How to tire a Jack Russell Terrier

Jack Russell Terriers are famous for their restlessness. Despite their small size, Jack Russells are active hunting dogs, not couch potatoes.

If the pet does not find an outlet for its energy, both it and its owner will suffer. And possibly the property of the owner.

To calm the Jack Russell Terrier at home, owners usually try to tire the dog out as much as possible. For example, they take the dog’s favorite toy and start chasing the pet after it. In the first days of such games, the owners can really note the desired result: having run over, the dog falls to sleep. But over time, the behavior of the pet worsens: it becomes even more restless. Then, most likely, the owners begin to play with him even more – and so on in a circle. What is going on? 

At first, the dog gets physically tired from playing – and his behavior seems to improve. But then she gets used to new loads and becomes more resilient. Now, to get tired, she needs to run twice as much. 

The pursuit of prey is a very gambling state. If there are too many such games, it can be difficult for dogs to calm down. Their sleep may be disturbed. Such a pet will experience sleep problems due to overexcitation.

• Jack Russell Terriers need to walk at least two hours a day. 

• Take your dog for a walk in a variety of ways. Even if the dog lives in a country house, it is worth walking with it for at least forty minutes outside the site. 

• Let your dog sniff tracks and smells. So her brain will receive the necessary new information. 

• You can devote some time of the walk to training, games with relatives or with you. 

• Focus on intellectual exercises. Set aside at least 15 minutes a day for these activities. For example, dilute chasing toys with training. Ask the dog to follow the commands he knows to earn the next toss. 

Many dogs are so overwhelmed with emotions from catching a toy that they literally lose their minds and cannot even follow commands that they know well. Such switching will be a charge for the mind of the dog and will help her not to get overexcited from the game.

Another option might be to teach your dog new exercises. Since Jack Russell Terriers are emotional dogs, any exercise to control emotions will be a good load for them. These are commands like “fu”, “zen”, endurance training. If your pet is crazy about the ball, try to teach him to sit still when you throw the ball. To do this, it will be necessary to break the ultimate goal into small stages. Train your terrier to wait on command. “sit” or “lie”when you move your hand with the ball. Then – when you swing or just drop the ball. Gradually push the ball further and further away. 

If your dog has completed a full obedience course, there will still be tricks that he does not yet know.

Another option for mental stress will be search games. Unlike memorized commands, search is a new task every time. You can teach your dog to look for treats, toys, or certain scents. To search for treats, you can use a special sniffing mat. Finding your favorite toy is a great alternative to chasing it. And if you want to do some scent-hunting with your dog, you can find nosework classes. 

If you are interested in more active activities with your dog, then you can consider tribal, agility or frisbee. You can read about them in the article “”. The last two options are very active and can also overexcite the dog. Therefore, it is important to learn to understand the condition of the dog and give it time to rest. 

Unlike a simple ball game, in all these areas, certain tasks are set for the pet. The dog will have to not only run, but also think – and this is what a Jack Russell needs.

In addition to stress, the owner of an active Jack Russell should think about rest. Dogs need to sleep 16-19 hours a day.

Emotional dogs can find it hard to calm down after having fun. Due to fatigue and lack of sleep, they will behave excessively active. In this case, it is worth using special relaxation exercises. 

The main principle of proper exercise for the Jack Russell Terrier is a combination of physical and mental stress and good sleep.

How to help a Jack Russell Terrier calm down? For example, there is a variant of the exercise with a rug. You place him on the floor and first encourage any sign of the dog’s interest in him. At the same time, you don’t give treats to the dog’s mouth, but put them on the mat. Reward moments if the dog lingers on the mat for at least 3 seconds. When the dog begins to understand that he needs to go to the mat, increase the time between rewards. But at the same time, be sure to encourage a change in the dog’s posture to a more relaxed one.

If you need to calm your dog down outside, you can stop on a short leash and encourage random glances at you. Be patient and don’t call the dog. When the terrier begins to stare at you almost intently, waiting for the next treat, try to continue the walk. It is better to train such exercises in advance.

In addition to exercising after active play, at home you can give your dog a Kong toy filled with wet food. The monotonous licking of the pâté helps to calm down most dogs.

With a properly built daily routine, life, even with a very active dog, will definitely be happy!