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| There are so
many training books on the market. Do you have any
particular recommendations? |
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| You are right about there being
many training books to choose from. Personally, I like The Art of Raising a
Puppy and How To Be
Your Dog’s Best Friend by the Monks of New
Skete.
Additionally, my canine
behaviorist friend, Sue McNaught, recommends a book by Ian
Dunbar called The Good
Little Dog Book.
Dr. Dunbar is famous for his “Sirius Puppy Training”
classes (available on video), which revolutionized dog
training by popularizing the use of lures and rewards. |
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| Dunbar books and videos can be
purchased directly from James & Kenneth Publishers at
800-784-5531. Ms.
McNaught also likes Job Michael Evans and anything by
Volhard. |
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| Do you
recommend using a crate for house training a puppy and
why? |
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| The crate is a wonderful
training aid and is an invaluable tool when used properly
during the house-training phase. It is instinctive for a
puppy not to soil his nest. The idea behind using a
crate as an aid to house training is that your puppy will
consider the crate as his nest. |
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He will eat and sleep in the
crate, so therefore will make every attempt to keep it clean.
It is important
that the crate be only large enough for the puppy to
comfortably lie down. If it is too large an
area, the puppy may sleep at one end and eliminate at the
other. If you purchase a crate that will fit your terrier as
an adult, I recommend blocking off part of it during the
house-training stage. A cardboard box works
well for this. |
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| A suggested schedule for crate
training is included in your Puppy Packet that you can modify
to work with your personal schedule. When introduced the
right way, the crate becomes a safe haven for your puppy and
protects both your house and the puppy during the times you
can’t attend him. The crate is also the
safest way to travel with your dog both as a puppy and an
adult. |
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| Are Jack
Russells easily trained? |
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| Most Jack Russells love to
learn, are eager to please, and are extremely food-motivated,
which makes for easy training. Whether your goal is
for your dog to work in the field,
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| in the show ring, or simply to
have good house manners, training provides the mental and
physical stimulation this breed so requires. As a general rule, I
would say that Jack Russells do best with a positive approach
to training. By
using positive reinforcement methods, training becomes a
shared activity for you and your dog, establishing a mutual
respect between the two of you. |
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| Using the right approach, there
isn’t anything this extremely intelligent breed can’t
learn. I highly
recommend enrolling in a basic puppy obedience class. These classes are fun
and are useful for helping your dog learn to behave in the
face of distractions, such as other dogs. They provide an
excellent opportunity to learn the socialization skills so
crucial in a puppy’s young life. To find classes
offered in your area, contact The Association of Pet Dog
Trainers at 1-800-PET-DOGS. |
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| Based on your
experience, can you give me some basic training tips to help
ensure my Jack Russell is easy to live
with? |
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| Because Jack Russells are such
an intelligent breed, if you don’t establish right from the
start that you are
the pack leader, they’re liable to end up training you before
you train them.
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| It’s important to establish
house rules from the beginning and be firm in sticking to
them. If the dog
won’t be allowed on the furniture as an adult, then don’t let
him on the furniture as a puppy. If you don’t want your
dog begging at the dinner table, then don’t toss him tidbits
while you’re eating. If you don’t want a
pushy dog, then don’t reinforce attention-getting behavior
like nudging, pawing, and barking. |
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| Give the dog attention on your
terms, not his. Have the dog sit or
obey some other command to “earn” your attention and petting.
Can your dog be
trusted to have run of the house without supervision? If not, crate him
while you are out and don’t give him the opportunity to be
naughty. Jack
Russells can make wonderful house dogs if you provide them
with plenty of exercise, strong leadership, and good house
rules to live by. |
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