There are several forms of Jack Russell aggression. This article will cover three common aggressive behaviors…puppy aggression, dog to human aggression and dog to dog aggression.

Puppy Aggression

Puppies naturally snap and growl at their littermates while playing.  When you come along, he really doesn’t know the difference – until you make him aware of it.

For instance, unintentional puppy aggression happens when your puppy sinks his teeth into your finger accidently when grabbing a sock from you or his favorite treat.  He may also accidently bite you while roughhousing.  In any case, you must let your puppy know that roughhousing hurts and that his aggression won’t be tolerated.

Make a Clear Distinction For Your Puppy

Make sure your puppy sees the distinction between you and his littermates.  Just like puppies let each other know when they’ve bitten them too hard during play, you, as the owner, must let your dog know that he’s hurt you.  Here’s what to do.

If your puppy bites your hand, say “Ouch!”  Then stop playing with your puppy and walk away for a few minutes so that it sinks in and reinforces for him that nipping human beings is unacceptable.

After your puppy calms down, try playing with him again. Consistently say “Ouch” when he nips you, but never yell at him no matter how hard he nips you.



Dog-to-Human Aggression

Jack Russell aggression in older dogs is a little more difficult to solve.  It can manifest itself in mounting, growling, and barking directly at human beings.  Staring is a form of aggression too.

This is an extremely serious form of aggression that needs to be handled properly and promptly. Often, dog to human aggression is the result of the dog believing it is the leader of it’s human pack, or the alpha dog. You can download my free report, “How To Be The Alpha Dog,” to learn how to address this problem, but it may be necessary to call in a professional dog handler.

Dog to Dog Aggression

When two Jack Russell Terriers get in the mix, there’s bound to be confrontation.  These rambunctious dogs are anxious to establish their alpha status – even the mild tempered ones.  Not only that, some Terriers are aggressive with every dog they see.

They simply want to attack them for no reason.  This is the Jack Russell that runs up to any dog, regardless of size, and starts a fight!  Socialization is the answer to this type of aggression.

Socializing an Aggressive Jack Russell

They say you can’t teach an old dog a new trick.  I don’t believe that.  Any dog can learn at any age, especially Jack Russell Terriers.  In order to solve dog on dog aggression, you must socialize your dog.

Put a muzzle on him and take him to the dog park every single day.  Just make sure you keep him on a leash!

The more he’s around other dogs, the less frightened or antagonistic he’ll be.  Love him and praise him when he behaves appropriately.  Love really does conquer all.  Whatever you do, never intercept a dog fight!

Never Intercept Two Dogs Fighting

When two dogs are fighting, they are 110% focused on their disagreement.  They’re unlikely to notice who’s standing by.

Your Jack Russell Terrier in this situation has little regard for human hands or feet and will likely mistake your limbs for those of his opponent! Heaven help the person who tries to break up the fight with their bare hands!

Your best course of action in breaking up a fight between two dogs is to create a diversion by spraying water on them.

Quickly grab your dog and put him on his leash.  Wisk him away from the situation and keep him away until he’s calmed down.

An Ounce of Prevention…

Of course, the best way to control your Jack Russell is to always keep him on a leash until you sense the temperament of the other dogs in the park.  Only after you’re confident that all the dogs will play well together should you let your dog off his leash.

For the best advice and guidance to completely resolve your Jack Russell aggression problems I recommend you check out the brilliant online dog training guide, Secrets To Dog Training.