I have two dogs, a jack russell and a golden retriever. The Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) has always been a little excited and stuff, but lately it's been getting dangerous. Whenever something exciting happens. Such as someone knocking loudly on the front door, the JRT will attack my other dog. It's like her mind just disappears when she gets adrenelin or excited, she doesn't know how to express that energy so she expresses it on my golden retriever (GR) now this has been happening for the last 2 years, but in the last year it's been getting worse, because the GR now fights back. After obedience lessons the GR has gotten more confidence I think and so now she will grab the JRT with her mouth and hold her down. We have to phyisically break it up. And even then the JRT will not give up, she will KEEP coming back while your holding the GR down. I don't know how to protect the dogs, because it happens so unexpectedly. Someone will come to the door, or something exciting will happen when their outside. So mussleing the JRT all the time would be the only option to make the biting stop completely. Now both dogs are fairly nice dogs otherwise, my GR would never bite me or any other dog. She's always been a real sweety, but I can't blame her for defending herself when the JRT attacks her at random. The JRT will repeatedly bite the GR sides, or the GR face. Or the JRT approach the GR and stare her in the face. What things could I do to stop this, as it's getting worse and worse, the fights are getting more serious. The GR never bites too hard down as to kill the JRT, but she does hold her down. I've been bitten breaking up the fight and both dogs have had puncture wounds. Please help!

By the way both dogs are female and spayed. They are both 3 years old. They did not grow up together, they were introduced at 1 years old.

You mention that the GR has been to classes - have you taken the JRT?
:)

As youve said, the JRT will never give up, that is her terrier spirit, and if it has been going on for over 2 years and has been getting more serious it will be hard for you to stop.

I think in this instance, i would suggest contacting a sympathetic trainer or possibly a behaviourist to help you. Puncture wounds are bad and it must be stopped for the dog's sake and for yours.

Good luck

Lindsay

No the JRT has not been to obedience classes as of yet. Would tranquilizers every day help this out? If I were to get rid of her adrenilin wouldn't that stop her from biting? I also bought a mussle in the hopes of putting the mussle on the JRT whenever she bites the GR. And leaving it on for say, 5 minutes to show her she's done something wrong. I've also sprayed the GR down completely with that bitter apple spray hoping that when the JRT bit her she'd taste bad. But that didn't work either.

No tranquillisers are not the way to go! They'll make the JRT feel ill and possibly snappier. Honestly, many people with JRs have this problem, because it is very much a terrier characteristic.

How much exercise does the terrier get? They are bred as working dogs, so need to be active. If they get bored they can cause problems. So lots of exercise, and definitely get the terrier along to training classes.

Do not think that your GR will not bite to kill the JR. It may get to the point where one quick, hard bite to the neck will be the end to your JRT.

This in not a question of simple obedience training, in particular because you have let the behaviour become more and more ingrained over the past two years. It is also not typical terrier behaviour. Getting excited, absolutely. Attacking another dog, no. I agree with your diagnosis as well, if the JRT only launches herself at your GR when there is something else exciting her (not the GR) then she is transfering her excitement to an innocent victim, so to speak.

If you have advance warning of a stimulus - like you see the postman before the JRT can react than you may be able to reward good behaviour, eg, not reacting as the postman approaches gets a treat and perhaps a click if you know clicker training. Or, you may be able to teach your JRT to take her excitement out on some other object - like a toy. I would work with a trainer specifically to correct this behaviour and forget about standard obedience classes until your JRT learns how to control her excitement.

Tranquilizers will not change this behaviour and they could even prevent you from training her out of it. You might want to try an herbal medicine that is supposed to help with excitement, like valerian. At least the herbal remedy would not hurt, could even be an assist.

Stacey

It would be best to get the JRT checked over by a vet just in case - undiagnosed pain can result in this sort of agression, as can an untreated thyroid condition. Most reputable behaviourists will not take a dog on without a vet referral anyway.....