My Jack Russell Is Out Of Control – Reasons + Guide

Jack Russell Terriers are a small, energetic, and active dog breed that first originated in England. They are considered working dogs since they were initially performed as hunters of small rodents, rabbits, squirrels, and foxes.

However, with time, JRTs transferred as domestic pets, and now they are popular among dog lovers. Adopting Jack Russell is sometimes a challenging task since they are considered aggressive and out of control.

As a JRT owner, at the beginning of adoption, my Jack Russell was out of control, and I was in a stressful situation trying to find ways to control it. 

If you are a JRT owner, then you also have the matter, what to do when my Jack Russell is out of control. As a pet parent that faced the same matter, I would like to share my experience of my JRT, Shaggy, with you.

There are several reasons for your JRT to behave out of control. Some of them are fear, boredom, seeking attention, the stress of releasing energy, and lack of exercise. They will show excess barking, biting, bouncing, digging, and unexpected running as out of control behavior. They can differ from the nature of your dog. To reduce them and control your JRT, you can follow some tips such as early training, rewarding, exercise, authority, discouraging out of control, and love and making time for them.

By reading this article, you may understand the reasons for Jack Russell’s out-of-control behavior. Then, let’s identify when they will calm down, and I’ll share the tips that I used when my Jack Russell is out of control.

So, if you are a JRT owner that was stressed with irritation out of control of your JRT, then this article is the best choice for you. Stay tuned!

Why is my Jack Russell out of control?

If you own JRTs, then you may experience the concern that my jack Russell is out of control. If you have the experience, there is no need to highlight the stress and inconvenience you faced due to your JRT’s out of control behavior.

Even though your JRT is a loving, caring, and affectionate dog, initially, you may experience their aggressiveness and out-of-control nature. Due to this reason, training is considered an essential part of adopting a Jack Russell.

So, when dealing with JRTs and their aggressiveness, it is better to understand why my Jack Russell is out of control.

Here are some common reasons for JRT’s out-of-control behavior.

1. Fear

JRTs may act aggressive and out of control when they have a fear of unfamiliar people and other pets. It can happen due to poor introduction of them to others.

They won’t show their fear of uncommon things or danger as humans. They’ll show it off with their out of control nature, and in such a situation, you have to take control and make sure there is no danger to fear.

2. To grant the attention

JRTs love their owners unconditionally, and therefore they get stressed when their owner is closer to other people or pets.

Then your JRT may act out of control to take your attention towards it. This situation can be worse if they start to interfere in your connections with your family members. 

3. Boredom

JRTs are energetic, active, and athletic dogs that are performed as hunting dogs. Therefore, they are very interactive and love to play outside and go for walks.

So they may act out of control when they feel bored with no activity to engage with. You have to make time for your dog, even with your busy schedule to reduce such situations.

4. Stress of releasing energy

Jack Russells are a dog breed with an excess amount of energy in their bodies. They need enough exercise to release their energy.

If not, they get stressed with no way to release energy, and it will lead out of control in their behavior. You have to be more concerned about exercise and outdoor activities to reduce it.

5. Lack of training

Training is the compulsory part of adopting a JRT. You need to start their training process from the very first day of their adoption.

If the training is not effective or lacking then also your JRT may behave out of control. You have to train their discipline and be in control of your commands.

Out of control behaviors of Jack Russell Terriers

As we already discussed, JRTs are aggressive and difficult dogs in their nature. Out of control is common among them when beginning the adoption.

When adopting my JRT, Shaggy, I also experienced that my jack Russell is out of control and was not obeying my commands.

But with the time passing and proper training, now my JRT is a well-disciplined and controlled dog.

So, I’ll recall some out-of-control behavior of my JRT that I observed initially. 

1. Excessive barking

Barking is the main way of a dog’s communication. In Particular, JRTs used barking as a means of communication in hunting.

However, it’s annoying and disturbing to you, your family members, and your neighbors when they bark excessively.

It is one of the major out of control behaviors of JRTs. Most of the time, it happens when they meet new people, have fear, or get nervous. 

2. Biting

Biting is a serious matter when your JRT makes it an out-of-control behavior. It is normal with puppies since they experience teething during that age.

But when an adult dog starts to bite humans, it will hurt you and the people around. Most of the time, they bite unfamiliar people as well as closest ones due to their aggression and stress.

You have to take immediate steps to control the situation before it gets worse. 

3. Bouncing

JRTs may jump on you, the feet of your guests, or other dogs, and it shows their dominance in others.

It is a form of aggression, and you should stop it immediately before causing any harm to others. You have to push them away and firmly command them to stop.

If not, your guests may face several difficulties, and it won’t be favorable for your image as well. 

4. Unexpected running

JRTs are hunting dogs in their nature, and therefore they are good runners with so much energy.

However, it will be a disaster if your JRT may be out of your control and start to run away unexpectedly without obeying your commands.

It can cause a threat to other people since they are running away and you are not around there. And it will be difficult to find them as well.

So, if your JRT is out of control, it’s better to use a leash.

5. Digging

Digging is a natural behavior of JRTs that comes from their hunting history. They are excellent diggers, and they dig holes to dig themselves later.

If this digging behavior goes out of control, it will make your furniture and garden a hazard.

They may harm your seedbeds, cultivations, as well as indoors; they’ll experiment their digging with your sofa or mattress. 

When will my Jack Russell calm down?

As we discussed, JRTs are intelligent, active, and hyper dogs with excess energy. They are popular for aggressiveness and out-of-control behavior. So, most people have the matter that my jack Russell is out of control and when will it calm down?

However, there won’t be an exact answer for this matter since it may depend on the nature of your dog. They will be more out of control when they are at their little ages as puppies. But with seniority, they begin to calm down and control.

During the age of 1-8, your JRT may have a lot of energy and prefer to behave out of control. But after 8 years, most JRTs start to calm down and slow in their movements. 

On the other hand, the training you provide to your JRT plays a major role in controlling them, except for the age factor.

At the beginning of adoption, your JRT may show off a more out of control nature, and you need to provide proper training to control them for your commands.

Then, with time and discipline, you may be able to take your dog under control. So, as owners, you need to work hard.

Tips to keep Jack Russell under control

When my Jack Russell is out of control, I was so stressed and frustrated whether I would be able to discipline and control my JRT or not. But after following several steps, I was able to get my JRT discipline under control.

Here are some tips for you to keep your JRT under control. Try them out with your Jack Russell.

1. Early training

As JRT owners, you have to realize that training is a compulsory part of JRT adoption.

When you adopt your JRT, they may show out of control and aggressiveness first, and to manage the situation, you have to start early training as soon as possible after adopting JRT.

Then they will begin to behave under control soon.

2. Rewards

Rewarding is a good way to control your JRT. Dogs love rewards, and they are better than punishments.

It is difficult for your dog to understand the good or bad of their behavior, and you have to make them aware of their irritating behavior and let them know that you don’t like them.

Reward them for their control and appreciate the discipline. 

3. Exercise

Exercise is essential for the control of JRTs. Jack Russell is a dog with excess energy, and they may get stressed when they lack exercise and outdoor activities.

Then due to that stress of excess energy, they may act out of control. So, you have to provide enough exercise to your JRT, and regular walks can be used as a good means.

4. Authority

Let your Jack Russell understand that you have the authority and you are in charge of it. Don’t let your JRT stand over you.

Teach him to follow and go beside you while following your commands. JRTs are stubborn, and to reduce it, you have to take control and spread the authority over them. 

5. Discourage out of control

Don’t encourage your JRT’s out of control behavior and always make them understand that their out of control has disappointed you.

Show that you don’t like them with facial expressions and body language. JRTs are intelligent dogs, and they may understand it. 

6. Love and make time

JRTs begin to act out of control when they want your attention, love, and time. So, to control and make your dog obey you, try to make time for them even with your busy schedules.

Provide them love, care, and attention. JRTs are very loving and affectionate dogs, and they love to be loved by their owners.

So, you may be able to take your JRT under control through your love and care.

Conclusion – What I can do when my Jack Russell is out of control?

Now you have a clear idea about why my jack Russell is out of control and what are the out of control behavior of it. Then we’ve discussed when they may calm down and what are the tips you can follow to make your JRT under control.

So, don’t get discouraged and disappointed by your JRT’s out of control. Try to discipline it on your command with better training. Then you may have a loving, affectionate, and obedient pet.

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!