Regardless of how much you love and adore your Jack Russell Terrier, you don’t want it to mess everywhere in your house. Learning how to potty train a Jack Russell puppy will help prevent these messes and reduce potty accidents, making your overall house cleaning and maintenance easier.
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How to Potty Train a Jack Russell Puppy
Although the hunting instincts of JRTs make them stubborn and challenging to train, potty training is one of the fundamental training steps you don’t want to skip, regardless of how challenging it can be.
Keeping in mind that potty training is all about teaching your JRT the best time and place to relieve, it is advisable to train your dog while it is still young by being consistent and sticking to daily routines using the following training tips.
Take the Dog to the Toilet in the Morning
Like humans, there are high chances that your JRT puppy will pee in the morning. When you wake up in the morning, the very first thing is to take your dog to the toilet to help it beat its morning pee.
Regardless of your schedule or weather condition, you’ll want to make sure you take the dog to the same outdoor spot where you want it to be doing the toilet. Remember that you might need to carry the puppy depending on its age and the distance to where you want it to pee.
For instance, if you want the puppy to pee on a patch of grass in the backyard, you need to carry it to prevent the dog from getting wet in the morning dew. Put one hand between the front legs and the other hand between the rear legs and carry it upright to prevent a potty accident.
Feed the Dog at the Same Time Every Day
The time you feed your dog is directly related to when the dog will need the toilet. Usually, JRT puppies will want to defecate a short time after feeding them. That means feeding the dog at the same time each day can help you predict when the dog will need to visit the toilet.
However, the frequency of bathroom visits can still vary with the type of food, the amount of food, and the dog’s age. For instance, puppies will digest wet dog food faster than dry food, so they need to visit the toilet shortly after feeding.
On the other hand, a puppy will digest food faster and need to visit the toilet shortly after feeding than an adult JRT. Therefore, it is advisable to feed your dog at the same time each day and then allow it to make several bathroom accidents so you can determine the time it needs to visit the toilet.
Take Away the Puppies Water Dish
It is not uncommon to find JRT puppies drinking water even deep in the night as long as there is water in the dish. This behavior is more common in newly weaned JRT puppies as they are used to suckling. In most cases, the puppy will want to pee a short time after drinking water.
Usually, this makes it unpredictable when the dog will want to pee, and in most cases, you’ll be asleep at that time. Therefore, it is advisable to take away the water dish around 2 to 3 hours before the puppy goes to sleep.
Under normal conditions, JRT puppies will sleep for up to seven hours without visiting the toilet or having a bathroom accident. However, if the puppy will need to visit the toilet at night, it is advisable to switch on a few lights and take it to the toilet without talking as this can initiate an extended play.
Take the Puppy to the Toilet After Short Intervals During the Day
Since you have prevented your puppy from drinking water throughout the night, it is advisable to let it have the water dish throughout the day. Keeping in mind that puppies have smaller bladders and minimal bladder control, they might need to pee more frequently.
Therefore, it is advisable to take your puppy to the toilet around 30 minutes to one hour after drinking or eating. However, this duration depends on the dog’s age and might reduce as the puppy matures.
Avoid Punishing the Dog
Although it can be disappointing to see your JRT puppy having potty accidents after lots of training, it’s advisable not to punish it as this will only lead to anxiety, stress, confusion, and more potty accidents.
In most cases, the dog won’t relate the punishment to the potty accident and will tend to be nervous when around you. Usually, this can lead to other behavioral issues such as loss of appetite, weight loss, and abnormal sleep patterns.
Instead, clean out the dog’s feces and urine immediately after it finishes relieving itself, as the mess can encourage it to continue relieving on the same spot. You can also use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to get rid of that smell so the dog can’t remember where it relieved itself.
Tips to Shorten a Jack Russell Terriers Potty Training Time
Keeping in mind that Jack Russell Terriers are stubborn and challenging to train, potty training can take over 6 months. However, you can use the following tips to shorten the potty training time to around 4 months.
- Be consistent with the training: One of the secrets of potty training a JRT is to be consistent and do the same thing over and over until the dog learns. Changing the dedicated restroom spot or potty time makes the dog confused.
- Use positive reinforcement training method: Considering that you will not be punishing the dog after potty accidents, you can encourage it to use the dedicated toilet area by praising it and clapping your hands.
- Limit distractions: JRTs are energetic and playful dogs, and any interference with the pottying process can distract the dog from pottying. Limiting distractions will help the dog understand that potty time is serious.
- Limit potty accidents: Frequent potty accidents that are not punishable might make the dog comfortable and less determined to go to the toilet. Reduce the potty accidents by watching out for signs such as the dog fidgeting, sniffing around, and starting to circle
- Crate train the dog: If you have to leave the dog alone in the house, you can limit the potty accidents by crate training it. Usually, dogs don’t like soiling their place, and there are higher chances that the dog will wait for you until you take it to the toilet.
Related Questions
Is There a Spray That Can Make My JRT Pee on a Dedicated Spot?
Potty training aid sprays such as the NaturVet Potty Here Training Aid Spray can make your JRT pee on a dedicated spot. Typically, this spray uses a special scent to attract dogs and then trigger urination. You can use this spray to train your JRT puppy by spraying it in your designated spot.
Why Is My Jack Russell Terrier Peeing Indoors After Being Outdoors?
In most cases, JRTs poop and pee indoors after being outdoors due to poor potty training, substrate preferences, or health issues. The dog might also pee indoors if unfamiliar with the outdoor environment.
It’s advisable to contact a vet to help you determine whether it is an underlying health condition or a behavioral issue.
Final Thoughts
Training your JRT puppy on how to potty will save you the trouble of cleaning out the dog’s urine and feces in the future. For the best training results, it’s advisable to be consistent on the time you feed your dog and take it to the toilet.
