My pit/jack russell mix is driving me crazy...help?

Wow, that is a random mix of breeds.

Your dog will drive you nuts until it’s about 3 years old. You need to crate him when you’re gone. Seriously. Then take him out as soon as you get home and walk him. Jack Russells love the den aspect of crating. Mine just turned 12. She rides my husband’s Vespa every chance she gets. I’ve seen them ride skateboards. Smart dogs, but active and will engage in a battle of wills if bored.

(She’s sleeping in the crate right now with the door open.)

The woman that had him before more would put him in a crate at night or when she was gone, and she said he would use the bathroom in the crate and then she would have to give him a bath alll the time. I thought that seemed much more cruel, and much more like work to me. He just seems to be getting worse about the bathroom issue at first he seemed to understand that I would be home frorm work at 12 to take him out and at 6 again but i feel like he just doesnt care…maybe hes alone for to long while I am at work? Also now that I can’t stop home at lunch that is 8 hours he will be home alone…im worried about that…i feel terrible…that is way to long for a 6 month old dog isnt it?

He’s just a puppy. He will eventually chill. I got my dog when he was maybe two or three so I was lucky. There are lots of books and websites that can help. My dog still has accidents sometimes if it makes you feel better.

but even if i take him out and he pees then 5 min later in the house he pees again? and he will do this 3–4 times a day…maybe something is wrong with him. Not to be to vulger but his balls did just drop, could this have something to do with it? I plan to take him to the vet next month after i get my student loans paid and my speeding ticket lol…and make an apt to get him fixed plus anything else he needs like 2nd puppy shots if i can.

Nope, they love the crate. Don’t get one that’s too big, That when they will poop in it. Mine measures 20 w x 21 h x 24 d. If I put a wood top on it, it would be an end table. I have a pad in it, and a small dog bed. I would put newspaper in it, and a small dog bed at the back. They are pretty fastidious, and will not want to defecate where they sleep.

After he’s been in all day, you need to plan on at least a half hour walk. He should mark territory a lot, and poop. Being crated like that means that you have to come home right after work, you can’t leave him. Feed him after the walk, then take his food up, and take him out. They love to leash walk, and love training. They are usually a single owner dog, and are incredibly devoted. Ours mopes until my husband comes home. She can tell the taxi a block away and goes nuts.

He should settle into the routine pretty well. You are just going to have to be on top of it for awhile, until he gets trained. The good news is that 5 months, he’s right at the age where training will make sense. It’s hard when they’re 8–10 weeks old; it’s too young.

One of the first things, we taught her was to go into the crate on her own. We would tell her to come, and that it’s time. Even now, I can say, “it’s time!” and she will come from wherever and get in the crate. Very handy if a repairman is expected.

Here’s the web site for the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America. I live in the city, and there are a lot of JRTs in our neighborhood. One of my neighbors has one that ‘s part Pitt Bull; he’s quite handsome. Mine looks more like a rat terrier. They like to burrow, and will end up under the covers, between your feet.

Go on the Web and do some research on your two breeds and their housebreaking needs and habits.

I would discourage you from using puppy pads. I agree with the suggestion of the crate—properly sized. If you do not want to use a crate, confine the pup in one small area of the house (preferably not carpeted). Use a baby gate or door. Put his toys and bed in there (or in the crate soft bedding). Be sure to get some pet odor remover and use it everywhere he has gone.

Also, be patient and do not attribute human motives to your dog. Three weeks is a short time. He just had an owner change. He is probably confused and anxious. Make sure you are spending time bonding with him in a positive way. When you take him outside at lunch and in the morning before work, add in enough time for some play. Being part Jack Russel I am sure he likes to fetch balls that you throw.

Reward his good behavior. Praise him when he goes outside.

Be patient and consistent.

My little guy has the Jack body, but a pit face haha, it looks very funny and cute because his head is larger then his body. I am sure that sounds terrible but you can see some of his pictures if you check out my myspace photos, just go in my first album and you will see him
http://www.myspace.com/johnny0313x
Anyways…he was a little better tonight, still went pee on the floor but i really yelled at him and I think he understood haha, im not expecting a miracle but I know he can do better then he is.

Also on another note, my roommate and I have some disagreements on how I have been feeding and giving him water. I have been giving him food and water (1 large cup of food and a full bowl of water) every morning, and at 6 when i get home. I will also give in a small amount of water around 8PM. I give him dry dog food that is natural first ingrediant being meat and pumped full of puppy vitamins. My roommate however feels that I should be mixing wet dog food with his food and giving him more water. I think since he is a puppy with poor bladder control and may not know when to stop drinking, it is a good idea for me to limit what he has and does not have. I don’t think i am harming him. He does seem thirsty and hungry at the times i feed and give him water but I think that is normal as well.My roommate is claiming that he could develop kidney problems with the lack of water and diabetes from dry food. I think that is rediculous. What do you all think?

Dry food is the worst for dogs. It is not possible for them to digest it properly without wetting it. I agree with your roommate. Also, unless you catch the dog in the act of peeing, do not yell at him for it.

I had a Pit ages ago when it was all hip. Would do the exact same thing for months. Later I found out that I really wasn’t ready for such a demanding breed. They are very person oriented and “clingy”.

After seeking professional help it turned out that the pooing was some sort of protest against me leaving her alone. They tend to have a lot of separation anxiety when they are young.

Good luck

@Marina

Good point!!! There is no use in yelling at him if the “dirty deed” is more than a few minutes in the past. Their “guilt” awareness only lasts for a short time, if yelled at after that, it makes no sense to them and they perceive you as merely being aggressive.

The dog trainer I used for mine told me that the more high-strung a breed is (which definitely applies to Jacks and Pits), the more level-handed the reprimand has to be.

Make sure to always DEMONSTRATE what you want. e.g. Dog pees, give it a firm NO NO and immediately go outside and show where to do it.

Basically, try to think like a dog, don’t try to make the dog think like a human, that never works.

Yeah, I would mix a little water or this special milk for dogs in with the kibble until she was about a year. Make sure he has lots of things to chew on. Ours loves pigs ears and Booda bones. Tao’s advice is right on point. When you’re home, at least for the next 6 – 12 months, you have to focus on creating calm and control. It’s like parenting. You’re going to get back what you put into it. You don’t want the dog to be mean or neurotic, and those are learned behaviors. You want well-behaved and devotion.

My neighbor took Milo everywhere with him for the first few years. I love that dog. He has the same shaped head as yours, but really short, stocky legs.

They do cool stuff. At 11 months, ours killed 6 baby opposums in the back yard. She shook them and then flipped them up in the air. She kills rats like this, too. Also, at 14 months, our front yard caught fire in the middle of the night, and she woke the family up. She used to ride around the neighborhood in a basket on my husband’s bicycle, and would sit patiently in it while he went in to get a smoothie. Now, she rides all over the city on my husband’s Vespa, in a pannier between his feet. She can hardly wait; every time she sees him get his keys, she looks at him hopefully.

You might want to think about a dog coat or sweater for the winter. There’s not much fur on them to keep them warm.

I HAVE A JACK RUSSEL AND PIT MIX NAMED BELLA….SHE GOES OUT TO POTTY ALL THE TIME…ALTHOUGH RARELY ANY ACCIDENTS….GROWING UP AT MY PARENTS HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY WE HAD SOO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOGS..I SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE RELLY HESISTANT WHEN IT COMES TO THINKING OF A PIT AND RUSSEL MIX..BUT SHE IS BY FAR THE BEST AND SMARTEST DOG EVER!!! IT’S LIKE THE SMARTS OF A JACK RUSSEL AND THEN THE PIT IN THEM CALMS THEM SO YOU GET THIS BEAUTIFUL WAY TO SMART FOR WORDS CHILLED DOG:) THE ARE ONE OF THE BEST BREEDS…AS FAR AS GOING POTTY I WORK ALOT TOO AND I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND THAT WILL COME BY TO LET HER OUT WHEN I NEED HER TOO:)