Jack Russell terrier people please answer Vets and owners please.?

I've had jacks all my life.

Yes , this is very serious. I would not have the dog with your daughter.

You need to assert your position over the dog. They are a dominant breed who will try to take over couches etc.

Keep a leash on the dog at all times. Correct him whenever her growls. Do not put him in his crate when corrected - tie him to a doorknob or something and let him watch you sit on the couch etc.

Usually a change in behavior warrants a vet visit. OR, it could be your daughter has done something to the dog when she wasn't well supervised...such as you at work, mom in the bathroom, therefore 3 year old daughter can do something to the dog...If this is the case, a smack on the butt for the 3 year old child is in order.

Anyway, make sure your child is NEVER alone with the dog.

And when you go see family, just make sure the dog is NEVER alone with any of the children there.

You don't need a vet for this. You need to either go to training classes to help you with obedience and training or hire a trainer to help you. He is telling you that you need to back off his space because he thinks he is pack leader and he's putting you in your place. You need to regain control and reassert yourself as pack leader. That means more obedience and training exercises. Never use the crate as a punishment. If you want to use a time out then use another place like the bathroom. The crate should always be a positive place for him.

I think putting him in his crate is a good idea.Tying him to a door knob is ridiculous.

He should not be allowed on the sofa at all until this behavior stops. Not on your bed either. There are other things you should be doing in addition to keeping him off the sofa to establish your dominance over him, your daughter and fiance need to take part in it too. ( If your daughter is old enough to understand that is.)

A trainer once told me when you put his food in front of him, he is not allowed to start eating until you give him the ok.

There are several other things you can do, but I think meeting with a dog behaviorist - not just a trainer - but someone who specializes in behavior would be your best bet.

Good luck.

I would think you are wise to take precautions, the natural order of progression to aggression is growling, barking, which is normal and common, but raises concerns when it transfers to snapping at the air, snapping with mild contact to a full force bite.

There are always warning signs that people often overlook but recognize following the bite.

If your dog has never shown any of these signs previously, then certainly, rule out any other possibilities if you are able to first, like is there any change aside from the walking and weather... perhaps an unnoticed mild injury? arthritis? (not just in older dogs) pain of some source? And I agree with some of the previous answers in regards to regaining leadership to all people in your home... honestly, your daughter is too young to be able to ensure her pack position remains above the dog... it is difficult for that age level to be clear on the purpose of your training, and is unfair to expect that of her (don't spank her like someone suggested), many kids use their pets as companions and occasionally as means of taking out their own frustrations, you'd be teaching your child as well as the pet... and there is no guarantee either one would remain safe throughout your training.

It is a difficult decision to make, but one that we all as pet owners must take responsibility for... my thoughts are with you and your family whatever your decision may be

It will LEAD to biting the KIDS if not taught DISLPINE NOW. I have seen this over and over with dogs allowed on the couch watching vet based programs. It called Resource guarding.

He PROTECTING HIS COUCH, HE guarding it, its HIS. He is PACK leader. NOT a good idea having a jack russell as PACK leader with a 3year old

You and your wife have LOST pack control. Now REGAIN it.

Now grab the collar and leash or harness and leash.

No more couch sleeping, No more bed sleeping, no more chair sleeping. No acceptions

Buy him a DOG bed

Now if you see him hope up on the couch, say NO, and NO growl or NO bite if he dare growls or bites, make him move to the dog bed, use food reward and toys to encourage him over to his new sleeping quarters, make him learn sit and stay and place

When a dog jumps up on a couch, chair, table, stairs (whatever it may be) and growls when you come near him, touch him, or protest when you ask him to get down, the dog is telling you he owns it. This behavior must be stopped or this will most certainly lead to biting.

First, lets look at what it means to the dog. When a dog behaves like this, he is telling you he owns that particular spot. Dominant dogs will often seek out high places to watch over their domain, claiming the place as his own. He's communicating with you, that he is the boss and he is demanding you respect his space. As anyone approaches they must ask permission to be there. The dog will growl, and eventually snap and bite, in order to correct YOU. He is telling you, as his subordinate, to leave the area, or to get his permission to be there. First comes growling, and later will surely come biting, because this is how a dominate dog communicates; they set a "Rule". Your dog is not doing this because he is mean, he is doing this because he wants and/or thinks, he is the boss of your house. The top dog owns everything and makes the rules. This is a primal instinct hardwired into your dogs brain. It is because of this instinctual behavior, when one owns a dog, the dog owns nothing. Everything must belong to the human, from the furniture to his toys to his food bowl. You, as his leader, will make all of the decisions. You, as the human, own the furniture, and you as the human, will decide who can and cannot sit on it, and when.

When your dog, at his own free will, jumps up on a couch, chair, table, stairs, whatever he is claiming as his own; you are reinforcing his dominant state of mind. With every growl, snap or bite, the dog gets mentally stronger and more determined to KEEP his high spot and his high status in your family's hierarchy. The dog feels as if it is his throne. A status such as this cannot just be given to someone, they have to earn that seat and your dog is, in his mind, earning it. The dog is telling you he thinks the furniture is HIS and you'd better keep your place UNDER HIM. The dog needs to be shown humans are his pack leaders. He may have access to no chair, no couch, no furniture until all of his dominance issues are dealt with.

You and all other humans in the house must claim this spot as your own, making humans the pack leader. Give the dog another spot in the room to lay that is his own, such as a dog bed, blanket, pillow, open box or an open crate. Every time the dog walks in the room give him a command "Go lie down", and direct him to his spot. Make sure the spot you are directing him to is lower (height wise) than the area he was previously claiming.

Some very dominate dogs, particularly the little dogs, just can't handle being on furniture without considering that as proof of their ownership of the space. Even if you have more than one dog, you need to decide which dogs can have the privilege of being up on the furniture and which ones it mentally empowers. Just as you would not treat all your children the same way, if one was minding you and the other was not, do not treat all your dogs the same. If one of your dogs is not obeying, or is showing signs of dominance, you need to take control.

You do not necessarily have to ban your dog from the couch for life, but you must communicate to your dog when he is allowed to come up onto YOUR couch and when he cannot. If your dog, however, is already displaying this alpha role of protecting, you must ban him until he accepts you as his pack leader. After he has learned that the couch is YOURS, not HIS, then you can start inviting him back up. The most important thing to remember is, you decide when he is allowed up and you decide when he is to get off, by inviting him and telling him to get down. You make the call, not your dog. Everything is on your terms, not his. If we humans want to live with an animal, we need to communicate like an animal.

Most dogs do not WANT to be the boss. There are very few dogs who actually want the alpha position, as the majority of puppies born, are not born leaders. Most are born followers. However even a born follower can assume the roll of alpha dog, because a dog instinctually needs there to be an order, and if his human pack is displaying weak energy, and lack of discipline, his instincts tell him to step in and save the pack; there must be an order in the pack for the packs own survival.

Removing the Dog

Now YOU need to claim the furniture exactly the way your dog used to... (if you feel your dog will put you in danger by removing him, hire a professional to help you do this)

Place yourself where your dog is claiming as his own, for example, sit down on the couch with your arms and legs stretched out. Making yourself bigger and covering more area. As the dog approaches point towards the area he is allowed to lay (the area you chose for him) and tell him to "Go". Do not lean backwards, lean forwards. Moving back is a sign of weakness to a dog. If he advances towards the couch, reach forward and use your hand like a claw, "biting" him in the neck. Hold the bite for a second and say, "No, or shhhtttt, or Aattttt" (whatever sound you choose). The dog should react by stopping or backing up. Snap your fingers and point away from the couch and say, "Go lie down". Do this without fear, anxiety, harshness or nervousness. Your dog can sense these emotions and will see you as weak. This will escalate your problem as your dog feels an even stronger need to be your leader. Think Big and Powerful. Be calm, assertive, and consistent.

If your dog jumps up on the couch while you are not sitting on it, take the dog by his collar and lead him off of the furniture, with the same calm, assertiveness. "Down" and lead him to his new spot. Point to his spot and tell him to, "Lay Down".

Depending on how aggressively your dog guards the furniture, and if you are afraid you are going to get bitten, you may opt to put a muzzle and or a leash on your dog inside the house while you are working on this problem. When your dog jumps up on the furniture, take the authority role and move him off by using the leash to pull him, by calmly approaching him, pick up the leash and pop it hard, and say "Down". Step in and use your body to block him from getting back up. Remember, lean forward, never back. Straighten up your shoulders and stand tall. Command him to his new spot you chose for him and tell him to, "Go lie down."

After you remove your dog, YOU guard the couch by blocking the dog with your body, using a sound such as "aatttt" or "sshht!" as a warning if he tries to move in, just as another dog would. Do not make eye contact. Look over the top of your dogs head, not directly into his eyes. A dog will see a stare down as a challenge and if you avert your gaze first, your dog wins. Point and send him away, "Go"

When your dog is willingly laying in his new lower spot you chose for him, (such as his dog bed or blanket) toss him a treat. You can leave a treat on his spot once a day so he associates his spot with good things.

If you wish to have your dog up on the couch with you, and you feel like you have this problem under control, YOU may invite HIM up to YOUR spot. Call your dog by name and pat the couch, "Up". The moment you see any signs of aggression or possessiveness, kick your dog back off and direct him to his spot on the floor. It's not that your dog cannot be up on the furniture, it just has to be on your terms, not his, YOU are the pack leader, not HIM. You own it, and he must earn the privilege of being on it.

Remember, there is no hiding our emotions from our dogs. They can, in a sense, read our minds, in reading our emotions. This energy is the universal language of animals. Talk less, using more body language. Picture yourself, in your own mind as big, powerful and very sure of yourself. Pull your shoulders back and stand up straight. Lean forward, not back. Your dog will feel this. This is your number one resource when it comes to communicating with your dog. Your dog will be happy and secure knowing he has a strong pack leader to care for him. Be consistent and strict with this rule and you will see a huge change in this dogs behavior.

Showing your dog he is not your leader

How to correct this "Alpha Guarding" behavior in your dog, with the "Nothing in Life is Free Rule".

In the wild, dogs work for everything they have. This is instinctually built into them for their own survival. Dogs who work for what they have are happier as this instinct is being met. The only member of the pack who gets perks is the alpha dog, and since we cannot allow our dogs to be alpha, we need to make sure we communicate to our dog, we humans are the leaders. There is no other way to happily coexist with dogs, than for all humans to assume this role.

Things you can do...

1. When you put his food dish down, he must wait until you give the "