Jack Russell Terriers are lovely to own. They are independent, energetic, fun-loving dogs that are always up for an adventure. However, they do get hyper and sometimes uncontrollable.
Their nature makes homeowners wonder whether a Jack Russell Terrier can be calm. Is it a wise decision to own one?
Well, the answer to this question is – it depends. Let’s delve in and discuss tips on how to calm a Jack Russell Terrier without a hassle.
Why Are Jack Russell Terriers So Active?
Jack Russell Terriers were bred to be active and hunt rodents. They are very energetic and need to be kept busy. This means that they should take part in regular exercises like playing fetch games, running through the park, or getting involved in dexterous activities (like agility).
Jack Russell Terriers are also very clever, which means that they will find ways to get themselves into trouble if you let them.
It is a smart idea to give your dog something to do when you are leaving the house, such as a bone or food puzzle toy. This way they will be distracted from chewing on things that aren’t theirs.
At What Age Will Jack Russell Terrier Calm Down?
Jack Russell Terriers may start calming down at the age of 2 years. However, this does depend on how active your dog was when they were younger.
Overall, it is safe to say that Jack Russell Terriers are hyper most of their lives. As such, knowing how to calm them down is a bonus.
5 Tips on How to Calm a Jack Russell Terrier
Unused energy leads to hyperactivity. So, to calm your dog down, you need to provide it with an activity that will drain away its excess energy.
This may be difficult for some people, but when done right can be beneficial for both you and your pet. Here are a few tips on how to calm Jack Russell Terriers:
1. Take Your Dog For a Jog Every Day
Jack Russell Terriers love to run, and if you take them out for a jog twice a week, it will be easier to calm them down when they become too excited or overly hyper.
A Jack Russell’s exercise should not last longer than 20 minutes as doing so will drain them of their energy. Their small size makes it easy for people to take them jogging or running without exhausting themselves too much.
Joggers should note, however, that Jack Russell dogs are hunters and will happily chase any animal they see, including cats. So joggers who own cats should keep their pets indoors when exercising the dog.
2. Take Your Dog For a Long Walk
While jogging is good for hyper dogs, long walks are even better to calm down Jack Russell Terriers because they provide the dog with more mental stimulation than physical ones.
Make sure that you don’t take frequent breaks when taking your dog out for a gentle stroll. These breaks can make the walk last longer, which is not beneficial for your pet.
3. Teach The ‘Leave It’ Command
Jack Russell Terriers need to learn how to leave objects alone that they find in your home. These might include shoes or slippers, sofas, trash cans, and even your prized vase collection.
The ‘leave it’ command means that you want the dog to ignore things on the floor when requested. This is useful if you have guests coming over who are afraid of dogs or don’t want them touching their food.
As soon as you catch your dog chewing on something they shouldn’t, immediately say ‘leave it and give them a toy that they are allowed to chew on. Make sure to use the same tone of voice each time so that your Jack Russell Terrier knows what this means.
4. Go On a Hunting Trip With Your Dog
If you have land, take your Jack Russell there and allow her to chase small animals or rodents as much as she wants. Just make sure that you don’t overdo it as this may tire out your dog instead of calming it down.
5. Take Your Dog To the Park and Let Them Play With Other Dogs
This is beneficial for socializing and may tire out your Jack Russell as well. Just make sure that the other dogs are friendly and their owners have a good sense of control over their pets.
Mental Simulation for Jack Russel Terrier
To keep your dog calm, you need to keep them busy. This means that you should try to find new activities for your Jack Russell Terrier.
If you do this daily, your pet will slowly learn how to be calmer when it comes time to relax instead of running out the door or jumping on something whenever they see something new like a squirrel or soccer ball.
Additionally, you can buy them toys or anything else that can keep them occupied for long hours.
It is important to keep your pet calmer in the house when you are trying to watch a movie or have guests over. They can be trained to stay in one room when visitors are around, and only allowed out at certain times of the day so they don’t disturb people.
How to Train a Jack Russell Terrier
Right now, your dog may be smart enough to understand certain commands like sit or stay. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enforce training for these sometimes complex tasks.
It is far easier to train a Jack Russell Terrier at a younger age before they become too set in their ways and start ignoring your requests. In addition, dogs that are trained at a young age will be easier to teach once they become older.
Once your Jack Russell knows how to sit and stay, you can move on to more complicated tasks like fetching drinks or turning the lights on and off.
Teach Your Dog How To Fetch Drinks
Your dog may know how to sit and stay, but you still need to teach them more advanced tasks like fetching a drink. This is useful for anyone who has a busy work schedule or travels often.
By using positive reinforcement with a treat, you can train your Jack Russell Terrier to fetch drinks from the sink or even take it outside when they want to go potty.
Training your Jack Russell Terrier to do this is not difficult, but requires a lot of practice and patience when you are in the middle of training them.
Jack Russell Terriers need to have their minds occupied at all times so that they don’t start getting into trouble. The easiest way to accomplish this is by teaching them tricks or having them do more advanced tasks like fetching drinks or turning the lights on and off.
These tricks can be difficult to teach, but your Jack Russell Terrier will thank you for it when they realize how much more free time they have with these skills under their belt!
You should ensure that you train your Jack Russell Terrier without letting them get bored. This can be done by teaching them during TV shows, games, or anything else that they are interested in seeing!
If you are having trouble training your dog on its own, make sure to get someone who knows how to train animals professionally for assistance.
You must keep your pet entertained when you cannot be there with them. There are many things you can purchase to keep your Jack Russell Terrier entertained and happy, such as puzzle toys and chewable treats.
These items will keep your dog occupied for a long time so that they don’t get antsy and bored.
Instead of keeping them in a room or cage for long periods, you should let your Jack Russell Terrier free to roam around the house when it is clean and they have been cleaned.
This way, they will be able to explore the different rooms in the house and still enjoy a certain amount of freedom without getting into supposedly off-limit places or chewing things that they shouldn’t be. One way to make your Jack Russell Terrier behave is by training them at a young age.
Dogs that are taken to the dog park and other social events where they interact with other people and dogs will be easier to handle than those who have not been introduced to such things.
You must enroll both of your animals in training and socialization classes as soon as possible. By doing this, you can ensure that your Jack Russell Terrier has a safe place to play with other members of their species and learn how to behave around them!
Take Your Dog To The Dog Park
Taking your dog to the dog park is one of the most enjoyable things to do when you have a busy schedule and cannot take your pet outside for long periods.
This is especially true if you live in an apartment or other such building that does not let residents bring pets inside the house.
Going to the dog park with your pets will provide them with hours of fun and allow them to get their daily exercise in.
Dog parks are a great way to socialize your Jack Russell Terrier with other pets and their owners, allowing them to interact with people who have similar interests.
This is a great way for your dog to learn how to behave around other people, making them more approachable in the future when they have been trained at home.
You must leash your dog before entering the dog park. This way, they can’t wander off and get into trouble with the other animals or become lost.
Be sure to keep an eye on your Jack Russell Terrier while they are at the park so that they don’t play aggressively with other members of their species.
If you notice that they are playing too rough, pull them away and do not let them continue until they have calmed down. Aggressive behavior can be learned and can negatively affect your dog for the rest of its life!
If you don’t want to deal with aggressive dogs at the park, then avoid going during certain times. Going at these times will allow you to avoid aggressive dogs that are not properly trained.
You must consider the safety of your dog when taking them to the dog park. If some other people or dogs seem suspicious, don’t let your pet go near them and avoid unruly behavior!
When visiting the dog park, make sure that you carry a leash with you. You will need to restrain your Jack Russell Terrier if they are misbehaving.
One thing that many pet owners do not understand is how much their pets are affected by stress.
This is especially true for dogs who are left alone in the house all day or who are taken on road trips.
If you leave your pet alone at home, they can get extremely stressed out and stress can lead to many health problems that will shorten their life.
The best way to reduce your dog’s stress levels is by paying close attention to them when leaving them alone. Some dogs do not like being left anywhere without their owners so you must know your pets well.
If you are leaving your dog alone, be sure to create a “safe zone” for them to stay in while they await your return. Make sure that the safe zone is enclosed so that no one can enter without permission and provide them with their favorite chew toy or doll!
When traveling with your pet, you must take them on short trips to acclimatize. This way, they don’t get too stressed out. If you are going to be gone for a while, make sure that someone is available to check in on your Jack Russell Terrier and offer them some love and affection.
If you cannot find anyone who will check in on your dog while you are gone, then make sure that they have a way to entertain themselves while you are out. A chew toy or dog food puzzle is a great idea for this!
You must try and keep your Jack Russell Terrier calm while traveling in the car.
If they seem stressed out when you begin driving, then stop the car and take a break. Go for a walk with your pet so that they can work off some of their energy before they try to act out in the car.
If you are traveling on an airplane, be sure to know the rules about flying with pets.
Since there is little room for pets on airplanes, you mustn’t overfeed your Jack Russell Terrier the day before flying.
If you feed them too much, they may experience serious indigestion issues that could endanger their life!
Be sure to bring a favorite toy or blanket with you on the plane, as it will be comforting for your pet.
When traveling with your dog, you should search for the closest veterinarian.
If your dog gets sick while you are on your trip and no veterinarians can be found, you should locate a local animal hospital that can see them.
Additionally, you should make sure to take your Jack Russell Terrier to an animal hospital if you notice any signs of unusual health problems.
These could be anything from vomiting or diarrhea, trouble breathing, lethargy, skin problems like rashes and itching, wounds that won’t heal, eye problems, or seizures.
If your dog is having trouble walking or standing, then it could be a sign of a serious health problem and you should take them to the vet as soon as possible.
How to Calm a Jack Russell Terrier – Conclusion
There is no magical secret on how to calm a Jack Russell Terrier. All these tips and tricks take patience and time, but they will allow you to better understand your dog’s needs and meet them accordingly.
Being up for an adventure makes Jack Russells less dependent than other dogs, which is why they can be independent creatures.
But by providing them with enough exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization, you can have a calm Jack Russell Terrier.
If you’ve solved the problem of how to calm a Jack Russell Terrier, please comment below!