Stop Your Jack Russell Terrier Pulling On The Leash

Jack Russell terriers are generally very active dogs. This is not surprising because they were first bred for hunting small animals that tend to run very fast. As such there will always be the tendency for your Jack Russell terrier to be pulling on the leash when it gets distracted. However, if your Jack Russell terrier has the habit of pulling the leash when you take him out for walks, not only is that annoying and tiring; but if you do not correct this bad habit, it may result in some unwanted consequences. This is especially the case if the leash or collar breaks and your terrier goes out of control.

It is also not good for your terrier to be pulling on the leash for a long time as it may also cause injury to him. This is because great pressure will be exerted by the collar on his neck and this pressure can also cause the collar to cut into his neck. The sudden jerk on the leash will also exert pressure on your hand and hard pulling on the leash also means that you need a greater force to control your terrier.

As such, to solve the problem of your dog pulling on the leash, you will have to first understand the fundamentals. If you already have had a dog for some time you may have noticed that by instinct your dog wants to be the pack leader. As such, your dog will always want to take the leadership position if you allow him. Hence if you do not establish yourself as the alpha leader to your dog early on in his life, you will find that he may be challenging you for the alpha dog position, and pulling on the leash is one of the symptoms of challenging for that alpha position.

Hence, one of the ways to stop your dog from pulling on the leash is to be the alpha leader to your dog. If your dog senses that you are his leader, then a big part of his behavior problem can be easily managed. You can easily command your terrier and he will obey you because you are his leader. You can also consider leash and clicker training. Again this training will also help to establish you as his alpha leader and at the same time instill discipline into your dog.

Have you also considered exercising your dog more often? It may sound funny but the lack of exercise may also cause your dog to pull on the leash. This is because like I mentioned earlier, your Jack Russell is a hunter and he is full of energy. If he is cooped up, then he may want to release that energy inside him by dashing about – hence he will pull on the leash.

Another important aspect often forgotten by dog owners is that of acknowledgment. It is also another form of communication between you and your dog. Everyone wants to be appreciated – even ourselves. Remember how happy you were when your boss told you that you had done a good job? Well, your terrier wants your appreciation as well.

As such, once your terrier behaves well during your walks, let him know that he is a good dog. Give him some praise or even a treat. However a word of caution – do not overdo it as it may lead to undesirable consequences.