If you own a Jack Russell or any dog for that matter, you’ll know that they’re just a bundle of energy and love. They become super excited when you come home and leap all over the place to greet you.
But this enthusiasm might extend even further: your Jack Russell may start greeting visitors the same way.
Why your Jack Russell is jumping up
Jumping up is usually a sign of excitement or happiness. It is a friendly gesture that they are using to greet you. They love you and want to express this with their whole body.
But jumping up can be another way of displaying dominance, especially if your dog doesn’t know the person or dog they’re greeting very well.
Jack Russells are extremely loyal so when greeting family and friends, he is simply showing his enthusiasm by jumping on them enthusiastically and showering them in kisses.
How to stop your Jack Russell from jumping up
Luckily there are a few steps you can take to stop your Jack Russell jumping up so people don’t avoid you like the plague!
1. Stop the Excitement
Your Jack Russell is excited to see you, but that excitement can be a little off-putting for people. If your Jack Russell gets too carried away, try to calm him down.
Take his favourite treat and coax him into sitting on your lap or into giving you some nice cuddles instead. Once he’s stopped jumping about you can move on and start to teach him not to jump up in future.
2. Reward Good Behaviour
Dogs learn by association, so if they do something good they should be rewarded for it. Giving your Jack Russell an extra treat for being calm and well-behaved will help to reinforce good behaviour, and eventually, he’ll learn to look forward to the reward.
3. Get Your Jack Russell Used To Being Around Other People
If your Jack Russell is jumping up at everyone he meets, it’s only natural that more people will start avoiding you. This is also a great time to work on training the behaviour of not jumping.
If you get your Jack Russell used to being around other people while he’s calm and well-behaved, then when he gets excited again and starts jumping up people will be more willing to forgive him.
4. Teach Your Jack Russell A New Trick Instead
Your Jack Russell is doing this behaviour for a reason – they enjoy it! Instead of trying to calm your Jack Russell down, why not try to teach him a new trick instead? It’ll prove just as rewarding for him, but won’t be as much of a nuisance to the people around you.
A nice trick that’s easy for dogs to learn is ‘give me your paw’. When you’ve taught him to do this and get rewarded with a treat, he’ll learn to look forward to the opportunity of doing what he likes the most!
5. Repeat!
It won’t happen overnight, but by repeating these steps over and over again your Jack Russell will eventually learn that it’s not as much fun to jump up as it is to sit calmly on your lap! It’ll take time, but in the end, your Jack Russell will learn exactly what you want him to do.
Just be calm and keep praising him when he does something good.
How do you calm a hyper Jack Russell?
1. Rub his belly
This is an extremely effective way to calm a hyper Jack Russell down. When you dig your fingers in and rub gently, your Jack Russell will instantly enjoy it and will want to roll over and expose his belly even more.
It’s also an excellent way to show your dog that you are in control because he knows that rolling over is something submissive dogs do when they feel vulnerable.
2. Don’t play with him when he’s hyperactive
This step can be especially hard for people who are trying to adjust to a new Jack Russell, but the more you play with a hyper Jack Russell, the more you’re encouraging him to stay this way.
Play with him when he’s calm, and you will find that he’ll go back to his old tricks when he’s feeling a little stressed. That being said, playing with him all the time could be exhausting for both you and him, so it is important to know when to stop.
3. Give him a healthy treat every once in a while
This method might not be for everyone, but if you are game enough then giving your hyper Jack Russell an occasional treat can help ease his hyperactivity.
It won’t solve the problem of hyperactivity completely and may make things worse in some cases, but it is worth learning how to handle your hyperactive Jack Russell.
4. Ignoring your Jack Russell’s behaviour as much as you can
A very tricky method, but ignoring your Jack Russell’s behaviour is a good way to make him realise that he doesn’t have to be hyper all the time. You will find that a lot of the time your Jack Russell will be calmer after just a few hours without attention, so it’s definitely something worth trying out.
However, don’t let this stop you from taking care of him physically or in other ways because otherwise, he could think that you are punishing him. Just make sure that you play the ignoring game when he is calm as well.
5. Getting him regular exercise
Getting your hyper Jack Russell regular exercise is a great way to combat his hyperactivity. This can mean a walk in the morning before breakfast and another one before dinner time.
It doesn’t have to be long, and it certainly doesn’t have to involve a lot of exercise. Just get your Jack Russell getting out and about a little more often, and he’ll learn to stay in his normal happy place.
6. Hire a trainer
Hiring a trainer is one of the best things you can do for your Jack Russell. They will be able to show you how to handle your dog when he’s being hyperactive and will make sure that he is getting the proper exercise and training that is required for him.
It’s also important that he gets the attention he craves in an appropriate manner so this is something you should definitely consider.
7. Take him to a pet therapist
A pet therapist is a lot like a dog trainer, except that they use different techniques and are more objective. It’s always great to get a second opinion, especially when it comes to your dog.
Pet therapists will be able to help you learn how to handle your Jack Russell and will help you understand what he needs at the very core of his being.
9. Learn to communicate with your Jack Russell
This is an extremely important step to take when you are dealing with any dog in your life. You need to understand what they are saying, not just in words but in body language as well.
Learn how to read your Jack Russell and you will be able to control your dog at all times.
10. Be prepared to be a bit more dominating
In some cases, your Jack Russell may have to know that you are the one in control. This can help, especially if you have the opportunity to correct your Jack Russell when he does something wrong.
If your dog is going after another dog or hurting someone’s feelings by being too hyperactive, then telling him off and showing him that he has been bad will sometimes be enough for him to calm down and obey your every command.
Conclusion
Jack Russells are known to be energetic, inquisitive and full of bundles of affection. They often behave like puppies well into adulthood. Part of their excitable nature is due to their natural desire to hunt.
A typical Jack Russell will jump up on you as a means of greeting, and in order to show dominance, but this can need remedying if they start leaping on tippy toes at every opportunity.
