Do Jack Russells Have Separation Anxiety? Tips + Guide

Jack Russells are a small dog breed that was bred in early England for hunting. They are very clever at hunting foxes and rabbits both above and below the ground. Jack Russells are an energetic dog breed with a strong desire to work.

This personality has not changed with time. So, Jack Russells are not good for every dog owner. Only experienced and energetic dog owners who match the Jack Russells’ energy should adopt them.

Do Jack Russells have separation anxiety? Yes, they do. As they are very aggressive, but they have a soft side too. This dog breed is very loyal to its owners. They always try to stay with their owners to protect them. If you are a Jack Russell owner, you may notice that your Jack Russell follows everywhere you go because they do not want to be alone.

Not only that, but also you cannot keep your Jack Russell outside the house or alone in the house for a long period. If you do so, outcomes will be nothing other than worse. Jack Russells are indeed a small dog breed, but they can cause mass destruction. They act extremely aggressively when you leave them alone at home. Mainly, be aware of your furniture as most probably they will chew those. 

If you are searching for the answers to whether Jack Russell has separation anxiety, the answer will be a straight “Yes.”

Read the full article to know about the separation anxiety in Jack Russell Terriers, are Jack Russells OK to be left alone? And a guide for preventing separation anxiety from your Jack Russell.

Remember that if you are going to adopt a dog, it is always an extra responsibility. If it is a Jack Russell Terrier, your responsibility will become double. You have to give them proper training from an early stage.

Moreover, Jack Russells always prefer a companion with them. But that should be their owners. They are aggressive to other dogs as well as to younger children. Because they think that they will steal their owners’ love and affection more than themselves.

So, remember you should shower loads of love to your Jack Russell if you do not prefer it to be a small bomb.

Separation anxiety in Jack Russell terriers

Jack Russells are stubborn dog breeds who prefer to be independent. So, do Jack Russells have separation anxiety? No matter how aggressive and energetic they are, they want to be with their owners every time.

Suppose you are an owner of a Jack Russell. In that case, you may be familiar with their special behavior of following everywhere you go. They act like they are attached to your body. It may be annoying to you sometimes. But that is normal for their breed.

This attachment mainly emerges with the alpha of the house. Separation anxiety is a common thing that can be seen in every Jack Russell dog.

They get extremely aggressive when you leave them alone in the house. If you do, results may be continuous barking until you are with them or chewing furniture. 

Now you know the answer to do Jack Russells have separation anxiety? So, do you ever think about why they have this separation anxiety? To find the answers to that, you should have a clear idea about their personality.

They are hunting dogs with a lot of energy and a strong desire to work. It needs daily exercise to burn off this energy. As mentioned, they are in a strong desire to work. So, they will find a job for themselves like digging your yard, etc.

Also, they try to protect their loved ones in any situation. Jack Russells are a loyal breed to their owners. So they try to be with their owners every time. If they cannot be with their loved ones, they may probably suffer from separation anxiety. 

A Jack Russell who suffers from separation anxiety may chew everything around them and be destructive. Moreover, they bark non stop until you arrive home. As Jack Russell loves to dig, they may discover inside of your furniture.

And they might pee or poop inside the house if you left them alone inside the house. Your Jack Russell strat to act aggressively when they see you are ready to go outside.

They start it when they notice you putting on your shoes or coat. But, you can deal with the separation anxiety of your Jack Russell. Go through the article to find out how!

Are Jack Russells OK to be left alone?

If you are a working person, you won’t be able to stay with your Jack Russel all the time. If there is nobody in the house for a long period, it will be troublesome to have a Jack Russell. On the other hand, you cannot stay at home all the time.

You already know that answer is yes to the question, do Jack Russells have separation anxiety? But, that does not mean you cannot leave your Jack Russell alone at the house. You can, and it is okay to leave them alone.

But before leaving your Jack Russell alone, you have to consider a few preconditions. Especially their age and for how many hours you stay outside, etc. If you do not take steps to ease their loneliness, you can have the following worst outcomes;

• Scratching
• Sad and depressed
• Biting themselves
• Chewing on furniture 
• Howling and barking
• Toileting

Also, it is worse to see an aggressive, sad dog when you come back to your home. But, you may work 8+ hours outside your house. If so, do not worry; read the below section. It will provide a guide for preventing separation anxiety of your Jack Russell. 

Guide for preventing separation anxiety

If you still worry about do Jack Russells have separation anxiety, read this guide to prevent your dog from separation anxiety.

• Crate train your dog

Jack Russells need an experienced and trained dog owner to become an obedient dog. You can practice with your dog from an early stage. Get him used to a crate. Do not just put your dog inside the crate and close the door.

You have to train them slowly. As the first step, guide it into the crate and practice them to sleep inside the crate with an open door. Then you can close the door after he gets used to it.

If you want to ease their loneliness and comfort, put chewing toys and pillows inside the crate. And always keep its water bowl near the crate so that the dog can easily reach it anytime. 

• Give them a favorite toy or a treat

Your Jack Russell may have its favorite toy to play with. When you leave them alone, they will feel lonely. Having their favorite toy may reduce their loneliness.

Sometime make this toy edible to your dog. For example, a toy stuffed with a dog’s favorite food. Such as peanut butter. This will help them to get away from separation anxiety. 

• Give your dog time to adjust to being alone

This is one of the main methods that you can deal with the separation anxiety of your Jack Russell. You should understand that adjusting to being alone for your dog may take time.

Sometimes they may need days of training. Train them to be alone step by step. Treat them with their favorite candy when you come back in every time.

So, they will learn to trust you and adapt to staying alone. You need patience for this.

• Keep calm

Sometimes, your dog may have made a mess in his crate or destroyed the toy you give to it when you come back home. If so, do not try to shout at the dog or beat the dog.

You have to stay calm and give time to your dog to get used to it. Separation anxiety is common to this loyal, affectionate dog breed.

If they do not adapt to it, give them more training and exercise in your free time. Sometimes they act aggressively when they do not receive a way to burn out their energy. 

• Don’t draw out the farewells

This is a common mistake that many Jack Russell owners make. Do not cuddle or snuggle your dog when you are ready to go out.

Jack Russells are intelligent dog breeds, and they can pick emotional changes of their owners quickly.

So, when you cuddle your dog before you leave, it may feel more lonely as soon as you leave. Instead, give him a treat and get him inside the crate. 

• Hiring a dog walker

If the above tips do not work with your dog, you can hire a dog walker. A dog walker will take your dog for a walk when you are outside the house.

It will help them to release their energy and keep rid of separation anxiety.

• Ask a neighbour or family member to check in on them.

If you have trustworthy neighbours or family members, you can rely on them to take care of your Jack Russell. So you can stay at your work without worrying about your dog.

• Head back home on your lunch break

This is another option you can have if you are working near your house. Use your lunch break to come home for your lunch and to spend time with your dog.

• Doggy daycare

This is the most expensive method of dealing with the separation anxiety of your Jack Russell.

But they can enjoy their freedom with a lot of play times in dog care, and you do not have to worry a little bit about your dog. 

Final thoughts about Jack Russell’s separation anxiety

By reading the article, you can clearly understand whether Jack Russells have separation anxiety or not. Jack Russells are an energetic, aggressive dog breed, but also they have a soft side too. They love to be with their owners every time.

If they have to stay a long period alone, they will suffer from separation anxiety. But following the provided guides, you can protect your dog from separation anxiety without disturbing your daily tasks. However, remember to treat your dog with loads of love and affection and make him your family member.

Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts about your favorite dog breed.

Cheers from Shaggy and Lenny!