# Rehoming badly behaved (walking) Jack Russell



## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Hi,

I have a 3 year old Jack Russell called Sparky. He currently lives with another 3 year old King Charles called Rufus. Both dogs get on very well together and were introduced when my Mother met her new partner. They were introduced before Sparky's barking problem developed therefore they are fine together.

Due to my parent's relationship deteriorating when we got Sparky as a pup, which eventually ended in separation, Sparky didn't get the social classes/playing with dogs when he was a pup. After moving house and a few bad experiences with other dogs, Sparky is now very poorly behaved when he sees a dog/cat on a walk.

Sparky will immediately bark very loudly/fiercely when he sees one. It has got to the point now where I feel unsafe walking Sparky for his sake and mine. I had a bad experience today where another dog walked around a corner that we were walking towards. At this point I attempted to cross the road and turn around but Sparky was pulling and barking so hard I struggled to keep him under control. He does this because of his anxiety, whenever walking him I notice how he is looking constantly to find something to defend himself from.

Sparky is a completely different dog around the house. He is very loving and very sweet and would never be aggressive towards a human. He sleeps on my bed (only recently, not as a pup) and I have grown very close to him over the last year. In truth, he is one of my closest friends and whatever happens in result of this post, it is going to result in upset and a lot of tears. I understand that, but I cannot let Sparky continue to control my life and I need to do something about it. I run a business from home and he is my companion throughout the day. However due to the walking problem I feel it will eventually result in an accident or something else.

The reason I write this post is because I'm stumped. If I was looking to re-home a dog as a family, I wouldn't take Sparky because he cannot be safely walked, so there goes the option of inviting families to see him (as well as his jumping up style of greeting, eating his own feces, barking out balcony window). I do not have the strength to put him in a home because of his behavioral problems, he would just bark all day every day in his anxiety and would likely end up to him not eating. What can I do?

A few months back we spent a lot of money on dog training (click and reward) which showed positive signs at an early stage but improvements on his behavior slowed down before we eventually realised it would likely take several years before the barking problem settles.

I want the best for Sparky and am really not sure what to do. I am running my own business and cannot cope with caring for him and his anxiety problem (walking him at obscene times etc), but at the same time I will never forgive myself for letting him into what I can only imagine would be something like a Kennels which I promised I would never put him in again after doing it once (was dreadful for him whilst away for a week, became very thin).

Please help! This is stressing me out and I want the best for me and Sparky


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

Other than the walking issue, why are you looking to rehome him?


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## LinznMilly (Jun 24, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have a 3 year old Jack Russell called Sparky. He currently lives with another 3 year old King Charles called Rufus. Both dogs get on very well together and were introduced when my Mother met her new partner. They were introduced before Sparky's barking problem developed therefore they are fine together.
> 
> ...


And how are you feeling when he sees another dog? Are you calm, or are you, yourself, becoming stressed? If so, that's going to travel straight down the lead and make him worse. 

Have you tried increasing the distance between you/Sparky and the other dog/s? Walk away from the other dog, warn the other owner that your dog isn't all that friendly and ask them to keep their dogs away. Meanwhile, you put your dog in a Sit and Watch Me, or put him behind you so that you're a physical barrier between him and the other dog.



> Sparky is a completely different dog around the house. He is very loving and very sweet and would never be aggressive towards a human. He sleeps on my bed (only recently, not as a pup) and I have grown very close to him over the last year. In truth, he is one of my closest friends and whatever happens in result of this post, it is going to result in upset and a lot of tears. I understand that, but I cannot let Sparky continue to control my life and I need to do something about it. I run a business from home and he is my companion throughout the day. However due to the walking problem I feel it will eventually result in an accident or something else.
> 
> The reason I write this post is because I'm stumped. If I was looking to re-home a dog as a family, I wouldn't take Sparky because he cannot be safely walked, so there goes the option of inviting families to see him (as well as his jumping up style of greeting, eating his own feces, barking out balcony window). I do not have the strength to put him in a home because of his behavioral problems, he would just bark all day every day in his anxiety and would likely end up to him not eating. What can I do?
> 
> ...


I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be rehoming my dog for this problem alone.  I have a dog like your Sparky, and I work with him. In Max's case, he's fine so long as other dogs give him space, so me simply standing in front of him and blocking other dogs from getting to him helps enormously, as does a Watch Me.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Thanks for your reply, LinznMilly.

To be honest, originally I would remain calm but I have recently started to become more frustrated and pull him away. He is a strong dog, that doesn't make it an excuse but it's very difficult to remain calm when he is the exact opposite.

With regards to talking to another owner or moving further away, sadly I don't get a chance. Sparky makes it impossible to do anything like that because he starts before I even get a chance to react (unless he's sniffing something and I can move him away without seeing the other dog).

If Sparky was behaving like Max I could cope, but Max sounds like a typical Jack and not one with a serious behaviour problem like Sparky.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

You say that you started dog training classes a few months ago, did you not continue with them?

Also, why do you think it will be years before this problem can be resolved? It may not be a quick fix but if you continue with effective training & are consistant then you will see results.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Cleo38 said:


> You say that you started dog training classes a few months ago, did you not continue with them?
> 
> Also, why do you think it will be years before this problem can be resolved? It may not be a quick fix but if you continue with effective training & are consistant then you will see results.


Because the training wasn't effective and each lesson was costing me £40. I don't have that much money to spend on myself let alone my dog.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

jskidd3 said:


> Because the training wasn't effective and each lesson was costing me £40. I don't have that much money to spend on myself let alone my dog.


Where are you based, maybe someone can recommend someone to you?

Why wasn't it effective? What did the trainer suggest?


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Cleo38 said:


> Where are you based, maybe someone can recommend someone to you?
> 
> Why wasn't it effective? What did the trainer suggest?


I'm based in Southampton. The trainer was very good, we used clicker training and we eventually introduced another dog. The truth is, the combination of cost and the amount of effort it was taking to train him was just becoming too much. My business is starting to become quite big and I'm losing time to spend on training. Unless there was some form of training where I wouldn't be a part of it, I can't see myself being able to give the amount of effort it takes to retrain a 3 year old Jack. But I don't think that kind of thing exists


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)




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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

jskidd3 said:


> I'm based in Southampton. The trainer was very good, we used clicker training and we eventually introduced another dog. The truth is, the combination of cost and the amount of effort it was taking to train him was just becoming too much. My business is starting to become quite big and I'm losing time to spend on training. Unless there was some form of training where I wouldn't be a part of it, I can't see myself being able to give the amount of effort it takes to retrain a 3 year old Jack. But I don't think that kind of thing exists


Tbh, you don't need to spend hours a day training, quite the oppositte. Shorter sessions where you & the dog are finishing on a good point are much better & more effective than long sessions.

My rescue GSD were very reactive to other dogs initially, & people but we were able to over come thins. Working fiull time myself meant that I had limited time so my training sessions had to be effective.

Instead you can play games & have training sessions at home to get him to gain more focus. Use his fave toy or food rewards, whatever motivates him.

If you want to you can do this, it doesn't have to cost alot or take up too much time


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Would it be possible for you to save some money and pay for a one off consultation with a Behaviourist, who could give you some tools and methods to work with the problem?

Jack Russells can be reactive little dogs.

I had a Parson Russell years ago who reacted to other dogs the way Sparky does and I'm afraid he never learned not to do it. I just used to give other dogs a wide berth and move on as quickly as I could.

Would Sparky carry a ball or toy which you could give to him when you see another dog?


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Lexiedhb said:


> Other than the walking issue, why are you looking to rehome him?


Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.

I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.

I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

jskidd3 said:


> I'm based in Southampton. The trainer was very good, we used clicker training and we eventually introduced another dog. The truth is, the combination of cost and the amount of effort it was taking to train him was just becoming too much. My business is starting to become quite big and I'm losing time to spend on training. Unless there was some form of training where I wouldn't be a part of it, I can't see myself being able to give the amount of effort it takes to retrain a 3 year old Jack. But I don't think that kind of thing exists


Please don't give up on Sparky; who do you think will pick up where you have left off? He may be very difficult to rehome given his history and if he goes to a rescue centre may spend a long time in kennels.

I know how hard it is to rehabilitate a dog that loses it at the sight / sound of another dog as my RR did so after being severely attacked. 20 months down the line we are now passing other dogs nicely but still have along way to go.

Perhaps get a front clip harness if you are struggling to hold Sparky (I can safely hold my 48kg dog on Mekuti or Perfect Fit with front ring harness), look into stress in dogs Reactive Champion: The Stress Bathtub and read up as much as you can on positive rewards based training if you cannot afford a behaviourist. The BAT approach is what I had major success with and sounds as if it may suit Sparky - but obviously I do not know him so you need to judge for yourself!!

Find some nice, quiet walking areas where you can relax and enjoy Sparky and keep him under threshold and keep his stress levels down. Get up at 4am if you have to!!

That is just my ideas thrown into the pot - but really vet check followed by referral to reputable behaviourist would be the ideal.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

jskidd3 said:


> Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.
> 
> I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, *how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.*
> 
> I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.


But in a few years, with work, he won't do these things!


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Sweety said:


> Would it be possible for you to save some money and pay for a one off consultation with a Behaviourist, who could give you some tools and methods to work with the problem?
> 
> Jack Russells can be reactive little dogs.
> 
> ...


No he wouldn't carry anything, he's just interested in trying to intimidate the other dog as much as possible. If I hadn't already spent a lot of money on dog training then perhaps I would consider that. But I've made a lot of effort to try and fix his issues and I'm not making any progress


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

jskidd3 said:


> Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.
> 
> I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.
> 
> I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.


Eh? He won't have these issues if you put some time & effort in.

So what if you're 18, you can still go out & socialise, you just put a bit of time aside each day to work with your dog - not nreally too much to ask is it?

If he's eating his own poo this is easily stopped .... each time he goes oiutside go with him . When he's had a poo pick it up.

No dog is born perfect, you ave to put the effort in


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Dogless said:


> But in a few years, with work, he won't do these things!


Yes but you're missing the point, I don't have a few years to spend on training, I'm a company director in a business which is growing at a fast rate. I'm struggling to create time to do this.


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.
> 
> I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.
> 
> I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.


I managed it and mine ins a 30kg bull breed, highly reactive to other dogs, and wary of strange men..... consistant training, with the correct help is what you need. Why is your mum not helping you with this?

Your dog is perfect in the house so you say, so its perfectly possible to run a business and socialise...... :thumbdown: I take the time to just find somewhere to walk him where there are no other dogs for a start


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## ladydog (Feb 24, 2013)

You are describing our dog Lady, a GSDxBD. She behaved this way when we first took her on from the Dog Trust. She was an angel at home but A devil outside! She is now fine but it took hard training and avoiding dogs and slowly going to places where dogs were.
We never thought of rehoming her because it would have been unfair.
She was ours for better and for worst. Did we dispair? Yes!!!!! But we would do it again because she is wonderful.
Hang in there. It will improve.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Cleo38 said:


> Eh? He won;t have these issues if you put some time & effort in.
> 
> So what if you're 18, you can still go out & socialise, you just put a bit of time aside each day to work with your dog - not nreally too much to ask is it?
> 
> ...


I feel that all of these answers are being written by people who are only interested in my dog's interests, which is understandable, but please see the bigger picture. With regards to putting "a bit of time aside", I do that every day of the week, despite how difficult it is I still give him an hours walk every day. Sadly my job requires me to be at my desk 12 hours a day, that makes it difficult to go and pick up his poop every time he wants to go out (which is sometimes to bark at nothing, and sometimes to dump).

Without sounding arrogant, I know exactly what it means to put effort in.


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## wannabe dogowner (Feb 24, 2013)

Leaving aside actually 'fixing' his dog aggression issue for a moment as there are many more experienced than me who have already suggested everything I would have.

Day to day, even if he IS reactive, it is easy enough to manage the problem with the correct equipment and a bit of foresight. Get yourself a piece of equipment which you can control him on, a harness or headcollar of some sort. On walks, make sure you never, ever go around a blind bend and give him cause to kick off. Simply cross the road before the corner and then cross back once you can see the path is clear
Ok, off lead is out of bounds unless you work on the problem but he can have a perfectly happy life with walks on lead and his friend to play with in the garden. Sadly though, I'm not getting the feeling that you really want to keep him and are looking for a way out


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## shirleystarr (Mar 22, 2009)

wannabe dogowner said:


> Leaving aside actually 'fixing' his dog aggression issue for a moment as there are many more experienced than me who have already suggested everything I would have.
> 
> Day to day, even if he IS reactive, it is easy enough to manage the problem with the correct equipment and a bit of foresight. Get yourself a piece of equipment which you can control him on, a harness or headcollar of some sort. On walks, make sure you never, ever go around a blind bend and give him cause to kick off. Simply cross the road before the corner and then cross back once you can see the path is clear
> Ok, off lead is out of bounds unless you work on the problem but he can have a perfectly happy life with walks on lead and his friend to play with in the garden. Sadly though, I'm not getting the feeling that you really want to keep him and are looking for a way out


That's the impression I am getting too and its very sad


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> I feel that all of these answers are being written by people who are only interested in my dog's interests, which is understandable, but please see the bigger picture. With regards to putting "a bit of time aside", I do that every day of the week, despite how difficult it is I still give him an hours walk every day. Sadly my job requires me to be at my desk 12 hours a day, that makes it difficult to go and pick up his poop every time he wants to go out (which is sometimes to bark at nothing, and sometimes to dump).
> 
> Without sounding arrogant, I know exactly what it means to put effort in.


If you jnew what it meant to put the effort in with regards to DOG TRAINING you have been seeing some results by now, you admitred yourself youve given up because results didnt hapoen quickly enough

So basically you just wanted everyone to say " yeah rehome him ,..... heres the number of someone who can take him"


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## Gemmaa (Jul 19, 2009)

I think maybe you just came on here with the hope that either someone would offer to take the dog, or that everyone would tell you to have it put to sleep and you wouldn't feel as guilty.

Enjoy your social life :rolleyes5:.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

wannabe dogowner said:


> Leaving aside actually 'fixing' his dog aggression issue for a moment as there are many more experienced than me who have already suggested everything I would have.
> 
> Day to day, even if he IS reactive, it is easy enough to manage the problem with the correct equipment and a bit of foresight. Get yourself a piece of equipment which you can control him on, a harness or headcollar of some sort. On walks, make sure you never, ever go around a blind bend and give him cause to kick off. Simply cross the road before the corner and then cross back once you can see the path is clear
> Ok, off lead is out of bounds unless you work on the problem but he can have a perfectly happy life with walks on lead and his friend to play with in the garden. Sadly though, I'm not getting the feeling that you really want to keep him and are looking for a way out


I'm thinking about a way out, but I'm certain of nothing yet. As I said in the original post, it would hurt me a hell of a lot to rehome Sparky so I want to put as much effort in as possible into fixing the problem. Please understand that this problem has been going on for more than 6 months and all of my family is advising me to rehome him due to the amount of work he is causing on top of my work


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

jskidd3 said:


> Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.
> 
> I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.
> 
> I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.


Typical....

Sorry, but I find it really frustrating when people give up their dogs because they want to move on and frankly, a dog doesn't fit in with their lifestyle!

It's a responsibility that shouldn't be easy to pass up on when things get tricky, and you absolutely can have a social life/working life with a dog!

That said, if you have had enough and are making such excuses then it probably would be a whole lot fairer for the poor dog to go to someone willing to commit to him and put the training in that's needed.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Gemmaa said:


> I think maybe you just came on here with the hope that either someone would offer to take the dog, or that everyone would tell you to have it put to sleep and you wouldn't feel as guilty.
> 
> Enjoy your social life :rolleyes5:.


No Gemma, that's not true at all, and I think that is very harsh.

I wanted to hear advice from others in a similar situation in order to make a decision as to how I should proceed. Is putting a dog to sleep a joke? I didn't even know that was possible without a serious medical problem.


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## MyAnimals (Aug 14, 2014)

Lots of people have reactive dogs, it's not a reason to rehome. You are just passing him onto someone else to deal with his problem. It is easy enough to manage a reactive dog, and also possible to help him with positive training. If the problem is actually that you don't want to spend the time training him with the help of knowledgable people, then be honest and rehome him for this reason. It's not fair to blame him when he is just fearful of something. Sorry, but the problem here is you.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Dogloverlou said:


> Typical....
> 
> Sorry, but I find it really frustrating when people give up their dogs because they want to move on and frankly, a dog doesn't fit in with their lifestyle!
> 
> ...


I *have not* given up on my dog. Firstly, I didn't even home/buy Sparky. I have been caring for him for some time on my own, passed down to me after my parents' separation as no one wanted him and I didn't want him to be put in a shelter. Everyone is treating this post as if I am a terrible owner who has made no effort to fix the problem. Quite honestly, I regret posting on here in the first place, I feel sick to my stomach!


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> I *have not* given up on my dog. Firstly, I didn't even home/buy Sparky. I have been caring for him for some time on my own, passed down to me after my parent's separation as no one wanted him and I didn't want him to be put in a shelter. Everyone is treating this post as if I am a terrible owner who has made no effort to fix the problem. Quite honestly, I regret posting on here in the first place, I feel sick to my stomach!


But you have given us every excuse in the book why you Cant put the effort in...... what exactly did the trainer tell you to do with him?


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## Gemmaa (Jul 19, 2009)

jskidd3 said:


> I'm based in Southampton. The trainer was very good, we used clicker training and we eventually introduced another dog. The truth is, the combination of cost and the amount of effort it was taking to train him was just becoming too much. My business is starting to become quite big and I'm losing time to spend on training. *Unless there was some form of training where I wouldn't be a part of it, I can't see myself being able to give the amount of effort it takes to retrain a 3 year old Jack*. But I don't think that kind of thing exists





jskidd3 said:


> Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.
> 
> I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.
> 
> I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.





jskidd3 said:


> No he wouldn't carry anything, he's just interested in trying to intimidate the other dog as much as possible.* If I hadn't already spent a lot of money on dog training then perhaps I would consider that. But I've made a lot of effort to try and fix his issues and I'm not making any progress*





jskidd3 said:


> Y*es but you're missing the point, I don't have a few years to spend on training,* I'm a company director in a business which is growing at a fast rate. I'm struggling to create time to do this.





jskidd3 said:


> *I feel that all of these answers are being written by people who are only interested in my dog's interests, which is understandable, but please see the bigger picture*. With regards to putting "a bit of time aside", I do that every day of the week, despite how difficult it is I still give him an hours walk every day. Sadly my job requires me to be at my desk 12 hours a day, that makes it difficult to go and pick up his poop every time he wants to go out (which is sometimes to bark at nothing, and sometimes to dump).
> 
> Without sounding arrogant, I know exactly what it means to put effort in.





jskidd3 said:


> No Gemma, that's not true at all, and I think that is very harsh.
> 
> I wanted to hear advice from others in a similar situation in order to make a decision as to how I should proceed. Is putting a dog to sleep a joke? I didn't even know that was possible without a serious medical problem.


You're clearly not prepared to put any more time in to train him, so what are we supposed to suggest?


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## wannabe dogowner (Feb 24, 2013)

Well to give you the cold, hard facts...... 
If you take him to a shelter for rehoming it is highly possible you will in fact be signing his death warrant. Over 7000 dogs were put down from shelters etc last year alone. Many dogs with no issues at all end up there and will obviously be more likely to get homed first. Given you know he is stressed by both kennel surroundings and the other dogs that will be there, he is unlikely to show his kind, loving, sweet natured side is he?

Rehoming might be a great option all round, but the reality might be very, very different. Once you have signed him over and lost control of his future, you may find he doesn't have one


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## shirleystarr (Mar 22, 2009)

Well to be honest with you I would rather have your problem with a dog than the one I will have with my boy when I have to put him to sleep tomorrow just be grateful you have a dog that with time could be sorted


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

jskidd3 said:


> I *have not* given up on my dog. Firstly, I didn't even home/buy Sparky. I have been caring for him for some time on my own, passed down to me after my parents' separation as no one wanted him and I didn't want him to be put in a shelter. Everyone is treating this post as if I am a terrible owner who has made no effort to fix the problem. Quite honestly, I regret posting on here in the first place, I feel sick to my stomach!


Ok, so what is it you want help with? To be honest his issues sound relatively easy to manage and make progress on.

But, and I know you think the posts here are harsh, in all honesty it sounds like you just don't want to deal with him anymore and are making excuses. People can and do work full time and have dogs, however, they WANT to make it work and their every spare minute/hours etc are devoted to the dogs. If you're finding it to much of an issue to even pick up his poo then you're not really committed to making things work and therefore rehoming him is the kindest option to the dog rather than keeping him and things just getting worse.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

I was 19 and working 12 hour shifts when I found myself with a severely dog aggressive and fearful in general dog on my hands. If you don't want to put in the time and effort then contact a good rescue and find the poor dog a new home where time will be found and effort made to help him get over his issues. It's not fair for him to go on as he is at the moment and to be honest, if all you can do is say you don't have time or don't see why you should make the effort as you never planned to own him then there's nothing else left to suggest is there?


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Thanks for the replies, I won't be rehoming Sparky. Sorry if my attitude comes off as if I am uninterested in helping him, which I guess it does. But I am very tired and am trying everything in my power to the point where I feel a little depressed. I will get some professional advise from a behaviorist.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

You could try contacting the Jack Russell Rescue to see if they can help.

I think they're called Jack Russell Rescue UK. I saw someone fundraising for them on FB the other day.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

shirleystarr said:


> Well to be honest with you I would rather have your problem with a dog than the one I will have with my boy when I have to put him to sleep tomorrow just be grateful you have a dog that with time could be sorted


Thanks Shirley, sorry about your dog


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## 2Hounds (Jun 24, 2009)

My dog can be reactive around other dogs lunging & squealing, thankfully she's a foody so has learnt that seeing other dogs gets her treats and so has become more distractable over time. We also learnt from a socialization workshop that our reactions were effecting her from holding the lead shorter/tighter, slowing down our speed on approaching a dog would send signal that dog was something to worry about, also we'd let her be in front of us so actually she became responsible for the greeting & keeping her to our side/behind meant she was watching us for cues more. We can introduce to other dogs but there has to be a gradual process unless that dog is very calm. I make our lives easier by picking places to walk that will have fewer risk of dogs charging over to limit bad experiences. 

Was it a behaviourist that helped you with the training?


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

wannabe dogowner said:


> Well to give you the cold, hard facts......
> If you take him to a shelter for rehoming it is highly possible you will in fact be signing his death warrant. Over 7000 dogs were put down from shelters etc last year alone. Many dogs with no issues at all end up there and will obviously be more likely to get homed first. Given you know he is stressed by both kennel surroundings and the other dogs that will be there, he is unlikely to show his kind, loving, sweet natured side is he?
> 
> Rehoming might be a great option all round, but the reality might be very, very different. Once you have signed him over and lost control of his future, you may find he doesn't have one


That's terrible, I won't contribute to that number


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

If you don't have time to train him, you don't have time for a dog tbh...my dog is reactive to dogs, humans, sometimes traffic and random inanimate objects depending on his mood/weather/phase of the moon (in other words sometimes I have no clue why he's suddenly worse or better) I work loads with him, but that's instead of doing what other owners do, not necessarily as well as.

I train while I'm walking, I train while we're playing in the house...sometimes he has a training session instead of a walk at all. He'd need the time spent on him either way, I could just do playing or walking though without multi-tasking if he didn't have the behavioural issues.

I'm also a little bit confused by you not being able to hold him...he's a normal size jack russell? On a normal lead? Not like an unlocked flexi or anything?


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

School holidays I guess?


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

tabulahrasa said:


> If you don't have time to train him, you don't have time for a dog tbh...my dog is reactive to dogs, humans, sometimes traffic and random inanimate objects depending on his mood/weather/phase of the moon (in other words sometimes I have no clue why he's suddenly worse or better) I work loads with him, but that's instead of doing what other owners do, not necessarily as well as.
> 
> I train while I'm walking, I train while we're playing in the house...sometimes he has a training session instead of a walk at all. He'd need the time spent on him either way, I could just do playing or walking though without multi-tasking if he didn't have the behavioural issues.
> 
> *I'm also a little bit confused by you not being able to hold him...he's a normal size jack russell? On a normal lead? Not like an unlocked flexi or anything?*


This indeed. I can never quite grasp, unless someone is of an age or has an issue themselves, how any dog can be described as 'strong' at that weight and size.

For a fit 18 year old? Joke.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Phoolf said:


> This indeed. I can never quite grasp, unless someone is of an age or has an issue themselves, how any dog can be described as 'strong' at that weight and size.
> 
> For a fit 18 year old? Joke.


Thanks for your reply Phoolf, but I think you'll find that if you're carrying two bags of poop, walking a King Charles and having to walk in the opposite direction that a Jack Russell wants to walk in whilst growling, barking and pulling, it's quite a difficult task. Thanks for also assuming I'm fit when I could well have been obese, I am of normal build.


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## Barcode (Mar 7, 2011)

Sometimes, we need to stop trying to 'fix' everything, and manage them as best we can.

What you are describing sounds like Scrabble - over a year ago. And no, there is no quick fix. But, it is very manageable:

- Avoid popular dog walking areas. Don't worry what others think: just cross the road, turn around, or dive into a hedge if need be! Sometimes, I feel like I'm a ninja ducking-and-diving. That, or I'm going to be mistaken for a burglar as I lurk around someone's driveway. If Sparky looks at the dog, treat, move on. 

- Don't be afraid of asking others to recall their dogs. If Sparky is on-lead and another dog chases over, then ask yourself who is really to blame. 

- Think about how you hold the lead. Loose, and acting confident is best. If you must pass other dogs, try to do so in a banana-shape or curve around.

To an extent, you should try to enjoy him as he is. Don't put him in situations that will stress him out under the mistaken belief that it will help 'fix' him. It won't. Keeping away from other dogs means that Scrabble is usually calm when encounters do occur. There is still the rare unexpected incident, and some degree of reactivity will always be there ... but she our dog, and even if she had to be muzzled and walked at weird hours, she's not going anywhere for simply having an instinctive response to something that scares her.


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> Thanks for your reply Phoolf, but I think you'll find that if you're carrying two bags of poop, walking a King Charles and having to walk in the opposite direction that a Jack Russell wants to walk in whilst growling, barking and pulling, it's quite a difficult task. Thanks for also assuming I'm fit when I could well have been obese, I am of normal build.


I think the point is you can if needs be physically over power your dog, poop bags, kc and all, because if you literally purposefully walk your jrt has no option but to follow, being as he weighs considerably less than you. If i stand still with a 30kg dog going bat **** on the end of a lead, attached to my walking belt, he physically can not move me more than a foot or so. So by the same token if i move in the opposite direction, with purpose, he has no choice but to follow, because i weigh a whole load more than him!


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## shadowmare (Jul 7, 2013)

jskidd3 said:


> Thanks for your reply Phoolf, but I think you'll find that if you're carrying two bags of poop, walking a King Charles and having to walk in the opposite direction that a Jack Russell wants to walk in whilst growling, barking and pulling, it's quite a difficult task. Thanks for also assuming I'm fit when I could well have been obese, I am of normal build.


Sorry, but unless the two bags of poop are 2 full Tesco bags full of crap I still don't see a problem? we're talking of two bags of poop and two dogs that aren't even medium size here... I am 5'3 and am able to walk an energetic 22kg Aussie and an adult GSD cross that is about 60kg + 3 bags of poop (must note the GSD is fed on bakers so the 2bags belonging to him are probably 2kg each!).


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## Gemmaa (Jul 19, 2009)

Get a backpack or hip bag to put the dog poo in so that you've got both your hands free.
If you use a piece of equipment on him which will give you more control, it'll be much easier. Maybe a walking belt would benefit you.

I have two reactive terriers, and they do not get the option of overpowering me.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Lexiedhb said:


> I think the point is you can if needs be physically over power your dog, poop bags, kc and all, because if you literally purposefully walk your jrt has no option but to follow, being as he weighs considerably less than you.


I don't know where the argument came from to be honest. I don't have a problem pulling him away from a situation, I was just saying it's difficult. Phoolf's reply suggests it should be very simple, but in actual fact, it's not. If I was walking Sparky alone I could quite easily control the situation, but with the kc being a cavalier he reacts very differently, I make sure that I don't hurt him when swiftly moving away/avoiding an encounter


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Gemmaa said:


> Get a backpack or hip bag to put the dog poo in so that you've got both your hands free.
> If you use a piece of equipment on him which will give you more control, it'll be much easier. Maybe a walking belt would benefit you.
> 
> I have two reactive terriers, and they do not get the option of overpowering me.


At last! Those are great suggestions. I had never thought of a backpack/hip bag, I will definitely do that! Thanks!

A lot of the problem is not being able to fully control an encounter when one happens but that's as I don't have my hands free to fully control both dogs.


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## Barcode (Mar 7, 2011)

Gemmaa said:


> I have two reactive terriers, and they do not get the option of overpowering me.


Oh yes. Our dog trainer once said to us "You can't let a Border Terrier rule your life" when it was getting a bit stressful. And then, I looked her her. She is 7 kilo's of barky fluff. What on earth is she really going to do that's so awful? Nothing. I can control that small thing! Puts it into perspective a bit (wouldn't like to deal with a much larger version though!)


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

shadowmare said:


> Sorry, but unless the two bags of poop are 2 full Tesco bags full of crap I still don't see a problem? we're talking of two bags of poop and two dogs that aren't even medium size here... I am 5'3 and am able to walk an energetic 22kg Aussie and an adult GSD cross that is about 60kg + 3 bags of poop (must note the GSD is fed on bakers so the 2bags belonging to him are probably 2kg each!).


To give you a better idea, Sparky has broken one lead from pulling so viciously to get at another dog. Thankfully, I managed to regain control as I was only walking him. If I was walking Sparky and the King Charles + carrying bags of poop that would have been very difficult! Please stop undermining my strength, I am 6ft 1 and visit the gym twice a week! He is a strong dog, don't underestimate him because of his size, before we got a harness he pulled with a normal lead making his neck muscles quite strong.


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> Thanks for your reply Phoolf, but I think you'll find that if you're carrying two bags of poop, walking a King Charles and having to walk in the opposite direction that a Jack Russell wants to walk in whilst growling, barking and pulling, it's quite a difficult task. Thanks for also assuming I'm fit when I could well have been obese, I am of normal build.


It's just that I'm a not spectacularly fit middle aged woman - I have a son your age in fact and the dog I have to hold back or move while he's trying to get to the other dogs is a Rottweiler...and I manage it, it's not easy or I suspect elegant, but I can do it.

Which is why I'm a bit bemused by the thought of a young man not being able to do the same with a Jack Russell...

That probably sounds quite antagonistic, but I don't mean it like that, I am genuinely going, but it's a small dog, why can't you just move him?


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## wannabe dogowner (Feb 24, 2013)

The other option is for the dogs to be walked separately for a while so you can concentrate your attentions on Sparky and his needs fully.
Not sure if you are voluntarily walking both dogs together though or have somehow been 'nominated' for the job by others in the household. If the latter, then maybe the cav's owner should restart walking their own dog for now?


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Lexiedhb said:


> I think the point is you can if needs be physically over power your dog, poop bags, kc and all, because if you literally purposefully walk your jrt has no option but to follow, being as he weighs considerably less than you. If i stand still with a 30kg dog going bat **** on the end of a lead, attached to my walking belt, he physically can not move me more than a foot or so. So by the same token if i move in the opposite direction, with purpose, he has no choice but to follow, because i weigh a whole load more than him!


Cash is about 8kg heavier than your Dex and I'm no skinny minny either and he does nearly have me off my feet! I have been in positions where I physically can not move him by a person or dog because he's to strong! Thank goodness for harnesses that's all I can say!

I agree though, a tiny 8kf JRT or thereabouts does not physically over power you enough that you can not hold on to them. Although giving some credit to the OP, the little 'n's can get under/around your feet when pulling/straining which can trip you up.

jskidd3 are you using a harness on your dog?


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## CANOLOGY (Feb 10, 2015)

IF IM just walking down the street i just put the poo bag in a bin


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> I don't know where the argument came from to be honest. I don't have a problem pulling him away from a situation, I was just saying it's difficult. Phoolf's reply suggests it should be very simple, but in actual fact, it's not. If I was walking Sparky alone I could quite easily control the situation, but with the kc being a cavalier he reacts very differently, I make sure that I don't hurt him when swiftly moving away/avoiding an encounter


Kc will go where you go too, thats the point of leads. I have to say having dealt with much bigger dogs it is easy to assume smaller dogs are easier to manover etc, no one is saying it is easy, just that its really not impossible. I asked what exactly your trainer told you do to? Does he wear a harness? Can you walk him without the kc?


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## MyAnimals (Aug 14, 2014)

jskidd3 said:


> To give you a better idea, Sparky has broken one lead from pulling so viciously to get at another dog. Please stop undermining my strength, I am 6ft 1 and visit the gym twice a week!


You need a better quality lead then. My dog is only 15kg but freakishly strong and has broken down a locked door to get to the bin by running into it. He has never broken a lead even though he pulls like a steam train. He could, but I have quality leads because I know how strong he is. I have a double ended lead with two very powerful dogs on each end, it has survived because it's a good quality lead. I find it very hard to believe that there is not a lead that can take the strength of a jack Russell.


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## Gemmaa (Jul 19, 2009)

jskidd3 said:


> To give you a better idea,* Sparky has broken one lead from pulling so viciously to get at another dog*. Thankfully, I managed to regain control as I was only walking him. If I was walking Sparky and the King Charles + carrying bags of poop that would have been very difficult! Please stop undermining my strength, I am 6ft 1 and visit the gym twice a week! He is a strong dog, don't underestimate him because of his size, before we got a harness he pulled with a normal lead making his neck muscles quite strong.


DOGMATIC GRIPPER TRAINING LEAD - BLACK: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

Quite pricy, but worth it for the peace of mind that it's not likely to break.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Dogloverlou said:


> Cash is about 8kg heavier than your Dex and I'm no skinny minny either and he does nearly have me off my feet! I have been in positions where I physically can not move him by a person or dog because he's to strong! Thank goodness for harnesses that's all I can say!
> 
> I agree though, a tiny 8kf JRT or thereabouts does not physically over power you enough that you can not hold on to them. Although giving some credit to the OP, the little 'n's can get under/around your feet when pulling/straining which can trip you up.
> 
> jskidd3 are you using a harness on your dog?


Yes I am using a harness on my dog. Has your dog ever broke a reinforced lead? Mine has! I'm not bragging but he's a strong dog!


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> At last! Those are great suggestions. I had never thought of a backpack/hip bag, I will definitely do that! Thanks!
> 
> A lot of the problem is not being able to fully control an encounter when one happens but that's as I don't have my hands free to fully control both dogs.


Right, crossposted there...

Don't carry things in your hands that you're not prepared to throw away if you need to, I learned that one the hard way.

With respect to having another dog with you, if that dog had no issues work on a strong sit, that way you always know where it is, or train it to walk to heel on command so that it will automatically follow you when you give that command leaving you free to deal with the problem dog.

Walking them separately is probably a good idea too.

Failing that...pick them both up?


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## CANOLOGY (Feb 10, 2015)

leads dont usually break what type of lead is it?


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> To give you a better idea, Sparky has broken one lead from pulling so viciously to get at another dog. Thankfully, I managed to regain control as I was only walking him. If I was walking Sparky and the King Charles + carrying bags of poop that would have been very difficult! Please stop undermining my strength, I am 6ft 1 and visit the gym twice a week! He is a strong dog, don't underestimate him because of his size, before we got a harness he pulled with a normal lead making his neck muscles quite strong.


Seriously? Its a jrt...... weighing what? If push came to shove you could pick it up!!!!! Catagorecially was either a shite quality, or faulty lead! No one is undermining your strength.... but i would expect any 18 year old to shift, drag, pull, run yank, a dog weighing under 10kgs out of pretty much any situation.

is there a training class neaŕ you? Out door, with lots of space that you could go and learn together the very basics from the beginning?


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

jskidd3 said:


> Yes I am using a harness on my dog. Has your dog ever broke a reinforced lead? Mine has! I'm not bragging but he's a strong dog!


What kind of harness? With strong pullers like yours you may want to invest in a harness with a front attachment as well as a back attachment. I now have a Mekuti harness, but a cheaper but equally decent harness is the Halti harness which works in the same fashion as the Mekuti. You then use the harness with a double ended lead. It makes controlling a strong dog so much more easier!


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Lexiedhb said:


> Seriously? Its a jrt...... weighing what? If push came to shove you could pick it up!!!!! Catagorecially was either a shite quality, or faulty lead! No one is undermining your strength.... but i would expect any 18 year old to shift, drag, pull, run yank, a dog weighing under 10kgs out of pretty much any situation.
> 
> is there a training class neaŕ you? Out door, with lots of space that you could go and learn together the very basics from the beginning?


I find it quite funny how everyone imagines him as a dog you can just yank out of a situation. I will record the next encounter we have with a dog just to prove a point. He's about 9-10kg. Should I take a picture of my biceps whilst I'm at it?


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## CANOLOGY (Feb 10, 2015)

I know a few jack russells that lunge and pull and bark at other dogs
They seem easy to pull away though as they are only small


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> I find it quite funny how everyone imagines him as a dog you can just yank out of a situation. I will record the next encounter we have with a dog just to prove a point. He's about 9-10kg. Should I take a picture of my biceps whilst I'm at it?


Well yes, because that's what I do with mine, he's 4 times that heavy, so I can't pick him up, but I can grab his harness take his weight from his front legs and drag him away when I need to.

I can also hold him back from passing dogs on his collar and move him in a slower way when I don't have to move him quite that quickly.

I mean ideally I'm far enough away that I don't need to do any of those things and I can work on rewarding him for not reacting...but I can't control every situation.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> I find it quite funny how everyone imagines him as a dog you can just yank out of a situation. I will record the next encounter we have with a dog just to prove a point. He's about 9-10kg. Should I take a picture of my biceps whilst I'm at it?


Well, I know Jacks can be surprisingly strong, but I'm five foot four and female and my JR girl can't overpower me.

For years, I used to walk PRTs in pairs.

At times, if I've believed Rosie was going to be attacked, I have picked her up and held her under one arm.

If your dog is seriously pulling you around, then a harness with a ring on the back and one on the chest, with a double ended lead, would be ideal. If he tries to lunge, you can pull him sideways towards you.

People are genuinely trying to give their own time to help you here, I don't think your sarcasm is warranted really.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Sweety said:


> Well, I know Jacks can be surprisingly strong, but I'm five foot four and female and my JR girl can't overpower me.
> 
> For years, I used to walk PRTs in pairs.
> 
> ...


Again, my dog is not pulling me around. I just said it's a bit of a struggle to get him out of a situation when I'm walking 2 dogs and carrying stuff so my hands aren't free.

To be honest with you Sweety, I feel a bit insulted. A lot of the replies have been directed towards me as a **** owner for "giving up" when in actual fact I was just looking for some advice. I appreciate the time people have spent posting replies.


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Halti harness ( readily available in most pet shops ) - Customer Reviews for Halti Harness | PetPlanet.co.uk

with double ended lead - HALTI Training Lead Black - Small - Animed Direct

Mekuti harness - Balance Dog Harness: stop your dog pulling on the lead.

You will find either harness a great help I'm sure.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

tabulahrasa said:


> Well yes, because that's what I do with mine, he's 4 times that heavy, so I can't pick him up, but I can grab his harness take his weight from his front legs and drag him away when I need to.
> 
> I can also hold him back from passing dogs on his collar and move him in a slower way when I don't have to move him quite that quickly.
> 
> I mean ideally I'm far enough away that I don't need to do any of those things and I can work on rewarding him for not reacting...but I can't control every situation.


If you pick up a 40kg dog whilst walking another dog and carrying dog **** then I applaud you. Thanks for your advice.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> Again, my dog is not pulling me around. I just said it's a bit of a struggle to get him out of a situation when I'm walking 2 dogs and carrying stuff so my hands aren't free.
> 
> To be honest with you Sweety, I feel a bit insulted. A lot of the replies have been directed towards me as a **** owner for "giving up" when in actual fact I was just looking for some advice. I appreciate the time people have spent posting replies.


I do agree that sometimes, people can make assumptions about you and some replies appear unnecessarily aggressive.

There are, however, a lot of knowledgeable people here, many who have struggled with the same problem as yours, and who can offer useful advice.

Don't give up. Take what's helpful and sift out the rest.

Have you tried a headcollar on him? I believe the Gencon is a good one and it would give you a lot more control.


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> I find it quite funny how everyone imagines him as a dog you can just yank out of a situation. I will record the next encounter we have with a dog just to prove a point. He's about 9-10kg. Should I take a picture of my biceps whilst I'm at it?


I dont expect i know its possible, with a little knowledge ......i have done it daily with 30kgs


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

jskidd3 said:


> Thanks for your reply Phoolf, but *I think you'll find that if you're carrying two bags of poop, walking a King Charles and having to walk in the opposite direction that a Jack Russell wants to walk in whilst growling, barking and pulling, it's quite a difficult task.* Thanks for also assuming I'm fit when I could well have been obese, I am of normal build.


Bonny lad - I have had this same situation as a skinny 7st lass with two staffordshire bull terriers and a westie pulling in three different directions, a toddler in a backpack and a baby in a sling. My staffs weren't dog aggressive, but they were interested in other dogs and would try to pull towards them. It wasn't easy but I managed, and if I could do it with that tribe, you can do it with two small dogs.

For a start, even if you are the world's skinniest bloke, you have a weight advantage - he CAN'T pull you over unless you are on ice. If you feel you don't want to be dragging him, invest in a Halti head collar which will reduce his pulling.

Barking - well, he's a terrier. Terriers bark - it's one of the things they are bred for - to alert their owner to the presence of prey. Jack Russells are rarely quiet dogs. He is still young, so there is still hope to train him to be less reactive, but you are unlikely to get rid of the barking altogether.

If he wants to go into the garden just to bark himself silly, it is because he is bored. Get him a Kong - stuff it with delicious goodies and let him chew away at it. Antlers are also good for keeping dogs occupied. You can also get Brain Games for dogs (JRTs tend to be very intelligent little dogs) which challenge them mentally, but these do tens to be expensive. If I were you I would have a google online and see if there are any suggested games.

This site has some
10 brain games to play with your dog | MNN - Mother Nature Network

and so does this
Keeping your dog stimulated on a rainy day - Dognition

but you will also want some that will keep him occupied while you get on with your work, or go out to relax. There are some ideas here, but if you search I'm sure you'll find a lot more.
https://www.rover.com/blog/toys-to-keep-dogs-busy/

Your dog looks a lovely little soul, and you have said that he is wonderful except fro the barking and his reaction to other dogs. Unfortunately, like with children, anything worth learning takes a while to teach properly.

Please don't give up on him. He's worth the effort. And any girl you bring home isn't worth your time if she isn't prepared to show a bit of patience with a dog who just wants a bit of love and fuss.

Best of luck. Keep us posted.


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## wannabe dogowner (Feb 24, 2013)

Whether your dog is strong and difficult to control on lead is largely irrelevant tbh. It should be perfectly possible to avoid getting so close that you lose control of him so long as you avoid going around blind bends and to areas with lots of off lead dogs. As he has less stressful encounters, his tolerance should increase a little. he will become less on edge and expecting of a confrontation

A good trainer will also be able to show you an effective lead control method for a swift turn that is great for a reactive dog. 

Again, walking him alone is highly preferable


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## Buzzard (Aug 10, 2012)

I would say if this is the only issue you have, I would learn to manage it and live with it. He is a small dog, so a front fastenig harness would be very effective at helping you control him. Perhaps do lots of other activities with him indoors or in the garden. Scent games, fetch etc and perhaps one walk a day at a time when it is less likely he will see many other dogs or cats. My last dog was very reactive when out and about. He was 23kg so not small. We managed with a halti. His problems extended to in the home and everywhere though. A behaviourist could probably help you too. Might be worth asking your vet for a referral.


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Oh and another thing, not sure whether you drive or not, but is it possible to drive him out to a quieter walk where you're less likely to see other dogs?


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## ladydog (Feb 24, 2013)

wannabe dogowner said:


> Whether your dog is strong and difficult to control on lead is largely irrelevant tbh. It should be perfectly possible to avoid getting so close that you lose control of him so long as you avoid going around blind bends and to areas with lots of off lead dogs. As he has less stressful encounters, his tolerance should increase a little. he will become less on edge and expecting of a confrontation
> 
> A good trainer will also be able to show you an effective lead control method for a swift turn that is great for a reactive dog.
> 
> Again, walking him alone is highly preferable


Totally agree with this.
As I have said before, Lady behaved like Sparky. If the OP followed these advice, slowly he should see improvement. 
I don't want to sound harsh but you need to want it to achieve it and don't expect instant change. Patience is indeed a virtue.


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## Paula07 (Aug 23, 2010)

I know how frustrating it can be to have a reactive dog. My boy is 34kg and is dog reactive. I got him when I was 17, my first ever dog. I remember feeling like I was the only one in the world with a crazy reactive dog. I felt helpless, I had no idea how to deal with him. He scarred my hands in his younger days jumping up clawing at my hands and his face. He used to jump around, growing, frothing at the mouth..basically a total lunatic. 

He is still dog reactive 5 years on, purely because I haven't been as consistent as I should have been. HOWEVER, he is much, much better and easily managed. 

I have always worked in the time iv owned dogs, mostly full time. Work his training into his walk time/play time, it's really not any more time than owning any dog. 

I have almost always had two dogs, they were/are barely ever walked together unless it's somewhere they can be let off without bumping into other dogs. 

I would recommend a good halti headcollar (we used dogmatic) or a harness (mekuti, perfect fit iv heard are good for reactive dogs) 

Avoid places where there are likely to be lots of dogs. 

I would also recommend you invest in the book BAT (behaviour adjustment training) by Grisha Stewart. It's fab. 

Just remember, your not alone, there's hundreds of people with reactive dogs. A lot of people who manage dogs much, much bigger than a jrt. It's not all about how big or strong you are but having the confidence and knowledge to help and manage your dog appropriately. 

Best of luck .


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> Thanks for your reply Phoolf, but I think you'll find that if you're carrying two bags of poop, walking a King Charles and having to walk in the opposite direction that a Jack Russell wants to walk in whilst growling, barking and pulling, it's quite a difficult task. Thanks for also assuming I'm fit when I could well have been obese, I am of normal build.


Yeah alright mate. Try walking a 40kg bull breed cross with the same issue as your wee JRT, and in the other hand a 48kg puppy and get back to me on how difficult your walks are.

You have come on here wanting some kind of acceptance about you not caring to look after your dog and put in hard work, well sorry but no.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

An excellent read is 'Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash-Reactive Dog' by Patricia Mcconnell

Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash-Reactive Dog: Amazon.co.uk: P Mcconnell: 9781891767074: Books


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

What you need is a walking belt! With my walking belt I can control both my girls, Alfie the maniac and carry poo bags at the same time. Even when Alfie has seen another dog....or cat...or disturbing looking tree and is barking and pulling like crazy I can easily turn and walk away without even having to hold his lead, he has to follow as he is only small! It really gives you an extra sense of security.
They dont have to be expensive either, mine is literally an old belt that Ive threaded the leads through!

For the poop eating have you tried pineapple?? Doesnt work for every dog but a few pieces a day will make their poop taste horrible (yeah, I know!!LOL) and it might stop him. 

Frankly none of his probelms seem insurmountable, esp not if he is a nice dog around the house.


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## bella2013 (Aug 29, 2013)

I haven't read all your posts as i'm too busy with my social life but I get the impression that you are hoping people will either give you a quick fix or tell you its ok to rehome your dog - loads of people have done it so it must be fine!
All I will say is people have dogs with a lot worse problems than yours which to me sounds like lack of manners training ie polite greeting, managing the barking out of the window (close curtains problem solved) and his reactiveness to other dogs can be helped with a training method called BAT which can be done during a walk so no time out of your usual routine or busy social life than normal.


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

catz4m8z said:


> What you need is a walking belt! With my walking belt I can control both my girls, Alfie the maniac and carry poo bags at the same time. Even when Alfie has seen another dog....or cat...or disturbing looking tree and is barking and pulling like crazy I can easily turn and walk away without even having to hold his lead, he has to follow as he is only small! It really gives you an extra sense of security.
> They dont have to be expensive either, mine is literally an old belt that Ive threaded the leads through!
> 
> For the poop eating have you tried pineapple?? Doesnt work for every dog but* a few pieces a day will make their poop taste horrible *(yeah, I know!!LOL) and it might stop him.
> ...


I really don't want to know how you know that :yikes:


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## Ownedbymany (Nov 16, 2014)

1. Very little is impossible if you want to make it work.
2. Try getting a front control harness or head collar.
3. Get a dicky bag or something you can clip to your belt to put the poo bags in so your not juggling them.
4. Ongoing sessions at £40 a time might not be necessary if you get a good behaviourist to assess you and your dog, suggest ways you can improve your training and manage your dog sometimes a couple of one on one sessions is better than lots of classes as long as you stick to the plan at all times. 
5. You really don't need to be chained to your desk for 12 hours no matter what you do...take short breaks for you and your dog's sake otherwise you will burn out.
6. Can you get up a bit earlier and take the dogs somewhere nice and quiet to avoid other dogs whilst your working on his issues?
7. Do stuff that both you and the dog enjoy to strengthen your bond and bring back the appreciation. Sometimes it's too easy to focus on what's wrong rather than the good points. 
8. I don't know from experience but I've seen people suggest adding a bit of pineapple to the diet to help prevent poop eating but if you add short breaks to your day then you should be able to manage that habit anyway. 
9. If your really struggling could it be worth getting a dog walker once or twice a week to give you a break? It would still work out cheaper than £40 in class fees.
10. Your obviously quite driven to make a success of your business at your age, apply that to all areas of your life including your dog's. 
11. I know a lot of that costs money but you don't have to do everything all in one go.
12. Appreciate that you can have the dogs in your life, so many people would love to have dogs but can't for various reasons. 
13. Take all the advice everyone's given and keep us updated please.


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

Reading this thread all I can think is that I must be super woman...
Even at 12 years old it was pretty simple to redirect my JR :yikes:

What you need is a walking belt (both dogs can be attached to the belt leaving your hands free) and some decent quality leads. If diddy me can move my 40kg Am bull cross away from what he is reacting too then you should find it a breeze with a 10kg JR.

Whilst you work with your JR I would advise you walk them separately, that way you can concentrate on the JR...every walk needs to be a training session, every dog in the distance needs to be seen and worked around..
Consistency, patience and time!

Definitely get a behaviourist (or continue with the previous training as you had seen progress)...you may not have bought this dog, but the day you agreed to keep him when your folks split up is the day that you accepted full responsibility of him - welcome to the real world bud


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

jskidd3 said:


> Yes but you're missing the point, I don't have a few years to spend on training, I'm a company director in a business which is growing at a fast rate. I'm struggling to create time to do this.


I am absolutely not missing the point - I do understand what it is like . You would have to exercise Sparky anyway so training whilst doing it shouldn't take extra time.


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## Apollo2012 (Jun 10, 2013)

If your having trouble controlling your jack russell while walking another dog then you need to walk them separately (is the other dog yours too?)

I'm guessing you work on a computer from home as you said you let the dog out to go toilet while working, so why not every other time you let him out (your already away from the computer) go and check for poo so he hopefully doesn't get a chance to eat it. try the pineapple advice too (if your dog will eat it)

I would suggest trying a halter like a Halti or gentle leader, I have a people reactive dog and this helps calm him and get his attention to me as well as making him easier to control if he does get worked up (you will have to condition him to wear one though which may take time)

I also agree with the toys at home if he's going in the garden to bark he's bored get him a kong to stuff with treats and some treats he can chew to keep him occupied

Having a reactive dog is hard but it's all about management, once you learn how to manage it, what's effective and what isn't, life becomes a lot easier. My boy has pretty much always been stranger reactive and I've spent nearly three years learning the best way to manage him and make walks nice for both of us, it takes time and patience and you have to be willing to work with him, you don't have to spend extra time training him, just on normal walks and at home work with him with things like teaching him to heal, getting and keeping his attention.


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## MyAnimals (Aug 14, 2014)

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this (not read the full 9 pages), but the title of this thread keeps troubling me. Your dog is not badly behaved, he's fearful.


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## LinznMilly (Jun 24, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> Thanks for your reply, LinznMilly.
> 
> To be honest, originally I would remain calm but I have recently started to become more frustrated and pull him away. He is a strong dog, that doesn't make it an excuse but it's very difficult to remain calm when he is the exact opposite.
> 
> ...


Max isn't a JRT. He's a cross (possibly a cross of one of the Spitz breeds), and his ideal weight is around 14kg, so if you're struggling with a 9-10kg JRT, I find it hard to imagine you could deal with him. Especially not as he was before I knew how to handle him. You have NO idea of the issues I have had with him, only what little I've posted on this thread, and frankly, if you think your JRT barking and lunging to the end of his leash is such a hard problem that you actually thought about rehoming him, then you have NO idea what serious problems are!

Sorry if that sounds patronising, but on here you're amongst people who are smaller/lighter than you who handle much bigger dogs with much more complex problems. The difference between you and us is that we are actually prepared to put the training in, while you seem to want a quick-fix scenario, and one that, ideally, you're not even part of - in other words, you want someone to come and train your dog for you, or to give you a pat on the back regarding the decision to rehome him. Now, to put it bluntly, why should we do that when we've had to put the time, effort and money into training our own dogs? Even if that means juggling caring for the dog with a FT job and a social life. 



jskidd3 said:


> I don't know where the argument came from to be honest. I don't have a problem pulling him away from a situation, I was just saying it's difficult. Phoolf's reply suggests it should be very simple, but in actual fact, it's not. If I was walking Sparky alone I could quite easily control the situation, but with the kc being a cavalier he reacts very differently, I make sure that I don't hurt him when swiftly moving away/avoiding an encounter


So walk Sparky alone and work on his issues.



jskidd3 said:


> At last! Those are great suggestions. I had never thought of a backpack/hip bag, I will definitely do that! Thanks!
> 
> A lot of the problem is not being able to fully control an encounter when one happens but that's as I don't have my hands free to fully control both dogs.


Handling belts and a container for poo bags (or disposing of them in the nearest bins, if/when possible) are no substitute for actually working on, or dealing with the issues. You're still going to have to either work on B-Mod, or avoiding heavily dog-populated areas while you work on his reactivity.



jskidd3 said:


> I find it quite funny how everyone imagines him as a dog you can just yank out of a situation. I will record the next encounter we have with a dog just to prove a point. He's about 9-10kg. Should I take a picture of my biceps whilst I'm at it?


Maybe you should. And maybe the likes of Tabulurasa (sp? ) could do the same with her Rottie, or Dogless with her RRs?



jskidd3 said:


> Again, my dog is not pulling me around. I just said it's a bit of a struggle to get him out of a situation when I'm walking 2 dogs and carrying stuff so my hands aren't free.
> 
> To be honest with you Sweety, I feel a bit insulted. A lot of the replies have been directed towards me as a **** owner for "giving up" when in actual fact I was just looking for some advice. I appreciate the time people have spent posting replies.


At first, you didn't want advice, though. You just wanted to rehome your dog because of a relatively simple problem and didn't seem to be prepared to put the effort into training him. You made working FT an excuse, and when that didn't wash, you bemoaned about the dog taking over your social life. It was only when people started saying that actually, it might be best for the dog to be rehomed to someone who'd be willing to put in the effort that you seemed to change your mind.


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## metaldog (Nov 11, 2009)

I'm sorry your parents split up, that must have been really horrid. I don't think it matters how old you are when that happens, it's still awful. Dealing with your parent's separation, having 2 dogs to take care of and running a business is a lot of responsibility for an 18 year old so it is important for you to have down time and that social life you hanker after. In your post it comes across that you are a bit overwhelmed at the moment, talk about how you feel to your parents, friends, siblings if you have them or anyone else who will listen because it will make it easier to cope. A problem shared really is a problem halved.

Jack Russells are one of the hardest breeds to live with because they are so full on, and the complete opposite of the KCC. Did you know their original purpose was to run with the fox hunt? Their task was to give the fox such a hard time when it went to ground that it would resurface and the hunt could resume. Because of this breeding Jack Russells are notoriously bad with other dogs. They see other dogs as vermin and think it's their job to harass the other dog until it runs off and they are utterly fearless in this task. My Jack Russel is a tiny 5kg little girl who thinks nothing of taking on a GSD or even bigger dogs. Anyone who laughs at you for struggling with your 8kg dog on the end of a lead has never tried to hold on to a Jack Russell in full blown harass mode. 

I think there is some good advice on this thread about getting equipment to help you deal with his pulling at other dogs. A head collar would be fantastic to help control Sparky around other dogs. I've got a trespass bum bag, a muk sack for carrying poo (but an ice cream container is just as good) and a walking belt so I can be hands free. I find I have the least control over my dogs when they are walked on their harnesses. If walking him is a major problem then you could consider not walking him :yikes: and doing other stuff instead. Jack Russells love to play at seeking/finding as it mimics hunting behaviours. Try hiding a favourite toy and get him to find it (dig it out) and have a game of tug with it (harass/kill it) once he finds it. This is quite quick to teach and playing it doesn't require that much effort from you. you can play it while you are working  

Re the poo eating, is it his own poo, the other dog's poo or another animal's poo Sparky is fond of? Mine are rather partial to eating cat poo from the garden and rabbit/bird poo on walks. The only thing I can do to stop them is to go out and clean all the poo up from the garden before I let them out. If he eats poo he finds on walks you can use a baskerville basked type muzzle to prevent him being able to eat it.


Good luck with Sparky, keep on coming back and getting things off your chest xx


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## lemmsy (May 12, 2008)

How is Sparky with car travel? In the meantime can you drive to a quieter walking location where you are less likely to come across other dogs and have nice calm walks with him there? (I'm norlt advocating ONLY 
doing this for the rest of his life but just for the meantime whilst you all settle from the lifestyle change and everything else). In the future you can work on his reactivity and may well find it's easier to do so once all of your (you, parents and dogs) stress levels aren't so high. 

He doesn't have to be walked everyday remember. Having a quiet day at home, with people around and plenty of toilet breaks and some stimulation is more beneficial for him at the moment than going for a walk and practising getting in a state. There are plenty of things you can do with him at home to keep him busy and happy (scent games in the garden and house, clicker training tricks, whippet games etc). 

All the best x


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

jskidd3 said:


> Again, my dog is not pulling me around. I just said it's a bit of a struggle to get him out of a situation when I'm walking 2 dogs and carrying stuff so my hands aren't free.
> 
> To be honest with you Sweety, I feel a bit insulted. *A lot of the replies have been directed towards me as a **** owner for "giving up" when in actual fact I was just looking for some advice*. I appreciate the time people have spent posting replies.


Come on. The very first word in your title is "Rehome". In the first few pages, every bit of advice given you met with excuses why it didn't or wouldn't work.

I'm glad you are coming around to feeling more positive about working with Sparky, but don't play the victim here. People here can help you and Sparky.

I hope you will let them.


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> If you pick up a 40kg dog whilst walking another dog and carrying dog **** then I applaud you. Thanks for your advice.


Well I have on occasion manhandled him while walking a similar sized dog, not often because she's not mine...do I get actual applause? Lol

I know I sound like I'm saying, well if I can move a rottie then you should be able to move a Jack Russell - but that's not my point at all.

I know exactly how hard it is to be walking a dog where you're having to scan the horizon for dogs, the stress of having to walk a dog when the only thing keeping either your dog or other people's safe is you and the social pressure of having a dog with behavioural problems is huge, both from people you know and random dog walkers.

But the actual physical part of it, that's much easier to get to grips with (pun intended). That's a bit of planning and some practise, but if you think it's impossible then it does become it.

If I'm having a low day and go out thinking, I'm not going to manage if he kicks off today that then becomes self fulfilling.

You have no idea how often I've joked that if mine was a Jack Russell it'd be so much easier to manage...not because the behaviour would be easier, but because the dog wrestling would be when everything goes wrong.


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## Elles (Aug 15, 2011)

If you're 18 and the two dogs are 3, you would have been 15 when your parents originally got the jack russell? 

Did you take him over when your parents split up?


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## lemmsy (May 12, 2008)

Just read through the whole of this thread. 

I totally understand the reactions, but I do think some might be neglecting to recognize that it has obviously been a very stressful time of late for the OP and family. I think Metaldog put it very well. :thumbup1:

I sense the OP doesn't really want to rehome his dog but feels very overwhelmed by it all (recent changes, the dog and everything else). Of course, when we are overwhelmed/stressed out we clutch at things that we feel might possibly make things easier. Natural response. 
There is no reason why you shouldn't have your social life and your dog. Though I realise, the way things are at the moment, it may not feel like that. 

By the sounds of it OP, I'm not far from you. Feel free to PM to discuss if you want advice or to talk about it (I'm a trainer not a behaviourist, but have a fair bit of experience working with reactive/difficult dogs). I might be able to recommend a behaviourist, or equally colleagues who organize set ups/workshops for working on such issues. 

All the best


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## Flot1930 (Feb 10, 2015)

Other than the walking subject, why are you looking to re home him?


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## astro2011 (Dec 13, 2011)

Can't hold 2 bags of poo, a JR. and a King Charles!? I'm 5'2ft, 8.5 stone and can walk my Alaskan Malamute (over 50kg) and a child. You are joking eh?


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

I haven't read all the posts in this thread but just wanted to say you have a beautiful dog and he has the potential to be a very well behaved dog too, I have a barker..Molly, She is 19 months old now and when I bought her home at 16 months se barked and lunged at other dogs...she was frightened of everything...bike, prams, mobility scooters,big shadows, her own shadow in the sun, everything made her anxious,even something as simple as a bag blowing in the wind... at first each time she barked so much in the street I got so anxious over what people would think that she did it even more which then set Penny off but then I realised that I was making her worse so I filled my pockets with tiny bits of cocktail sausage and started telling her you're fine every time she got anxious...really calm voce and the instant she stopped barking even for a few seconds she got some sausage, very slowly this is working...she will bark still but it is improving, and the more dogs she encounters the better she is getting, even flying bags are ignored now.
However, if you haven't got your full heart in it it isn't going to work...I will say that once you see that first glimmer of hope in improvement you will feel so happy and you will eventually develop the bond with your dog that isn't quite there, when you get into a situation like this there's a danger of you resenting him and if you feel this isn't going to improve I would rather see you rehome than resent. Whatever you decide to do I hope it works out well


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

Oh and believe me....with practice you learn to carry several bags of shopping...2 excited dogs and many bags of poop....spoken from experience lol


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## Little P (Jun 10, 2014)

I've read most of this thread through and I've not seen this mentioned yet....

Your dog isn't badly behaved, he's fearful. Possibly terrified! Once you get your head around that, you'll feel differently about him and manage his behaviour differently.

My dog (also a JRT) has similar issues.

Have a look at these links, I find the explain things quite nicely.

https://positively.com/contributors/heading-for-the-dog-park-with-a-dog-reactive-dog/

Reactive Champion: The Stress Bathtub

It?s Only Funny Until Your Dog Runs Out of Spoons

Help! My Dog Barks & Lunges At Other Dogs!

Once you've had a read of those, think about WHERE you can walk him - big open spaces are best so that there's plenty of space to avoid other dogs. Think about WHEN you can walk him - I find more dog walkers around early morning, lunch time and early evening around typical work patterns. As you work for yourself from home, you have the huge benefit of being able to schedule your breaks so avoid the times where there's lots of dog walkers about. Identify what motivates your dog, be it a toy, or a favourite food or whatever. Rewarding him for desirable behaviour is incredibly important.

My dog is quite happy to now calmly sit and watch another dog walk by in close proximity, knowing that if he does so, he'll get his much anticipated food reward. That being said, you will need to be prepared to tell (not always ask politely!) people to recall/restrain their dog(s). I find that a short "remove your dog" or "keep your dog away" is much more effective, than "please could you call your dog back as mine is very fearful because X Y Z" - because by that time, it's too late. I use a short and direct statement, then follow that up with "thank you, he's very scared and I'm working hard on his training" AFTER the other dog is under control and no longer an issue.

It is going to require effort, it is going to require time, but there's no reason why this can't be a manageable, if not resolvable problem.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

astro2011 said:


> Can't hold 2 bags of poo, a JR. and a King Charles!? I'm 5'2ft, 8.5 stone and can walk my Alaskan Malamute (over 50kg) and a child. You are joking eh?


You know, I spent way too much time on this website last night dwelling on stupid replies like yours. There are plenty of intelligent users on this site that haven't taken what I said out of context. The fact is, he is at the worst he could possibly be in terms of barking/lunging on walks, a lot of replies understandably underestimate how bad this is, so much so that I feel like recording it happen to prove a point.

If you have a dog of 1kg, 10kg or 50k trying to do everything in its power to viciously attack another dog to defend itself you will understand that it is not an easy task. I felt low and created this post in anger. I titled the thread poorly which seems to have attracted a lot of unwanted replies, but I can't change that now. At the time I wrote the post I was looking for a way out after a very stressful walk which upset me a lot when I got back, hence why I turned to posting on here for advice. Though, it didn't look like I wanted advice, just a way I could easily get out without feeling guilty. After reading _sensible_ replies on this thread a lot state that this problem can be managed and toned down in various ways. These realistic replies are things that I can physically work with and experiment with as opposed to your reply which just insults me for struggling to control my dog.

Please understand that most of the replies about not being able to control him are exaggerated *a lot*. The point I made was that when he is at the worst of the worst, he can be difficult to control safely when I don't have my hands free and I am trying to look after another dog at the same time.

As for the rest of the recent replies, I appreciate everyone spending the time writing them and am going to start acting on the advice I have been given. I am very grateful.


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

jskidd3 said:


> You know, I spent way too much time on this website last night dwelling on stupid replies like yours. There are plenty of intelligent users on this site that haven't taken what I said out of context. The fact is, he is at the worst he could possibly be in terms of barking/lunging on walks, a lot of replies understandably underestimate how bad this is, so much so that I feel like recording it happen to prove a point.
> 
> If you have a dog of 1kg, 10kg or 50k *trying to do everything in its power to viciously attack another dog to defend itself you will understand that it is not an easy task. *I felt low and created this post in anger. I titled the thread poorly which seems to have attracted a lot of unwanted replies, but I can't change that now.
> 
> ...


If that is the case then muzzle him. (Still laughing tho..Dude he is 10kg, if he is that hell bent on attacking another dog you can just pick him up :lol

FWIW you need to step up to the plate and accept responsibility for the way this thread went..it isn't other peoples fault that your posts were taken the way they were, that is your fault for writing them the way that you did.

Oh and if I am honest this little gem is what got to me the most and I am struggling to see what has changed?


> I can't see myself being able to give the amount of effort it takes to retrain a 3 year old Jack.


If you couldn't see yourself being able to train yesterday, why is today different?


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

StormyThai said:


> If that is the case then muzzle him.
> 
> FWIW you need to step up to the plate and accept responsibility for the way this thread went..it isn't other peoples fault that your posts were taken the way they were, that is your fault for writing them the way that you did.
> 
> ...


Today is different because I now know the extent of what I have to do to get him back on the right track. I did accept responsibility, please read the post again...



> (Still laughing tho..Dude he is 10kg, if he is that hell bent on attacking another dog you can just pick him up )


Here we go again... I can't pick him up whilst my hands aren't free and I'm walking another dog at the same time. How many times do I have to say this?

With regards to muzzling, I don't agree with it, not whilst he's trying to bark at other dogs. I think that's limiting his ability to defend his anxiety problem, it's on me to fix that mentally, not to restrict him physically.


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

So whats ya plan of action?


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## springfieldbean (Sep 13, 2010)

Grrr, all the sneery replies about your dog's size are really annoying! I have a small dog and it's very easy to get knocked off balance if he makes a sudden lunge and I've got my hands full, or I'm not expecting it. And when you've got another dog reacting differently, who you don't want to step on or pull over, it's even more difficult. Anyway, that's beside the point.

As for implications that you're a bad dog owner, well, you know what you mean, but it is sometimes hard to get it across in short posts like this, and people on this site are (rightly imo) ultra defensive when it sounds like someone isn't putting effort in to help a dog. I don't think that's the case with you, and I think most readers will now understand where you're coming from.

You've been given some really good advice too, especially metaldog's. There is so much info on how to deal with lead reactive dogs online, but you need to stick to one method. You don't have to spend hours a day on it, just make sure you're consistent with it on your daily walks. I find it easier to get to grips with training if I write simple, short instructions to myself and just follow those each day until it becomes second nature. One thing that you actually have in your favour, is that it's only you doing the daily walk and training, so at least you can be consistent without someone else mucking it up!

I think if you don't think of the training as being extra work, but just a consistent method to follow in your existing daily walks, you might find it less stressful. I do also think though that if there was any way you could walk the dogs separately once a day, that would help you too. I appreciate that will take extra time though, but you could just do it for the ten minute pee walk at the end of the day or whatever.

Anyway, good luck, and I hope you persevere with this forum!


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

From what you've said it doesn't seem as though you'll be able to cope with the training it's going to take to bring this pooch back to where he should be, I do agree with those who have said think carefully before you rehome don't get me wrong, you don't want to be in a position where you decide to rehome when the odds are stacked against you because you may regret it, but you also don't ant to be in a position where you can't give it your all, this will not only be bad for you and him but for all of your dogs. You have to decide what is going to be the best for the pooch even if it does mean having to rehome to someone who can give it their all.


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Clare7435 said:


> From what you've said it doesn't seem as though you'll be able to cope with the training it's going to take to bring this pooch back to where he should be, I do agree with those who have said think carefully before you rehome don't get me wrong, you don't want to be in a position where you decide to rehome when the odds are stacked against you because you may regret it, but you also don't ant to be in a position where you can't give it your all, this will not only be bad for you and him but for all of your dogs. You have to decide what is going to be the best for the pooch even if it does mean having to rehome to someone who can give it their all.


I'm not going to rehome him, I will persevere. If I can't at least tone his anxiety down then I will put him in the car and take him to the quietest walking spot I can find.


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> I'm not going to rehome him, I will persevere. If I can't at least tone his anxiety down then I will put him in the car and take him on the quietest walking spot I can find.


Are you sure it is anxiety/ fear based?


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

Lexiedhb said:


> Are you sure it is anxiety/ fear based?


Absolutely, that's one thing that the behaviorist pointed out, and ever since I can see it too. He looks very anxious when he walks, sharply looking around down corners/roads to see if there's a threat nearby, tail doesn't wag at all, just stands up very straight.

With regards to how I plan to proceed...

I will start by resuming what the behaviorist taught me with the clicker training. I'll then resume the paid training for a few more weeks and see how it goes. If in 6 months time I have made 0 progress, I'll start taking him to a quiet place in the car.

I've also purchased some of the equipment recommended by yourself and others.


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

Please do some research on muzzles..muzzles do not restrict anything beyond the ability to bite...

Please get over the fact that other people found it amusing that you claimed to be struggling to control your dog. It wasn't that that turned the thread the way it went, it was your initial reluctance to put any more effort in. Forgive me if I am just taking what you say as nothing more than words, you are the one that claimed to give up on the previous trainer because of


> the amount of effort it was taking to train him


..well I struggle to see what a few internet strangers will be able to say that this trainer couldn't..especially as you, yourself stated that you say improvement


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> Absolutely, that's one thing that the behaviorist pointed out, and ever since I can see it too. He looks very anxious when he walks, sharply looking around down corners/roads to see if there's a threat nearby, tail doesn't wag at all, just stands up very straight.
> 
> With regards to how I plan to proceed...
> 
> ...


 Cool.... only thing I would say is take him to the quieter places to do the training. You need to be able to put distance between you and other dogs to desensitise him to them, and allow his stress levels to come down (they can be accumulative), so he can learn more easily!

Also never be afraid to use a muzzle if needs be.... its really not a bad thing, and can help your dog relax


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## jskidd3 (Feb 11, 2015)

StormyThai said:


> Please do some research on muzzles..muzzles do not restrict anything beyond the ability to bite...
> 
> Please get over the fact that other people found it amusing that you claimed to be struggling to control your dog. It wasn't that that turned the thread the way it went, it was your initial reluctance to put any more effort in. Forgive me if I am just taking what you say as nothing more than words, you are the one that claimed to give up on the previous trainer because of ..well I struggle to see what a few internet strangers will be able to say that this trainer couldn't..especially as you, yourself stated that you say improvement


I give up, I have requested account closure and thread deletion. I will not be visiting this site again.


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## Gemmaa (Jul 19, 2009)

My nervy JRT wears a muzzle from time to time. The only thing it stops him doing is biting another dog.
It hasn't increased his anxiety, if anything we're both more relaxed.

Regarding head collars, I use a Black Dog Infin8 on my shockingly awful puller, it's very effective on him.


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

jskidd3 said:


> With regards to muzzling, I don't agree with it, not whilst he's trying to bark at other dogs. I think that's limiting his ability to defend his anxiety problem, it's on me to fix that mentally, not to restrict him physically.


A muzzle introduced properly so that they quite happily wear it as a piece of walking kit shouldn't cause him any extra anxiety at all...they don't know what they're for, or do, mine has been wearing one for about a year and a half and he still tries to pick up sticks with it on, lol.

What they do do is make you feel less anxious so you're not transmitting that down the lead and Give a pretty clear warning from a distance to other dog walkers, which is quite handy too.



springfieldbean said:


> Grrr, all the sneery replies about your dog's size are really annoying! I have a small dog and it's very easy to get knocked off balance if he makes a sudden lunge and I've got my hands full, or I'm not expecting it. And when you've got another dog reacting differently, who you don't want to step on or pull over, it's even more difficult. Anyway, that's beside the point.


I wasn't trying to be sneery - I was trying to say, I know exactly how horrible it feels to be dealing with a reactive dog, there is nothing extraordinary about me and I manage to manhandle a large dog, you have a small dog and you need to not get bogged down by thinking it's impossible to handle or it will be.

I would have given advice on exactly how I've learned to deal with it, but it got late and I've only yesterday downgraded from flu to a cold, lol.


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## Goldstar (Nov 12, 2011)

Why do people always have to be so harsh on this forum.... He came here for help, surely that suggests he wants to do better for Sparky??


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## Lauren5159 (May 28, 2013)

I've read all the replies and seriously, some of them are the reason I no longer spend a lot of time here. 

I for one, applaud the OP for asking for advice. People here are too quick to slate people and that is so aggravating! 

OP, I for one understand how hard it can be to control a 10kg terrier who is hell-bent on doing damage. Some times, picking him up isn't the best idea (I've ended up with a burst lip doing that.) 

I'm glad you've got a clearer head this morning. Take the good advice you've been given and work with it because I can assure you, it'll be worth it. 

Ignore the snide remarks about his size. It can be hard And you're going to have good days and bad days, but if you can work towards a goal and have a goal in mind, the good days will be so rewarding  

Find very high value treats (dried liver is my terrier's favourite thing), find his threshold (how far away from a dog does he have to be in order to not react) and work at that distance. 

There's a book called Terrier-Centric from Tenacious to Tremendous which I highly recommend to any terrier owner, sorry, I can't remember who wrote it.
Also Scaredy Dog and Focus not Fear by Ali Brown both helped me when my terrier had issues.

Good luck with everything.


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## StormyThai (Sep 11, 2013)

You give up because I read what you had written 
I can do no more that read what you have written and take that as it is...

There was no sneering because your dog is small..there was shock and disbelief...you are the one that claimed you did not have the time to put the effort in, not me


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## LinznMilly (Jun 24, 2011)

jskidd3 said:


> You know, I spent way too much time on this website last night dwelling on stupid replies like yours. There are plenty of intelligent users on this site that haven't taken what I said out of context. The fact is, he is at the worst he could possibly be in terms of barking/lunging on walks, a lot of replies understandably underestimate how bad this is, so much so that I feel like recording it happen to prove a point.
> 
> If you have a dog of 1kg, 10kg or 50k trying to do everything in its power to viciously attack another dog to defend itself you will understand that it is not an easy task. I felt low and created this post in anger. I titled the thread poorly which seems to have attracted a lot of unwanted replies, but I can't change that now. At the time I wrote the post I was looking for a way out after a very stressful walk which upset me a lot when I got back, hence why I turned to posting on here for advice. Though, it didn't look like I wanted advice, just a way I could easily get out without feeling guilty. After reading _sensible_ replies on this thread a lot state that this problem can be managed and toned down in various ways. These realistic replies are things that I can physically work with and experiment with as opposed to your reply which just insults me for struggling to control my dog.
> 
> ...


TBF, while I do concede that people (myself included, for which I apologise) might have been patronising last night, you didn't do yourself any favours, either and your posts did convey the wrong message - certainly the earlier ones. Have you gone back to read what you put? You assumed my own dog was a JRT and that you could handle his problems when you don't have any _idea _what his problems are/were. You moaned that Sparky was taking over your social life and that "No girl is going to want a JRT jumping up on her". That's a training issue. You said things such as:



> Unless there was some form of training where I wouldn't be a part of it, I can't see myself being able to give the amount of effort it takes to retrain a 3 year old Jack.





> Because I'm 18 years old and should be out socializing not being a full time carer for a dog that I didn't even plan to take care of.
> 
> I would like to think that within the next few years I will have a girlfriend, how could I possibly introduce her to a dog that jumps up, can't be walked and barks loud enough to make you jump out of your skin? Then there's him eating his own feces.
> 
> I just can't be me anymore, and I certainly can't run my own business whilst maintaining a healthy social life and a dog with behavioural problems.


Sweety asked if you'd be prepared to get a behaviourist in, to which your reply was:


> If I hadn't already spent a lot of money on dog training then perhaps I would consider that. But I've made a lot of effort to try and fix his issues and I'm not making any progress


Now, all of these replies - and more, give the impression of an owner who cba to put the time and money into training their dog and just want the problem to go away - either physically (rehome) or someone else comes in and does the work for you. When you're amongst people who will go to any lengths to keep their dogs with them where ever possible and you're talking about rehoming because he's bad mannered on lead, and making excuses such as the above - that's not going to go down so well.



jskidd3 said:


> Today is different because I now know the extent of what I have to do to get him back on the right track. I did accept responsibility, please read the post again...
> 
> Here we go again... I can't pick him up whilst my hands aren't free and I'm walking another dog at the same time. How many times do I have to say this?
> 
> *With regards to muzzling, I don't agree with it,* not whilst he's trying to bark at other dogs. I think that's limiting his ability to defend his anxiety problem, it's on me to fix that mentally, not to restrict him physically.


Whether you agree with muzzling or not, if he's deemed an aggressive dog (whether or not he is actually aggressive, or whether it is, in fact, anxiety based) then, should the wrong person complain about your dogs to the authorities, you could find yourself legally obliged to muzzle him when out in public.



jskidd3 said:


> Absolutely, that's one thing that the behaviorist pointed out, and ever since I can see it too. He looks very anxious when he walks, sharply looking around down corners/roads to see if there's a threat nearby, tail doesn't wag at all, just stands up very straight.
> 
> With regards to how I plan to proceed...
> 
> ...


How about taking him to quieter places in the car now?


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## Guest (Feb 12, 2015)

jskidd3 said:


> Absolutely, that's one thing that the behaviorist pointed out, and ever since I can see it too. He looks very anxious when he walks, sharply looking around down corners/roads to see if there's a threat nearby, tail doesn't wag at all, just stands up very straight.
> 
> With regards to how I plan to proceed...
> 
> ...


Sorry, have only skipped and jumped through the thread, but the part in bold...

The more opportunities your dog has to practice out of control, amped up behavior, the better he will get at this behavior and the more ingrained the behavior will become.

I would strongly urge you, if you have the ability to do it now, just start NOW taking him to quieter places. Its kind of like a detox. Get him away from his usual places and usual habits and try to start new habits. This is where youre going to get the most out of your training. Why continue spinning your wheels for 6 months when you could be making progress for 6 months?


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

Anyway...in case the OP is still reading.

Firstly I've experimented with which pieces of equipment work best for me - they might not be the same for other people, but I find that a headcollar gives me the best control, but on walks where I know there won't be as many dogs and more space the harness is better partly because I can use it as a giant handle .

The biggest thing I do is avoidance, I avoid certain places where I might have not enough room or will be too busy, I constantly watch for dogs so that I can have already moved before they get close...I don't get caught off guard, ever, because he is strong enough to knock me to the ground if I was, so if a door opens when I'm walking down a street I react as if there will be a dog coming out until I can see otherwise, or if a car parks I do the same.

That alone makes a huge difference.

With his headcollar or just normal collar on, I shorten the lead and use his momentum when he lunges to turn him sideways, the plan there is that I can usually move him slowly in circles away using his own movements against him rather than fighting him.

With the harness as I said, I take the weight from his front legs as that takes away most of his power and I can just drag him where I want to.

When he redirects on to me, I walk backwards, that then moves him away from the dog.

Basically I don't let it get to him pulling directly against me, because he is stronger than me.

That is all my last ditch, avoidance has failed, I now need to concentrate on making sure everyone is safe stuff, but it does making that bit do-able...those exact things may not work for other people, but, thinking out how to handle it beforehand may well do.


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## lemmsy (May 12, 2008)

jskidd3 said:


> Absolutely, that's one thing that the behaviorist pointed out, and ever since I can see it too. He looks very anxious when he walks, sharply looking around down corners/roads to see if there's a threat nearby, tail doesn't wag at all, just stands up very straight.
> 
> With regards to how I plan to proceed...
> 
> ...


Fantastic to hear you have got a plan of action and feeling a bit better about things.

I do feel people have jumped on you a lot on this thread. You've been through a stressful time and as you said in a previous post and clearly care enough about your dog to be asking these questions, have taken him to training, a behaviourist and purchased the equipment. 
Come on guys, give the guy a break a bit. By his own admission, it's a stressful time at the moment.

With regards to the exercising Sparky, I would probably just reiterate what Ouesi says below. 


ouesi said:


> Sorry, have only skipped and jumped through the thread, but the part in bold...
> 
> The more opportunities your dog has to practice out of control, amped up behavior, the better he will get at this behavior and the more ingrained the behavior will become.
> 
> *I would strongly urge you, if you have the ability to do it now, just start NOW taking him to quieter places. Its kind of like a detox. Get him away from his usual places and usual habits and try to start new habits. This is where youre going to get the most out of your training. * Why continue spinning your wheels for 6 months when you could be making progress for 6 months?


It's really important to break that vicious circle of the dog getting continually wound up and stressed out and you can do that for the next little while by taking him to new places where there are fewer/very few dogs, to allow him to destress. Once he is less stressed (chronically) and the panic response not so ingrained, he will be more able to learn when you do do some work with him. 
I think it will probably do your relationship with him the world of good too.

Again, my offer still stands. I'm not far from you and work with "difficult" dogs on a regular basis. Let me know if I can help


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## Gemmaa (Jul 19, 2009)

There's a couple of calming foods available as well. Pooch and Mutt have Calm and Relaxed, & there always seems to be a £2 off deal on Facebook.


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

From what you describe with the dog walking with his tail up and always on the look out for something to bark at sounds more,like he's not afraid just enjoys the reaction and the chase, although he's restrained, he's still getting a kick out of going for other dogs. Only a dog trainer can advise you as they will be able to actually view his behaviour, but there is no quick fix I'm afraid just effort, consistency and a bit of time, as none of the behaviour you describe is that bad and is fixable. He's only a little dog so picking him up if he gets really bad maybe the only option for the moment, I wish I could do that with my 8 stone ovcharka and my newly rescued springer who are both sheep reactive and we live in sheep country, so I have to be a few steps ahead of them when near sheep!

When my grandfather got ill I took over his totally spoilt untrained, unsocialised 5yr old jrt and had to start from scratch with her, I too was young and had a business, a farm and a job to run as well, so it can be done. Yes it takes effort and a bit of time but it does pay off and it is worth it, after a year or so training, in short bursts and lots of things to do while around the house, things like hiding a toy or something even if it is just when you get up to go to the loo, we taught her the seek command and she'd love spending ages finding what we hid. We also trained her to round up sheep, but they do need to be busy so your imagination is the limit really!

As for working and socialising it is possible, it's just down to managing your time better, I have 7 dogs and livestock but I always set aside time for the animals during the day around my work, then in the evenings after dark I can get on with work with no distractions, even at 18 you're not going to be out socialising very night, unless you are very rich, so set aside a few evenings a week for yourself, it is also a good idea to get away from your desk too, too long sitting makes you slow down, even if you don't notice it, time away even 10 mins makes you come back to your desk refreshed, not to mention stops your eyes going boggly!. Use that time to teach your dog just one trick, it gets them listening to you, keeps their little brain happy and stops them getting into mischief, teaching things like leave, down etc can be made into a game and before you know it your dog will have them down to a tee and will be able to do them outside too without thinking and you can use them to help with desensitising him to other dogs. You also don't say if he's been neutered or not?


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## victoria171168 (Apr 8, 2013)

I have a reactive 65 kg dog and also had other awkward rescues.

The thing l love is a walking belt to which an extra ring is attached.to this is clipped my duck soup or dickie bag which contains poo bags and also their bagged up waste.

Their leads clip to a set of rings on the belt so they are attached to me and the belt takes the strain of pulling dogs making it easier as you have your hands free to rein in an awkward dog if needed.

On this belt l regularly walk 240 kg of my dogs and two are lb pups so very unpredictable still.you can buy these belts for between £5-20 depending on location and to me they make walking so much more enjoyable.also colour code your leads and there are warning jackets so people know if your dog needs more space.

Hope it helps as walks can be stressful l know.if recall is an issue get a horse training lead so you can keep him restrained if needs be but still give him some freedom.yes l have had awkward rehomed jrt's so l know they are strong willed stubborn little shits at times but train, train and keep trai ing as they are great dogs.


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## Little P (Jun 10, 2014)

Definitely reconsider your view point with regard to muzzles. 

An appropriately sized suitable muzzle (I like the Baskerville or Baskerville ultra ones depending on the shape of the face) will help you relax a little (and in turn not project your anxieties down the lead), and also (speaking from experience!) other dog owners will give you a very wide berth which your dog will be grateful for! 

There's lots of info on muzzle training on the internet - all my dogs get muzzle trained regardless of their temperament because at some point in their life, they will probably need to wear one - for example, my JRT wears one when at the vets, my collie wore one on a walk during her nil by mouth period before an op so she couldn't scavenge!


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

AlexArt said:


> He's only a little dog so picking him up if he gets really bad maybe the only option for the moment,


Picking them up isnt always the best option if they are of the screamy, barky, spinny, struggly variety...not unless you are prepared to drop them when you lose your grip!
Alfie is just like this and I can understand where the OP is coming from. Its not that I cant physically restrain him easily its just difficult to juggle when he is spinning and lunging from side to side whilst screaming like a banshee! You feel ten times more clumsy if you also have your handsful with dog leads and poo bags...and a hundred times clumsier at the thought that you might drop the lead and cause total mayhem!



victoria171168 said:


> The thing l love is a walking belt to which an extra ring is attached.to this is clipped my duck soup or dickie bag which contains poo bags and also their bagged up waste.


yep, I love my walking belt too! Knowing that I can drop the leads and the dogs wont be going anywhere gives me alot of security.

Im not sure I will ever teach Alfie to be 'normal' TBH as Im a terrible trainer and he is a huge project...doesnt mean that I cant manage him so he receives (and causes) as little stress as possible!


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

jskidd3 said:


> I'm not going to rehome him, I will persevere. If I can't at least tone his anxiety down then I will put him in the car and take him to the quietest walking spot I can find.


I'm glad to hear it, it really is good that you've made the decision based on asking advice and having a proper think about it, there's always some advice available to help you through. It does take time but as soon as you see improvement you'll feel such a sense of achievement  good luck


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## astro2011 (Dec 13, 2011)

To be fair I was stating an obvious point. I don't understand why all of a sudden you've decided to keep him? When not that long ago you didn't have the time? I do wish you luck in trying to get him corrected, but sometimes you won't always get the advice you want. As you'll know in your business you won't get far unless you put the work in. If you can't take criticism I do worry though.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

metaldog said:


> I'm sorry your parents split up, that must have been really horrid. I don't think it matters how old you are when that happens, it's still awful. Dealing with your parent's separation, having 2 dogs to take care of and running a business is a lot of responsibility for an 18 year old so it is important for you to have down time and that social life you hanker after. In your post it comes across that you are a bit overwhelmed at the moment, talk about how you feel to your parents, friends, siblings if you have them or anyone else who will listen because it will make it easier to cope. A problem shared really is a problem halved.
> 
> Jack Russells are one of the hardest breeds to live with because they are so full on, and the complete opposite of the KCC. Did you know their original purpose was to run with the fox hunt? Their task was to give the fox such a hard time when it went to ground that it would resurface and the hunt could resume. Because of this breeding Jack Russells are notoriously bad with other dogs. They see other dogs as vermin and think it's their job to harass the other dog until it runs off and they are utterly fearless in this task. My Jack Russel is a tiny 5kg little girl who thinks nothing of taking on a GSD or even bigger dogs. Anyone who laughs at you for struggling with your 8kg dog on the end of a lead has never tried to hold on to a Jack Russell in full blown harass mode.
> 
> ...


What a helpful reply!

To OP:
I have a 6.5kg JR cross and he is lead reactive with other dogs. I can pull him away, BUT he is very strong and he gets up on his hind legs like a Meerkat, so if I pulled him he would flip over and hurt himself (so obviously I can't pull him).
Yes, they are also very clever.
Sparky is a very sweet looking dog, I wish you luck with helping him out of this, or at least managing it.

I am still working on mine so I don't have much advice for you other than try not to be stressed when you see another dog, don't gather up the lead (the stress really does transmit down the lead to your dog), just get his attention and walk the other way (if possible) (i took some sausage out with me the other day and his eyes barely left my pocket!)

I find I am always looking around and ahead so I can clock dogs/deer etc... before he does. I have saved many encounters doing this.

Also I really don't agree with the 'pick him up' for starters who wants to pick up a barking snapping dog  you might loose your nose!
Secondly, I really think this would make him worse, because now he is being totally and physically restricted, which if it is fear would surely have bad consequences.


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## karmacookie (Nov 9, 2014)

I agree, i would not pick a dog up that had got into that stage of arousal, just asking for trouble.

My young Cairn is reactive so at least once a day I'm walking him on his own. Things that have helped - harness with additional front ring

http://www.fleecedogharnesses.co.uk/

Now when he lunges he does a 180 degree turn and ends up looking at me instead of the other dog, the look on his face when this happens is priceless.

A pocket full of treats. I've giving up trying to treat him for appropriate behaviour because that behaviour was never happening. As soon as I spot a dog now I start saying 'what's this' and throw treats in front of him.. He is so busy watching where the treats have gone he has no time to look at the dog so therefore ignores it and gets another treat. Hopefully through time he will begin to associate other dogs with good things 

A dicky bag attached to the lead solves the problem of poo bins never being where you need them. I know how difficult it can be juggling 2 leads, 2 barking dogs and 2 poo bags especially when stressed out!

http://www.dickybag.com/

The other thing I try to do a few times a week is take him somewhere relatively quiet with a long line on so as he can sniff, explore, jump in muddy puddles etc. I then forget about training and just enjoy him being a dog.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

I am trying to talk myself into a Dickybag, my parents recommended them to me, but they are expensive!


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Can I just point out in fairness to the OP, that picking up an 8kg terrier that is going fifty to the dozen, struggling, barking, and scratching at your face and body, is not particularly safe or as easy as you'd like to think either. Sure, it can be done but it's not simply a case of picking them up like a lightweight feather and getting on with your walk. I remember picking Missy up once in the height of a reactive outburst she was having and not only did her back legs kick at my hip enough that my trousers began to fall down! but 8kg suddenly feels a lot heavier when she's throwing her entre weight into getting free. I DO pick her up when I spot other dogs sometimes now, but it's before she's got to that wound up stage and she is somewhat easier to control these days, so that may well be an option in some situations jskidd3, and especially if you're on a narrow path with an oncoming loose dog. But I wouldn't pick him up when he has already reacted.


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## karmacookie (Nov 9, 2014)

Muttly said:


> I am trying to talk myself into a Dickybag, my parents recommended them to me, but they are expensive!


They are a bit but so handy as you can store spare poo bags in there too and as it's attached to the leash no more forgetting to pick poo bags up or finding them in every pocket of every coat and pair of trousers.

They also come with fragrant disks so less smell lol


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