We are discovering a massive difference in the two jack russel/border terrier pups we bought.

My pup is Zac he's a star, still needs house training properly but we're getting there, he's lovely and calm but playful too.

Amii's pup is Jack, Zac's smaller brother, he is a demon!

We need help in the sense that jack is so hyper all the time it's really hard work, hes constantly running at people and trying to gnaw on them in some way, shape or form. When you try to stroke him he turns trying to bite (im sure its playing but it wont eb for long!) and it's becoming problematic because he does this all the time.

He's bitten Amii's face twice now while i've been there!

What could be the problem, i know pup's are generally very playful but this isn't normal puppy behaviour, it's extreme.

Jack and Zac are both from the same litter (so i was told, Zac is substantially bigger!) but Zac (my pup) is totally different.

The only differences are that we feed Zac dry food whereas amii feed's hers wet, we are alot stricter on what our pup can and cannot do and Zac plays with us in a more boundy "Look a theres another dog that looks like me in the mirror, lets run around frantically!" manner, i'm led to believe there is a bit more play fighting involved with amii's family, more so her dad!

Advice on how to calm jack? i mean he wont even lye still for two minutes he always has to be trying to bite us! (or our hair)

It's not clear from your post, but are these pups living in the same house? If so, you want to make sure they spend a lot of time separated from each other, spending time with you, to make sure they bond with you at least as well as with each other. Two pups together will soon develop a pack mentality if not carefully controlled! Several reputable behaviourists say that for every 5 minutes they spend playing together they each need to spend 15 minutes playing separately with their owner. The reason for this difference is that their own species is more interesting than we are, and they learn much quicker from each other (same body language etc) than they do from us. So you'll need to do lots of training with them alone as well as together.

Re the biting: read The Bite Stops Here; if you're consistent following the advice given itwill be successful. Remember that terriers have centuries of vermin-hunting breeding behind them to ensure they have a very high prey drive!

play biting is normal. Some pups will bite so hard they draw blood. When mine was a pup I looked like I had a wild tiger as a pet cos my jeans and jacket got so torn.   at 8 week to 9 weeks it really seemed an impossible challenge but follow the advice you are given and a week or so later you forget they ever did it.

In fact if you read the articles it is good fr the pup and part of the process of learning how to control their own bite power and the way they learn not to bite as adults.

Littermates are not a good idea...any sibling rivalry can develop between any pups but is more likely to do so between litter mates. They want attention and when there is another pup the same age needing the same high level of attention they compete. The one who wins by pleasing you and earning your approval gloats and the other will do anything to get attention. Like kids. So you get good boy and bad boy.  They need lots of one to one time if they are with you most of the time. But I get the impression they are not living in the same house? On which case the puppy you brought up will be more respectful towards you and feels secure and knows his place. If the other pup is brought up differently and they do let him mouth then the issue is in training them and when they are trained the pup will have continuity to have more success with him.  But either way when they are with you they still need one to one attention..that is time with you right out of sight sound and scent of each other.

I think from previous posts the pups arent living together.

What food exactely are you both feeding? Diet can have a massive impact on energy levels like this.

Also, what is the exercise regime for both puppies?

Vera

>The only differences are that we feed Zac dry food whereas amii feed's hers wet, we are alot stricter on what our pup can and cannot do and Zac plays with us in a more boundy "Look a theres another dog that looks like me in the mirror, lets run around frantically!" manner, i'm led to believe there is a bit more play fighting involved with amii's family, more so her dad!

I think the answer's there in your post. ;)

If the pup has no boundaries and is actively encouraged to play rough and play fight, then that is what he will do - he doesn't know any different ;) ;)

The link Jeanjeanie gave you is excellent and will help the family teach Jack what is and isn't acceptable.  But they will ALL have to work in the same way to be successful ;)

The food Jack is getting may also be making him hyper  - my first bitch pup was a complete and utter lunatic on speed until we changed her food from Pedigree ;)   Some dog foods have sugars, colours and flavourings which can send some dogs loopy ;)

sorry for the lack of info, no the dogs dont live together.

My dog zac (calm) fed on dry... and amii's on a wet variety of whcih i dont know.

I'll get amii to read this topic tonight and we'll reply properly then =]

I don't agree that this is not normal puppy behaviour.  All pups will bite, and not because they are nasty, they haven't been trained otherwise.  It's how canines play and owners need to channel the play.  The pup is only being a dog, and humans play differently, it's important that you differentiate.  Try reading Gwen Bailey's The Perfect Puppy, it will help you understand that a dog doesn't think like a human.  A pup that shows no puppy traits is often dominated by owners who think they have to "show him who is boss", very old fashioned Barabara Woodhouse type attitude.  As for Jack being hard work, puppies are!!!!!!

The shame of it too is that unfortunately Jack is being compared to Zac all the time.  In a litter you have so many different characters, some are quiet and shy, some bold but calm, others fighters and complete lunatics :-D no two pups are ever the same, just like our own siblings all can be brought up in the same enviroment but turn out completely differently.

This is where a good breeder comes in to assess which pup should go to which home as we are usually the experts on this, (I say usually ;-)  ) 

So first of all stop comparing Jack to Zac, whether truly related or not, they are different in every way, naturally!  They will learn at different rates, play differently, need different techniques to train with, you seem to have got the pup with the least resistance and much calmer, that is great for you.  Amii just has a pup of different character and should not look to  your pup or your way of training for the answer.

Amii needs to get to know her pup and what makes him tick, whether it is food, cuddles, a stern voice or time outs.  I would start by time outs when the pup gets too boisterous just for 5 mins or so to pop him in his crate, kitchen or a seperate room when his behaviour gets too OTT,  Read THE BITE STOPS HERE already posted by JG, Excellent document! :-)

Then tell Amii to get a book on either clicker training or whistle training, this will help immensly with controlling the puppy, it is fantastic for those without that natural air of authority as many just don't have it.

And most of all tell Amii that if a pup is played with in an OTT way and then play stops, a pup does not know this and will be in a very hyper mood so how you play with a pup is very important. :-)

Hi Thom.
I think all the replies so far have been spot on. The only advise I can give is not to hold the puppy where it can reach your face or Amii's. Those sharp teeth can soon dig in and its when you pull away that can be dangerous.