very playfull puppy

Question
Hi Shawn,
i have a jack russellxdingoxenglish staffy hes a complete mutt actually im sure there is wippet in there too but not entirely sure anyway he is one year old and he can sit,stay (untill i look away) he has manners when i give him dinner and if i tell him to get outside he does so all round hes pretty good but hes extremely hypo and i want to start taking him places like to the beach and camping trips etc, and around other people he just doesn't listen and if hes in the car he tries to jump out and poohs himself my boyfriend has said he will get more calm as he gets older but im just wondering how long does the puppy hype last? when do they begin to calm down? and does getting de-sexed make a difference to their temperament? id prefer not to desex him but i cant let him mate anyway though i dont want him to feel depressed if i do can you give me any advise or some insight-thanks

Answer
Lucy-

Well, let me tell you, we have a nickname for a JRT- Jack Russell TERRORIST! LOL. That hyper stage you mentioned is extremely, extremely high in terriers, they are bred to have a LOT of energy, and are highly intelligent and need a lot of interaction. Your dog is still very much a puppy. I would not expect him to begin settling down as an adult until he is around 3 years old, and even then its not going to be an immediate calm, but rather just starting to slow down.

First, I would recommend neutering. It will effect some parts of his hyperness, as some of his intense raging hormones will cut him some slack. More importantly, it is extremely vital to his health, as it will completely take away his chance of getting testicular cancer, reduce his chance of colon cancer, make him easier to house train, less likely to run away, more responsive to your human family as he is not constantly scenting for a bitch in heat, and you completely take away the chance of having an "oops!" litter. I promise you, he will never know the difference and will not be depressed, and since you are not planning to breed (Good for you!) it is of no concern to you. Please, get him altered! You will all feel much better!

Second, I suggest distractive training. Build his training to build his confidence, and his respect of you. Continue his sit, stay, come, shake etc training, basic leash work, and recall. Start him on the "Nothing in life is free" program, and make him do some sort of work for EVERYTHING he wants, including petting, walking, and getting food. Do NOT let him misbehave on walks, and get what he wants. Use a halti if he is pulling on the leash (a head collar available at petsmart). If he starts barking and whining and pulling, circle him and walk the other way. If he gets too excited in the car when he sees people, use a squeaky toy or something else he likes to get his attention, and go through a couple training exercises. The more activity he has, the more of a job he has, the least amount of energy he has. If he's not bored, and he is being intellectually challenged, he will relax.

So neuter, train, and lots and lots of consistency and patience!

Good luck!!!