A good place to start is trying to identify why your JRT is barking;

-Is he trying to say hello? JRT are very friendly dogs by nature
-Is he telling you someone is here? Visitors? Because this is VERY EXCITING!
-Or is there someone suspicious? Is he warning you?
-Is he identifying that something major has changed at home?
-Maybe he is lonely and insecure when left alone?
-When is it appropriate for him to bark and when is it not?

The 2 biggest reasons JRT bark are generally from boredom and anxiety. But before we look solely at solutions let’s try to understand the breed better. It is important to remember that Jack Russels Terriers were bred to hunt. They were taught to chase their prey down a hole and keep it there, while barking to let the hunter know where they are. Nowadays very few JRT are used for hunting, yet this instinct is still very strong and in their nature. Anyone who owns a JRT will know how much they love to chase rats, squirrels and balls. Sometimes they can even become a little obsessed with them! They will bark even when they can’t see them but think they might be close.

Unfortunately we cannot control or change this strong instinct, but what we can do is try to adjust it by identifying how we can control different barks. What we want is to be able to stop the barking on command and keep random barking to a minimum.

It is important to bear in mind that dogs are pack animals and if left alone from their pack, in most cases their human, they are likely to have something to say about it! Obviously they would prefer your constant company.

Also, it is crucial to understand that we can’t and probably don’t want to stop our dog from barking completely, but rather we want to make them aware when it is okay to bark and when they should keep quiet. Always use a calm and confident tone in situations where barking is inappropriate, this will clearly let them who is in charge.

Most often when barking is inappropriate, your JRT needs to have their barking session interrupted. A way to this is by using an ‘interrupter’. This can be anything that diverts their attention and stops their barking. Examples of ‘interrupters’ would be slamming a door or making another loud noise with aids such as a PET CORRECTOR or by throwing a piece of material over them. The aim is not to scare them, but to make them associate inappropriate barking with an unpleasant stimulus. Eventually the dots will connect and inappropriate barking will be associated with something unpleasant.

Another way of stopping inappropriate barking, if you are home, is to calmly ignore him to let him know that he will not get any attention by barking. This is however not always the best solution as they can be very persistent and your neighbours might go crazy!

Toys and food puzzles are are excellent ways to keep your active JRT busy while you are out. You might however want to stay clear of the squeaky toys if noise pollution is a problem, and try non-squeaky toys.

In extreme cases one could even go as far as using an anti- bark collar which gives off a citronella smell or high frequency sound when your JRT is barking too much! Obviously both situations are unpleasant.

Constant barking for no reason can be very annoying for those people around you and if your darling JRT is really persistent, professional help is always advised. Ask your veterinarian about the most appropriate route to follow. Remember that Vets, Pet behaviourists and trainers work closely in these situations to figure out the best plan for your well meaning JRT. Because although the random barking is inappropriate, your pet in actual fact does not do it to annoy anyone.