How To Fix Jack Russell Runaways

 

Why does my dog keep running off?

It may not be nice to see your Jack Russell running away from you, but the simple fact is that it's in his genes. Jacks were bred as hunters and trained to run ahead of their masters to catch a fallen prey, so today Jacks still think this is their job. This tendency, joined with other rambunctious instincts, can have your dog darting far ahead of you and while this is in his nature, it's also unsafe.

Training your Jack to Stay Close

Keep your dog from running away by providing your Jack with thorough obedience training. Once your dog responds to basic commands and understands that you are the most dominate member of his pack, your dog will be far less likely to run away; this just takes patience and getting inside your dog's head.Such training is utterly essential. You can start training your dog yourself by consistently awarding good behavior, but because the Jack Russell can be especially difficult, a professional trainer is sometimes needed. It's never too early to begin obedience training, so take your dog to puppy training classes where you'll be exposed to other owners facing similar challenges and you can all start this process together.Make sure to practice any techniques at home as well. This should always include teaching your dog to come at your command, and you do that by teaching him that coming back is rewarding. It's important that he knows the commands of 'sit', 'stay' and 'come' - to do this all you have to do is show him a treat before telling him to sit, then back away slowly while instructing him to stay. If your dog can satisfy these commands he'll receive a treat. Your dog will quickly associate being obedient with being rewarded which will encourage good behavior and reduce the risk of him running off.

Additional Information

As you train your pet, keep in mind that Jack Russells are easily distracted. Try short training sessions on a regular schedule so your dog doesn't grow too anxious and soon the training will start to stick

Another tip is to not start chasing him when you see your Jack Russell running away. Chasing after him will only make him think the two of you are playing a game, reinforcing this bad habit, so be sure not to reward your dog by chasing him. You may wonder how you're actually going to catch your dog when he runs off - the simple answer is to not give him the chance to do so. Until your dog is fully trained you have to keep him on a leash to protect against his running impulses.Another important point is that owners cannot punish their Jacks after they run off. Such scolding will confuse your dog into thinking the punishment is the result of returning, not running away, which will only complicate matters. Keep working on his training by practicing commands and reasserting yourself as the leader of your pack and soon your Jack will know not to run off.

Because these dogs were bred to run for so long, owners today still experience their Jack Russells running away occassionally. When you consider their athleticism and their propensity to chase it may seem impossible to resolve this issue, but steady training will eventually keep your dog obedient and safe.