confused... Thank you so much. How come you are so clued up on all this... fantastic :)

Thanks tick, we are in the 2nd day of me been the boss, as hard as it is sometimes, I feel I'm been mean, as he had run of the whole house and sat on my lap etc etc but his is all helping me so so very much. Thank you

You have received a lot of very good advice here so I'm not going to add a lot. I do think there are a few key things here that you should bear in mind.

1. Dogs do best with a consistent routine. Try to maintain a regular elimination time and feeding time as much as possible.
2. This breed in particular is very high energy and bright. If you are not challenging his mind and giving him enough exercise he will not be happy. To me, I don't feel he is being challenged enough intellectually. I really think he (and you) would benefit from rally obedience and agility training. Both are fun, great exercise and challenging.
3. You MUST find a dog crate and, as mentioned before, NOT use it as a punishment. I think that you need to gradually work up to his alone times. 5 or 6 hours is a little extreme. I would start at 2 hours and gradually increase; perhaps a half hour longer every week.
4. You definitely must show him you are alpha, but don't forget to love him, play with him, praise him, etc. :)

The only other thing I wanted to mention is that I don't understand why JR was shut up in the bathroom when you were outside doing yard work. Perhaps I am missing the point, but I would have used that time more constructively. I would have done umbilical training... tie the dog's leash around your waist so he must be close to you and pay attention to you. He is outside, he is close to you, he is moving (which these dogs really need to do), his brain is challenged AND he probably won't do all that marking if you are moving around doing yardwork. If he does - walk faster and turn abruptly so he has no idea where you are going at any given time. He will start looking to you for direction and that places you in top position. :)

Best of luck to you and PLEASE look into agility training. This breed is so well suited for it. I really think a huge part of JR's problem is that he isn't getting enough mental stimulation and he is trying to let you know that.

Hugs, Didi

His eyes go green, just because of the angle and the flash, are you taking the photo's at night? My dogs do that all the time.

Wow, so he has already bitten you? This is worrisome. Is he fixed? Aggression is not to be taken lightly, the problem is, if he has done this much damage to you, his owner, then imagine what he could do to a kid. Scary thoughts there.

I know you said training was very expensive in Queensland, but maybe you could work out a payment plan with your trainer? It's worth a try, I would hate to see you end up having to surrender your dog out of frustration. Agility like mentioned above would be a fantastic way for him to burn off some energy, but you need to have a firm hand in controlling him, since many of the stuff you would be doing is off leash.

The protocols are frustrating, and can be exhausting, but it's worth it in the end. One thing I would like to mention is that you don't need to repeat yourself over and over again, he heard you the first time. I would invest in a gentle leader or a halty, and use this to make him sit.

I've attached a pic of a dog wearing a gentle leader, so when you ask him to sit, and he refuses, you simply walk up and grasp the part where the leash attaches, and gently pull upwards until he has no choice but to sit. You say good boy, and offer a small treat. It's important to have these collars fitting properly.

I'm sorry, but I feel I must add a bit more. (Well, maybe a lot because I am wordy. Haha!)

Training, special leads, crates, etc. may be difficult to find or very expensive, yes. However, pet ownership is a commitment not to be taken lightly. In order to do it properly you may have expenses you weren't bargaining for at some point(s). As a responsible pet owner you must be prepared to do what is necessary for your pet's (and your) well being. If you had a child that required a special shoe or a behavioral therapist you would find the way OR you would find suitable alternatives. A dog or cat demands no less.

I don't know how long you have had your dog or how old he is now (I know he's 3 or older) but I wonder if you had enough information about the breed or dog training when you first decided to take on this responsibility. I wonder if part of the problem is that he has reached maturity and doesn't have his needs met. You are probably looking at another 12 years living with a dog who REQUIRES lots of exercise and attention, physical and mental challenges. They truly aren't meant to sit in a room or a crate for hours at a time every day. If you can't meet the dog's high energy, intelligence or training needs then perhaps dog ownership needs to be revisited at this point in time. I hate to see a dog shifted around, but there are times when it might be the lesser of two evils.

Knowing Jack Russells the way that I do, I have to say that your dog sounds extremely frustrated to me and appears to be acting out in every way he can to draw your attention to this fact. If you absolutely want to 'fix' this dog 's issues and you truly cannot afford the means to do so, then you must read as much information as you can regarding this breed and, in particular, training ideas. If he receives adequate attention, is mentally and physically challenged then you will have the best companion you could ever ask for. You need to find a way to USE what you see as your dog's shortcomings. You might also try to think up some mentally challenging tasks for the dog. There is a lot of information out there about this but offhand I would say one of his favourite passtimes might be 'Hide & Seek'. You can show him an object, let him smell and see it, tell him to sit & wait (or stay) then hide it (simply at first, more difficult later on as he becomes more adept) in another room and encourage him wildly to "find it!" or "seek!". When he finds it, reward him with excessive patting, scratching and a small piece of his kibble. Always end every training session on a positive note. If he can't do what you are asking of him, give him one or two simpler tasks that he CAN do and reward him for them. That keeps training happy and fun.

You can set up your own obstacle courses in the back yard and try to get him to run a different course by your command as fast as possible. For instance, weave between some trees/bushes, jump over a small box. You can make your own makeshift tunnel out of several cardboard boxes joined together. Encourage, train and reward consistently. He will adore you for it! Throw a small frisbee and have him catch it in the air. (They make small ones out of material.) Teach him to weave through your legs as you walk. Try to think of simple problem solving games that your dog can do. For instance, a simple one might be to put an object he loves (a favourite toy or ball) out of reach but have a means for him to actually reach it (with encouragement of course). You could put a small box, then a wide board up and over to a box a bit larger, then another box that he could jump onto to actually get the ball. These dogs LOVE to use their minds and energy. I just cannot stress that enough. The more stifled they feel the more demanding and aggressive they can become.

These are the type of dog that love to jump up on your back when you are bent over and sit pretty. Think of many clever dog tricks and I pretty much guarantee that your boy can learn all of them and then some. Speak to your dog. Teach him the name of every object in your home. Try to teach him how to close a door, bring you a blanket, carry his bowl to the kibble container, find his leash so you can go for a walk. Put 3 different objects on the floor and tell him to bring you the "x" or to bring you the "yellow" one. I swear that your boy will adore you for this!

I just don't think that constant crating and shutting in a room to show you are dominant is the anwer with a Jack Russell. Do you need to be firm? YES! Do you need to set limits? YES! That being said remember you chose a dog with mega-energy and mega-intelligence. Imagine yourself being shut in a small bathroom or an elevator for six hours a day with no pen or paper, no books, no computer, no phone. That is exactly how your JR feels. It's up to you to provide him with what he needs and if you don't... well, as you see, he will try to stimulate you to do it in the only ways he knows how!

Good luck and don't forget that things won't change overnight.

Hugs, Didi

Thank you for your comment. The reason he doenst come in the yard when I mow is because he tries to bite the mower when I push it, there are blades under it, and he could quite easily chop his little foot off. Also the wipper snipper is high velocity and would slice him in half as well. The only time he goes in the bathroom is when I have to go out. Never longer that 2 hours,unless something pops up.I tied the leash round my waist and he took off lol and I feel bum up and he kept draggin me. Not listening to commands. Eventful. We have started training down the road at the park, and my boy has been done and got attacked by a german shepard and run off, he was terrified. I was so angry. I thought the dogs were trained. It took me and others 3 hours to find him cowering under a hedge, and couldn't get the poor thing out. He now will not leave the house at all. I have tried walking him around the block to get confidence back and there are dogs everywhere in my st. That went bad. But thanku

Thank you,fantastic idea, and I should of brought one earlier... as my boy pulls a lot too, the vets mentioned I get one and I thought I new it all and didn't and always thought.. mmm maybe... the vets have to get it sized for him, when he gets over his ordeal in the park I will get him into that... Thank you for the photo and advice :)

Thank you didi... what great advice. Firstly just want it to be made very aware that I hardly go out of my house without ziggy, this was a once off I was gone for that amount of time.. I hate leaving him that long, if I can take him, I do. The longest I'm away is 2 hours on a Sunday, that's it.
Ok after the incident in the park where my man was attacked by another dog he is very frightened to say the least. The owner paid for vets fees,was bitten ear and bleeding eye and cut on his throat. Hes fine. Hes tuff. But he won't even walk now. So I built up an agility course in my yard, big enuf. Reward him with treats and he had a ball, running through my makeshift tunnel(cardbord box).. hates the flyball.. bit it in half lol.loves his hard ball.. so use that as a treat too. I had a cone and put his ball on it.. first few times he tried to get it, and he waited eventually, and snapped it up. Your advice is great> I threw kible around the lawn,said seek, and got bit by an ant.. ow!! Lol.but he is happy

Just too give every one an update. Ziggy is doing nicely and we have been having a lot of fun. I hide his most favorite possession,which is his little ball. I say, go find... and each time I find a new place. How's this for cool... he found it each time, on ground level... but I put it up on my bed the last time and I watched him running around trying to find it. Well he couldn't reach where is was hidden behind a cushion on my bed and so he knew where it was, and he didn't jump up as not allowed on bed, he barked to let me know it was there... What a clever boy he is, I tapped on the bed to let him up and he got it... and you know the thing about this.. I had a great time playing too.. So even though we can't go out to obedinece class we can have just as much fun at home psyically and mentally for both of us.
Thank you each and everyone one for your wonderful comments and they all helped and I'm sure soon my dog will be very happy as I keekp this up every day.
Have a wonderful day and if there is ever anything I can help you with something I am good out... feel free to sing out and let me know. Ziggy says woof... lol.. thank you

Thank you for the update.

It sounds like Ziggy is learning quickly and that is great.

Keep having fun finding new ways to play. :)

If you would like ideas on how to get his confidence around other dogs back, we can brain-storm ideas and see if anything will help.

What a wonderful update, thank you! I'm so happy to hear how much fun you and Ziggy are both having. You are forming a much stronger bond and Ziggy will be much happier knowing you are in control. Keep trying to think of new and exciting ways to challenge him so neither one of you get bored!

It's such a shame about the attack. It sounds like it was just a freak thing. I wonder if the other dog picked up on Ziggy's feelings that he is top dog? If so, I guess Ziggy now knows he isn't! I'm glad that he's okay, and beg you not to let the trauma of the incident interfere with your training. Ziggy really needs to be around other dogs and people as much as possible.

Anyhow, thanks so much for the update and keep up the great work! :)

Hugs, Didi