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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Snappy, growling, biting Jack Russell, advice please

41 replies

Errand · 20/02/2020 10:26

I'd really appreciate advice with what to do in this situation.

My newish partner has a Jack Russell Terrier. Before I met the dog he told me it could be a bit 'off' and had bitten people in the past. But it was very situational ie people had put their hands down to stroke the dog and the dog had snapped at them.

The first time he brought the dog over he told me to just ignore him and let him have a sniff and not to put my hands down. The dog was absolutely fine and after a few times coming over accepted me stroking him.

However. I have kids in the house. I told my partner I wasn't happy with having a snappy dog around them and he assured me the dog wouldn't bite unless provoked. The kids were all told not to touch the dog and just to ignore him and leave him alone. The dog stays with us in the room we are in so is never alone with the kids at all, not for a second.

This went fine initially. But the dog is bloody mental. He goes mad barking and growling when ever they come in through the front or back door and 'chases them'. He growls when they walk past him (proper curled lip growling), not all of them but one child in particular.

If you try to pick him up he snaps and growls. He never does it with my partner but does to me. He was on my bed the other morning when I was in bed and I moved my foot and he growled and bit me through the quilt.

DD was sat on the floor next to me the other day and he came up and nudged her hand and curled up in her lap. His tail was wagging and he looked happy. I told her to just leave him and not stroke him. He was fine for a minute and then started nudging her hand to stroke him. She stroked him a few times on his back and he was happy enough but then suddenly started growling and barking at her. Obviously I removed him straight away.

He's just a mental dog and I don't want him around my kids. I've spoken to partner about this and he understands why so at the moment he won't be coming over as he can't leave the dog overnight on his own. Moving forward, this is never going to be a dog I would be happy being in the house with my children. Is this something that could be fixed in the dog or just the nature of the breed?

OP posts:

FurryMuzzles · 20/02/2020 22:26

Thinking this is some kind of breed trait is to ignore the specific problem this dog has.

Jack Russells take no more work to socialise than any other breed and I have owned and known many that do not behave like this. Nor have I ever known any that need more exercise than many of the terrier breeds - though many that will happily engage in more exercise if that's what's on offer.

If you focus on the breed and tell yourself this is just in their nature then you close your eyes to the actual problem you have here. A problem that requires a qualified behaviourist or responsible rehoming.

FurryMuzzles · 20/02/2020 22:31

They're just naturally possessive of their owner items beds home food bowls etc

I also don't recognise this characteristic as being true to the breed.

Ours have all been dogs you could move or remove anything from without fear of losing your fingers. I'd like to say that was due to excellent training but the reality is they wee naturally that way.

I stress this not to defend the breed but because I think it risks some owners just thinking that this behaviour is bred in, in some way, and so inevitable. It blocks (some) people from really assessing their own individual dog.

MarshallPNutt · 20/02/2020 22:40

Breed generalisation always makes me nervous.

While there are some breed traits, these are not set in stone and you'd find many many examples within the breed that don't match the template.

Some dog types appear to have shorter socialisation windows than others but I am not aware of any studies showing breeds can be harder to socialise than others - outside of having to fit it into a slightly shorter time frame. Terriers are not among those types with a shorter period.

Jack Russells do have a reputation of being snappy but Staffies has a reputation of being aggressive and Golden Retrievers have a reputation of being friendly. Yep I have only ever met calm Jack Russells, soppy staffies and many of the GRs I have met have been nervous and/or reactive.

It would be wrong to just think this dog was. Jack Russell so bred to behave like this. His bred does not dictate that.

PelicanPie · 20/02/2020 22:47

We had a jack russell when I was a child. He had to be rehomed because he bit the postman and I think showed aggression to my siblings, though never me. I can’t remember the details but he couldn’t be trusted anymore. I don’t know if this is a common trait of JR’s but it sounds like you need to keep that dog well away from your children in future.

Original poster

Errand · 21/02/2020 14:19

Update. The dog bit me today. Was sat on a chair reading the paper, dog walked up and nuzzled my leg, I put my hand down and clamp straight on my wrist.

Dog currently in crate awaiting pick up by DP. It won’t be coming in my house ever again

OP posts:

Hoppinggreen · 21/02/2020 15:48

I’m sorry you were bitten OP but it’s not exactly a big surprise is it? Shame your wake up call had to hurt
Thank God it wasn’t one of your children

Strawberrycreamsundae · 21/02/2020 16:15

Thank goodness you’ve seen sense although I am sorry you got bitten. Thank goodness it wasn’t a child.
I’ve known a number of JRTs over the years and not one of them would I have trusted with strangers or children.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 21/02/2020 16:33

Perfectly reasonable not to want this dog in your house again, but I do hope you can encourage DP to engage the services of an APBC or CCAB accredited behaviourist.

Booboostwo · 21/02/2020 17:51

Well, at least you have not been hurt. Now you need to convince your DP that the dog is dangerous before it hurts someone else.

adaline · 21/02/2020 18:57

You already knew the dog was volatile and a biter and allowed it around your DC anyway. I'm sorry you were bitten but thank your lucky stars that it was you and not one of your children.

Tara336 · 21/02/2020 19:13

My ex MIL has had 3 JRT two were absolutely lovely gentle souls (male) the 3rd (female) could not be trusted at all, she would insist on getting on your lap nuzzle you for a stroke then snap at you suddenly without warning, I refused to let her on my lap anymore, in fact no other family members trusted her and she was locked in the kitchen when visitors came in the end

Hovverry · 21/02/2020 19:17

You are right to ban this dog from your home, don’t back down.
Keep in mind the image of the dog biting a child’s face, possibly scarring for life to damaging an eye.

nala15 · 21/02/2020 20:41

I have a very similar situation and I have no idea what to do!!!

Although I actually got bitten by my partners dog last week for no reason what so ever! The dog came up to me, I didn't touch him, he just walked over, mouthed my hoody, then next minute he savaged my arm really aggressively. This dog is a American bull cross Rottweiler and is 6 months old. You can imagine how shaken I was. Partners mum didn't apologise. However when the dog went for her neighbour that same morning she was apologising profusely!

They are still not getting help for the dog, just caging him up whenever Im around.

Has put a MASSIVE strain on my 7 year relationship as I don't live with my partner. He used to come and stay with me during the week but now him and his mum have got this dog, I see him at weekends, that's it. (He has to be at home with the dog whilst his mum goes to work during the week)

I am SO upset with this situation. I don't ever want to be around the dog Incase it goes for me again and it's only 6 months old. Can you imagine when it's bigger the damage it could do if it's not nipped in the bud now?!

I totally understand where your coming from, I also have a son who is 8 and I am never ever taking him round their house with that dog there. So it's not just the dog that's the issue, it's my relationship too.

So I would also love advice! I have tried to tell partner and his mother that the dog needs to be checked by the vet and see a behaviourist but they haven't done anything about it. Unfortunately i think it's going to take the dog to bite one of them badly for them to realise!

Booboostwo · 22/02/2020 07:18

nala5 you should definitely stay away from the dog if he scares you but post your own thread for more specific advice. If by ‘mauled’ you mean multiple puncture woods you need medical advice and the dog should be reported.

Hoppinggreen · 22/02/2020 10:45

nala it’s not your dog so we can’t give you advice on how to manage or train it and it doesn’t sound like your partner or him mum have the ability or even willingness to do so - its basically a loaded weapon at this point and could injure or even kill someone, even more so as it gets bigger. What sort of idiot would cross those two breeds? And what sort of idiot would buy one?
Your only option is to never go near it and if/when it does bite report it.
As for your relationship your partner sounds like an idiot so I would reconsider that too

nala15 · 22/02/2020 11:44

Thanks I was considering doing my own thread on this as it's been eating me up inside.
The dog just went full aggressive, punched a small hole through my arm and big bruise and I did seek medical help but was told my past injections would have covered me.
Thank you for replying
Hope OP your situation gets resolved too x

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