Terrier Puppy Training - Have Your Puppy Trained Today

By Diana Swanson Diana Swanson
Level: Basic

Author and article writer for training dogs and puppies with a special interest in terriers.


Choosing a new terrier puppy can be an exciting point in an owner's life. While terrier puppies can start out small, some breeds can reach over 80 pounds. Traditionally, terriers were bred and raised to hunt and control small animals such as foxes, rabbits and rats. Larger breeds of terriers were used to hunt badgers. You'll find that your terrier will have a very energetic spirit, a loyal heart and an attitude usually bigger than their size suggests.

Picking Out Your Terrier Puppy

When you're going to pick out a terrier pup, make sure that it's at least 8 weeks old, doesn't display aggressive behaviour and is generally friendly. If you can, have a vet take a quick look to ensure your potential new best friend is in good general health.

Terrier puppy training should begin when you bring your terrier pup to your house, assuming your pup is old enough and has been socialized properly first. If your terrier pup isn't quite ten weeks old or hasn't been acclimated properly with small groups of people or other dogs, you should take some time first to ensure your puppy is used to being around other dogs and people. This will prevent any issues with small dog aggression.

Puppies Training For Terriers

When your terrier puppy is at the right age, I would recommend some basic household training. Certain breeds of terriers such as bull terriers can be especially stubborn when they're young. I recommend that crate training be used and it's really recommended that you're home as much as possible during the house training so you can start establishing pack leader status and correct deviations quickly. While it may seem to take a long time at first to get your terrier puppy properly housebroken, once proper behaviors are established, you will find your terrier puppy will stick to the rules of the house with uncanny loyalty. The time investment up front will be worth it in the end, trust me.

Once the basics are covered, the next step is to build your terrier puppy's surrounding to help establish that you're the clear alpha pack leader. Instruct your terrier puppy not to bite using toys. If your terrier puppy bites you, you can help correct that behavior by letting out a clear whining sound to let him know it hurts. Also, a word about furniture. Don't let your puppy to leap onto the couch and don't let it sleep in the same bed with your. The crate should be used as much as possible in the early stages of your puppy's life. Over time, you'll extend the length of time in which they can stay in there.

When your terrier puppy reaches 3 months of age, it's time to get into obedience training. Try and nail the basics such as getting your terrier to stay, sit, lie down, focus on you, come when called, wait inside doors and not yank on the leash. The emphasis on obedience training should continue until 6 months of age.

Terriers have an especially good knack for picking up motion cues from their owners, though with some breeds of terriers, you'll find that that might not want to follow your lead right away. Be patient, over time, they'll tune will change.

Utilizing Terrier Puppy Training To Protect Them

Since terriers are naturally curious creatures, you'll find that they will want to go out and learn about the new environments they encounter as much as possible. In the terrier's early life, teach them not to chase cars as that behavior is sometimes the first reaction a terrier has when they encounter this new moving object. Also instruct it stop at curbs and to not dash away from you in public settings. Otherwise, they risk hurting themselves by cars crossing the road or by getting lost in a crowd of people. Keep the leash on the terrier while you're out walking it until you can be confident that it'll return to you when called and that it won't venture off too far away from you. Trying to chase a fast terrier can be a very exhausting exercise indeed!

While training a terrier can seem challenging at first, especially to dog owners who've never owned one before, you'll discover that terriers are really a loyal breed. With proper terrier puppy training, they'll start to follow your commands on queue, stay with you when you're out in public without a leash and keep your house free of "surprises". But you have to ensure you set the rules down early and be keen on enforcing them in the critical early years.

All the best in your quest to training your terrier.
Diana Swanson
Founder of http://www.TopTerrier.com

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Some Home Truths in Choosing a Jack Russell For a Pet

By Dave T Corby Dave T Corby
Level: Basic PLUS

Dave Corby is an Engineering Software Director with 30 years experience including building a successful computer and software business. He has been working in Internet ...


When we decided to go looking for a pet dog we had just two requirements. The dog had to be small and cute for the children but with enough boyish nature that the father would not be embarrassed to take it for a walk. Our first visit to the local dog pound made the decision very easy once we met Billy the Jack Russell.

Now he is quite definitely not fully pure breed but we have since discovered that he certainly has all the common characteristics which make the breed both lovable and sometimes difficult to look after.

Billy is sturdy and tough and predominately white in coloration with tan markings on a rough coat. He is willful and wants to chase anything and everything that moves. In particular he is very much a big dog in a small package.

Like all Jack Russells, Billy is often very hyper. He has good strength and will run like the wind after a ball or a stick or just nothing at all. This breed need a lot of exercise and stimulation which may be difficult for the owner but necessary to calm down the dog and create harmony at home.

These terriers often have problems socialising with other animals and can be quite stubborn and aggressive especially towards bigger dogs and humans. Obedience classes are recommended to keep them under control and these should continue throughout their lives.

Many owners decide to keep their Jack Russell on a lead when outside to avoid confrontation which is a great shame as it restricts them from running and it is quite wonderful to see them charging at full speed across short grass. A good solution is to find an enclosed space where the Jack Russell can be let loose to run. You will find that it will be a good playmate for soccer or hide and seek.

At home, Jack Russells are an excellent companion who will sit by you and rest whenever you rest and play when you want to play. In general they will accept a lot or a little walking although as said before, a good long walk will stop them getting bored and too demanding in the home.

Billy was an excellent choice for a loving and playful companion but we did not realise how willful and energetic our Jack Russell would be.




Dave Corby

For information about looking after a Jack Russell and other terriers come to:

http://www.thejackrussell.info and about how our dog travelled to live in America at:

http://www.squidoo.com/movetoamerica

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