How to Train Jack Russell Terriers for Obedience

Most dog owners will agree that knowing how to train Jack Russell dogs for obedience purposes is a key part of creating a great companion with whom you can build a strong bond. But how does one know how to train Jack Russell terriers and what exactly is obedience training? What makes this form of training so important?

To obedience train Jack Russell dogs refers to a general concept of encouraging certain behaviors while discouraging others through various kinds of training techniques such as:

• Clicker training

• Positive reinforcement

• Dog whispering

• Marker training

• Reward training

• Collar-and-leash training

No matter how to train Jack Russell that is used, or even which training class you attend, if done properly, obedience training should accomplish the following goals:

• Allows you to communicate more clearly with your dog so that he or she knows what you expect of him in most circumstances, and you can give instructions for situations where he or she is uncertain.

• Builds and strengthens your relationship with your dog.

• Establishes boundaries in which your dog can happily exist within your family's social structure. This includes acceptable and undesirable behaviors in relations to family members, other animals, guests, strangers, and basic overall "manners" for various life situations.

• Creates a foundation for dealing with potential problem behaviors that already exist or that may develop in the future, such as chewing, barking, digging, jumping up, etc.

Some general tips that you may want to keep in mind as you learn how to train Jack Russell dogs for obedience are:

• Consistently praising and rewarding your dog when he or she performs a desirable behavior.

• Consistently correcting or ignoring your dog when he or she performs an undesirable behavior.

• Be patient since your dog won't simply understand everything right away. You will need to repeat the command and the action until he or she is able to catch on and is motivated to perform the behavior properly.

• Remain consistent in all things regarding your training. This includes the same commands, the same rewards, and avoiding punishing your dog when something has not been done properly (because you don't want to create an atmosphere of fear where your dog will lose confidence).

• Give instant feedback. If you wait too long, your correction or praise will not be associated with the action.