Jack Russell Training As A Step Towards a Shy-free Dog

Posted by Puppy Trainer on October 29th, 2009 filed in Dogs

If you are helping your dog to hurdle shyness, the sooner you start working with the young dog, the more likely it is to have a more relaxed individual. Puppy classes can be a good start, but exercise some caution and prudence. Some instructors do not have a way of reaching out to shy dogs, and so some instructors may try to put the dog into situations that put the pressure on it. Anybody who wants to work with shyer dogs may want to start a one-on-one introduction. Allow a stranger to take hold of the leash and lead the dog some meters away. When the dog settles in in the presence of that person, quit that activity. In the next session, try getting the dog to meet another new person. Continue this pattern of one person at a time until the dog is comfortable with strangers.

As a trainer-handler working with tougher cases, a little confidence building can work wonders for a Jack Russell. Among the many activities that build confidence is agility, which is similar to basic Jack Russell training in terms of objective. Playing bond-building games is another effective solution. Since the goal is then to build the dog’s self-esteem and yet maintain the master-and-pet relationship, but make sure you win the very last round. Still another effective tip for helping a shyer dog is a reward-based and positive reinforcement style of training. Harsh penalties, on the other hand, is not among the best solutions, since plenty of shy dogs also can be sensitive at the same time.

Another way to break the ice with a shyer dog is to have a stranger hold the dog. This can have an effect with some dogs that are not too shy. But the Jack Russell training will need to be implemented properly. First of all, the dog will need to be held by a stranger to help socialize the dog. But the problem is if the contact is too short, the dog sometimes end up even more dreading being near strangers. The trick is to allow the stranger to hold the dog for quite some time, which will give the dog time to get accustomed and to relax. This means that the stranger will need to be willing to spend as much as fifteen to twenty minutes with the dog until it feels comfortable in the hands of a stranger. Again, take note that this method will make the most progress in the case of a less extreme case.