The Jack Russell Terrier needs very little trimming. Trim
the loose hair around the dog’s face with a pair of blunt
scissors, and avoid removing more than a little. Leave
eyebrow hairs and whiskers around the dog’s mouth, and
trim just enough to balance the face evenly on both
sides. Trim excess hair around the dog’s genital area to
help with hygiene, and trim excess hair on the feet and
between the toes. Use thinning scissors to trim the tip
of the tail to neaten it up.
If you are uncomfortable trimming the dog's coat
yourself, consult a groomer once every eight to ten weeks
to keep your dog's coat looking healthy and clean.
Train a Jack Russell Terrier Puppy to Fetch
The highly energetic Jack
Russell terriers are strong, hardy and
intelligent little dogs. Known by the American Kennel
Club as Parson Russell terriers, they love to play and
romp, and become frustrated if they don’t get enough
exercise. Teaching your Jack Russell puppy
to fetch a ball
will give the dog a way to expend excess energy, get
plenty of activity both outdoors and indoors, and provide
mental stimulation. Begin training at an early age, such
as around 7 weeks old, while the puppy is still
manageable and has not yet reached the hyperactive stage.
Playing Ball
Before you can train your Jack Russell puppy to fetch,
you must teach the dog to enjoy playing with a ball. This
will enable you to use playing ball as a reward for
training throughout the dog’s lifetime and greatly reduce
your reliance on food and treats. Show young puppies that
the ball means fun by playing with them gently and
rolling the ball around. Make a huge fuss of the game and
give the puppy lots of love and praise, so the dog learns
to associate the ball with playtime.
Fetch Command
Put your Jack Russell terrier puppy on a leash and sit on
the floor with them. Roll the ball around from hand to
hand until the puppy gets the idea that it is time to
play. Allow the dog to chase the ball and pick it up,
then draw the puppy gently back towards you using the
leash. Once the the dog becomes accustomed to the game,
start to give the command “Fetch” as the dog runs after
the ball. Give plenty of praise and reward the dog with a
treat each time the dog chases and fetches the ball. Do
this every day for at least a week, for not more than 15
minutes at a time to avoid tiring the puppy or allowing
boredom to set in.
Drop Command
Once the Jack Russell terrier puppy is fetching the ball
and bringing it back to you to throw again without a
leash, start to teach the drop command. As the puppy runs
round with the ball in their mouth, call the dog to you
and when the dog comes, give the command “Drop” or “Give”
and swap the ball for a treat. Alternatively, use two
balls, so the puppy will drop one ball to go after the
other. Always give plenty of love and praise so the puppy
knows they have done well. This will teach the dog to
bring the ball directly to you instead of dropping it
elsewhere for you to pick up.
Hold Command
Teach your Jack Russell terrier puppy to hold the ball,
using a ball small enough to fit in their mouth. When the
dog brings the ball back to you, instead of commanding
them to drop it, give the command “Hold” and place your
hand gently under the jaw for a second. Repeat the
command to reinforce the idea, then allow the dog to drop
the ball and reward the Jack Russell with a treat and
plenty of praise. Practice this several times a day until
the puppy understands to hold the ball until you give the
command to drop it or give it to you.