Jack Russell Terriers are great little dogs. With bundles of energy and character. People often claim they are difficult to train or that they are stubborn, but I often find its just a case of finding out what they enjoy.
Being terriers, they were originally bred for hunting small vermin and as such, typically have a keen nose and enjoy a good chase.
Here are 3 games I recommend to tap into your Jack Russell's natural drive and will help you achieve your training goals, as well as enrich your terriers life.
1) Flirt pole/ chase games:
Tap into their natural prey drive and get them chasing a lure on a flirt pole, or
a toy such as the Tug-E-Nuff Chaser . Ask your dog to sit before starting the
chase, and teach them a drop or release command to end the game. Start
slow and easy and build up with time.
2) Scent games: Get them using their noses.. When out on walks take some dog treats
or dog biscuits and scatter them in grass or fallen leaves to allow them to
forage for their food. Start with a few treats in a small area and as your dog
starts to understand the game, you can scatter more treats over a larger
area to keep them working for longer.
3) Fetch:
The favourite part of this game for your jack russell will most likely be the
chasing of the ball. Teach your dog a god retrieval using treats first and
eventually you can start to use throwing the ball as the reward for bringing
the ball back.
A Chuckit! Ball is tough, bouncy and a good weight to travel a good distance.
Roll it along the ground so it skips and bounces along and simulates small
prey for your jack russell, rather than long overarm launches that are out of
your dogs sight and less
fulfilling for your terrier.
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