Tips To Deal With Jack Russell Barking Problems

Jack Russell barking can be a big problem for you and anyone who has to live nearby. There are some effective Jack Russell training tips that can help reduce or get rid of this problem. Barking is something Jack Russells naturally like to do - it's self-rewarding for a lot of dogs. They don't need to have a reason for barking - sometimes they just bark for the sake of barking. There are other reasons for barking too, which I will touch on quickly here.

Reasons for Jack Russell Barking

When Jack Russells were first used as hunting dogs, they were expected to chase their prey down a hole, hold it there, and bark until the hunter found their position. So barking had a useful function in Jack Russell history. Now though, for people who own Jack Russells as pets, barking is just an annoyance.

There are different types of barking, too. Barking is a form of communication for dogs. Sometimes they are trying to tell you they are hungry - sometimes they are frustrated. Try to step back and take a look at the environment your dog is in and figure out what the trigger of the barking might be. Is there a nest full of tweeting birds in her sight, but out of her reach? If there's a barking trigger that you can get rid of, remove it from the environment.

Tips To Stop Excessive Barking

There is a pair of commands you can teach your dog to control when she does and doesn't bark, which I explain in detail in my ebook. But there are some other techniques you can use to stop barking without actually teaching a command.

One thing you can do is create a "barking buster." This is simply a homemade device that will make a loud rattling noise when you throw it. You can make a barking buster out of just about anything, but a few effective ones I've seen and heard about were made of:

• a can full of coins
• a plastic bottle full of pebbles
• a length of PVC pipe full of pebbles, taped off at both ends

How To Use a Barking Buster

To use the barking buster, you simply throw it into your dog's general area when the barking starts. You shouldn't be aiming to hit the dog, although you should make sure your barking buster is lightweight so that if it accidentally hits, it won't hurt your Jack Russell. But you shouldn't have to throw it too close to the dog to get the desired effect - just close enough so that the dog will be startled by the rattling sound.

The idea here is that the barking buster distracts the Jack Russell away from the behavior of barking. It breaks her concentration. After this, it's up to you to shift her attention onto something else - having a toy and a game ready to go is the best way to do this. Over time, your Jack Russell will come to realize that stopping barking is a good thing (because it's rewarded by a game).

More Tips For Stopping Jack Russells Barking

Although it's a very effective tool, the barking buster won't always stop a Jack Russell barking. My Jack Russekk training ebook contains plenty of effective tips for dealing with this and lots of other common Jack Russell problem behaviours. For some more explanation on the different types and causes of barking, you can also refer to the page on how to stop dogs barking.

If you're having trouble keeping your Jack Russell under control, it would also be a good idea to read a copy of my special report on The Top Ten Jack Russell Training Mistakes. This is a free download when you sign up for this website's newsletter - which is also free.

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