Life Lessons from a Jack Russell

Hi all,

Today, Im not going to talk too much about training your dog, teaching obedience or tricks. If you want more free training tips, you can check out these new pages on the site:

Goals for Training a Jack Russell
www.jack-russell-lover.com/training-jack-russells.html
Raising a Jack Russell Pup
www.jack-russell-lover.com/jack-russell-pup.html
Answers to Typical JRT Questions
www.jack-russell-lover.com/jack-russell-terrier-info.html

Today Im going to talk about the positive ways your dog can train YOU if only you let it happen.

Where Your Dog "Fits" In Your Life

If youve owned a JRT for any length of time, you have probably had the experience of seeing someone disapprove of your love for your dog. This could be anything from good-natured teasing from a family member, to clear-cut disgust on the part of a stranger that anyone would choose to own such a high-energy, crazy breed of dog.

The reasoning usually goes something like this: a dog should be a calming influence on your life, a stress reliever, and naturally obedient. All of these qualities many Jack Russells (at least at first glance) seem to lack.

The Jack Russell Alternative...

Not surprisingly, I think that idea of the role a dog should play in your life is absolute nonsense. I dont want a dog thats going to allow me to sit on the couch all day! Lets look at just a few of the ways our dogs have an immediate benefit on our lives:

• Because they need so much exercise, they help you stay fit
• They force you to get out of the house and get fresh air, which is good for your body and soul
• Their curious attitude helps keep you sharp mentally

There's another way in which Jacks improve our lives that I want to touch on here, and it may be one youve never really considered before, but I think it may even be the reason so many of us choose Jack Russells whether we know it or not.

Have you ever had a time in your life where you felt like you couldnt make a decision about anything? You may have had a time were you were spending a lot of your mental energy thinking about events in the past or possible events in the future which you have no control over. Its not a very pleasant way to be, is it? In fact, one of the best ways to lift your mood and keep yourself happy is to keep your attention as much as possible on what's right in front of you, right now. Never resist the present moment.

Born To Be In The Moment

Well, isnt that what Jack Russells are in a nutshell? No thought for the past, no worries for the future absolutely, totally centred in whats happening RIGHT NOW. And whats the happiest creature you know? If you think about it, your dog is probably happier, in general, than most of the humans you know.

So we can take this life lesson from our Jacks: throw yourself into the present moment with all the energy you can muster. Run and laugh and be happy.

Balancing Training With Enjoying The Jack Russell Nature

Some people want total control over their Jack Russells. That type of control is achievable it takes a lot of hard work, but it is achievable. More likely, you will get to a level of control where their dog will do all the basic commands they want, and stop all their annoying problem behaviors. That's the sweet spot for the average dog owner.

But as you train your dog, remember to enjoy the nature of the Jack Russell as a mischief maker and adventure seeker. Appreciate that fun attitude and see if you could benefit by incorporating more of it into your own approach to life.

Sharing Your Jack Russell Stories

I've been very pleased to see an increase in the number of people participating in the community, submitting stories, photos, questions and answers. We are well on our way to becoming the top Jack Russell community on the web, helping JRT owners around the world connect with each other and enrich their lives through their pets. Have you got a story from your own life about how you learned an important lesson from your dog? If you have something to share, you can do it on these pages:

www.jack-russell-lover.com/jack-russell-stories.html
Jack Russell Stories
www.jack-russell-lover.com/jack-russell-terrier-photos.html
Jack Russell Photos
www.jack-russell-lover.com/jack-russell-forum.html
Jack Russell Forum

And if you haven't yet got your JRT's behavior under the control you want, go ahead and click here to order a copy of The Jack Russell Lover's Ultimate Guide To Training - http://www.jack-russell-lover.com/jack-russell-book.html

'Til Next Time...

Any comments on this issue, or ideas for upcoming issues of the E-Zine? Don't hesitate to contact me. Simply reply to this email. Your question may even be featured in an upcoming issue of the newsletter!

Know of a friend who might be interested in this newsletter? Go ahead and forward it to them and encourage them to sign up. Let's continue to grow the Jack Russell Lover community together.

Thanks for reading and best wishes,

Tom McSherry

www.jack-russell-lover.com