Jack Russells have a unique energy and present many desirable traits for individuals who currently own them or intend on adopting a Jack Russell soon.
That doesn’t mean that a Jack Russell doesn’t have a few flaws they can present.
The flaws are what had me concerned in the initial days leading up to adopting my Jack Russell.
I was curious about one of the most common questions that are asked about nearly every dog breed in the world.
Do Jack Russells chew a lot?
After owning my Jack Russell for several years now and going through the initial chewing phase, here is what I can tell you on this topic.
Yes, Jack Russells will chew a lot when they are young and considered to be in puppyhood. Jack Russells will chew most frequently due to teething during the puppyhood years. Jack Russells are also known to chew a lot due to boredom, curiosity, or anxiety. Consider using safe chew toys for your Jack Russel to help eliminate chewing with your Jack Russell.
That’s a quick version of the answer for you.
I do, however, also want to cover this topic in a deeper fashion and ensure you understand why your Jack Russell may frequently be chewing and what you can do to help eliminate the problem.
Trust me, this is a quick blog post that’s 100% worth your time and full attention.
Not only will it help you create a better relationship with your Jack Russell, but it will also help protect many of those possessions in your home.
To give you an idea of what I plan to cover in this post, I’ve created easy to navigate links directly below that will allow you to skip to any specific section of this post that you desire to learn more about.
Here is what is on the lesson plan for today:
- Do Jack Russells Chew A Lot Recap?
- Jack Russells Will Chew Due to Teething
- Prevent Chewing with Your JR by Avoiding Boredom
- Ensure You Are Feeding Your Jack Russell Enough
- Chew Proof Your Home and Possessions in Advance
- Don’t Ignore Chew Toys to Help Your Jack Russell
- Anxiety, Nervousness, and Curiosity
- Final Thoughts
- Share Your Thoughts
As mentioned previously, feel free to use the links directly above to skip around in this post as you please or to read the information that’s most pertinent to you.
Otherwise, if you can spare roughly 3-minutes, relax, and I’ll break down all of the details you need to understand about Jack Russells chewing and what you can do to end the chewing behaviors once and for all.
Here is the critical information to understand.
Do Jack Russells Chew A Lot Recap?
Let’s recap briefly on the main question everyone is curious about before moving on.
Keep in mind, this is coming from a Jack Russell owner, and trust me, I’ve been through the stages at this point.
Yes, Jack Russells will chew a lot.
Especially if you are unaware, unprepared, and don’t give them a secondary outlet to occupy their minds or to help with teething.
These are an absolute must with any dog breed, but with Jack Russells, it’s even more critical.
These are high energy and hyper dogs, and when they get bored, they need to do something to release some energy.
Unfortunately, it’s often in the form of behavior that you don’t prefer to deal with, such as chewing.
It’s going to happen, but trust me, you have plenty of ways you can effectively manage chewing with your Jack Russells.
Before doing so, you need to first effectively understand what may be causing the chewing in the first place.
Let’s start with those details then begin working on solutions to ensure chewing doesn’t become an issue for you and your new Jack Russell.
Jack Russells Will Chew Due to Teething
Teething is the first issue you can encounter as a new Jack Russell owner that’s going to spark some interest in chewing and be challenging to curve the behavior without proper planning.
As you can imagine, teething causes a great deal of discomfort for your JR.
Teething typically kick starts at 4-5 months of age.
This is when your Jack Russell’s permanent teeth will begin to come in, which is going to increase your Jack Russell’s desire to chew which can help reduce the pain and irritation taking place inside of their mouths.
Once your Jack Russell has stopped teething, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in the clear with chewing behaviors.
Don’t forget that a young dog still needs to explore the world and figure things out the best that they can.
Unlike humans who can use their hands to learn their environment, a Jack Russell will use their mouth and continue to chew.
To keep up with reducing chewing with your Jack Russell, be sure to stop and take a moment to replace the items they are chewing with proper chewing toys.
Continue to reward them and train as you go so, they understand what’s okay to chew and what’s not okay to chew.
Now, let’s move into the topic of boredom and how it can impact your Jack Russell’s chewing behaviors.
Prevent Chewing with Your JR by Avoiding Boredom
Boredom can surely be a significant cause of chewing with Jack Russells.
These are working dogs and need something to do.
They don’t necessarily need to be busy all day, but they do need some form of exercise or energy release daily.
I discuss this in many of the posts on this site.
You can accomplish this in many ways and can even get creative with it.
Simple things such as walks, runs, fetch, or tug of war can help your Jack Russell to burn off enough energy and help prevent excessive chewing.
Consider swimming or water activities as well.
A bored Jack Russell will find ways to occupy their time.
What would you do in their situation?
I’d probably find random valuables to chew as well, so be sure you are aware and paying attention to this need your Jack Russell has.
It’s that simple.
Ensure You Are Feeding Your Jack Russell Enough
Many owners agree, and it’s a notable fact that hunger could also be the cause of excessive chewing with your JR.
It makes sense if you ask me.
Ensure that you are providing high-quality food and enough food for your Jack Russell to ensure that chewing doesn’t become a problem now or in the future.
Chew Proof Your Home and Possessions in Advance
Another big tip I like to give new Jack Russell owners is the pure power of planning ahead.
This is always essential, no matter what dog breed you are choosing to adopt.
Jack Russells are no different.
Plan some ahead of time and be sure that you have valuables and things you prefer not chewed out of chewing distance for your Jack Russell.
Consider gates to keep your Jack Russell isolated into individual rooms of the home.
Consider using tools such as bitter spray to protect the legs of couches and tables.
Make sure that you have plenty of safe chew toys available for your Jack Russell and never forget the ability to utilize crate training.
The more planning you complete ahead of time and the better course of action you have planned, the better off you will be to prepare and defend against a Jack Russell that loves to chew.
It’s that simple and will make a world of difference.
Don’t Ignore Chew Toys to Help Your Jack Russell
We have already touched on this topic a few times in this post, but I want to ensure that I beat in this point as much as possible.
Owners often forget how beneficial toys can be for a dog with a curious mind.
Don’t go with cheap rope toys that they can destroy and chewed too quickly.
Go with safe bones that require effort and hours of chewing to destruct.
It will help the teething process, keep them occupied, and they will love it.
Trust me, my Jack Russell will chew on bones for hours if you purchase the best ones.
Give it a try, and you won’t regret it.
It’s that easy.
Anxiety, Nervousness, and Curiosity
This is the last topic I want to touch on before sending you on your way.
Anxiety can also spark a Jack Russell to chew a lot.
This can be in the form of social anxiety, separation anxiety, or general anxiety.
Be sure that you are 100% confident that your Jack Russell behaves when left alone at home.
Make sure that your Jack Russell is comfortable with visitors and always be sure to have your room’s puppy proofed.
No matter how much planning you do and no matter how many chew toys you purchase, chewing will take place from time to time, and you just have to be ready and accept it.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Jack Russells make excellent family pets, and I highly recommend purchasing/adopting one if you are currently on the fence.
Listen, all dogs chew.
If you can’t handle that, you likely don’t need to be adopting a dog in the first place.
However, with proper planning, the correct tools, and a good mindset, you can prepare and limit the chewing.
Trust me, the chewing ends after time passes, and it gets much better.
Not to mention, a Jack Russell, in my opinion, is one of the most loyal dogs you can adopt and can bring a smile to your face each day.
Luna and I wish you the best of luck with your Jack Russells and best of luck ending the chewing behaviors as quickly as possible.
Share Your Thoughts
As you all probably know, I encourage the readers to chime in on every post that goes live on Terrier Owner.
Everyone can contribute and help us become better Terrier Owners.
Do you have any further recommendations that can help reduce a Jack Russell chewing a lot?
Do you have any other tips, tricks, or advice?
Be sure to share those thoughts, comments, and concerns by dropping a comment below.
As always, Luna and I appreciate you stopping by and reading.
Thanks again, and we will see you next time.