If you recently adopted a Jack Russell Terrier or have been raising one for a while now, you have likely run into the ever so common personality characteristic of your Jack Russell following you everywhere.
Seriously, my Jack Russell follows me everywhere I go, and I know exactly where you are coming from and why you may want some answers.
Since I have been raising a Jack Russell Terrier for almost 3 years now, I have plenty of information I want to explain to you on this topic.
Why Is Your Jack Russell Terrier Following You Everywhere?
A Jack Russell Terrier will follow you everywhere due to separation anxiety. A Jack Russell Terrier will also follow you if you offer positive reinforcement and if you are the alpha of the household and if they become dependent on your presence.
Some of that explanation may still leave you wondering or leave you with additional follow up questions.
No worries, I plan to cover this topic in-depth and ensure you understand why your Jack Russell is following you everywhere and what you can do about it.
Here is how I intend to break this discussion down for you today:
- Why Is Your Jack Russell Terrier Following You Everywhere?
- 3 Common Reasons Your Jack Russell Will Follow You
- What Benefits Does Following You Offer Your Jack Russell Terrier?
- Some Tips To Implement If Your Jack Russell Is Following You Everywhere
- Jack Russell Terriers Are Known To Follow And Cling To Their Owners, Get Used To It
Why Is Your Jack Russell Terrier Following You Everywhere?
I know it can be annoying to have your Jack Russell following you everywhere, and it can feel like they are attached to your ankle.
Sometimes, you cannot even use the restroom without them attempting to follow you into the room.
It can be hard to relax on the couch at times, and it would be nice to know if this is normal and if you should do anything about it.
The good news is that yes, it is entirely normal for a Jack Russell to follow you around everywhere.
Especially if you are the alpha of the home.
Often, Jack Russells will take a strong liking and need to be around one specific household person.
This is what happens to me in my household, and my Jack Russell does not necessarily crowd my wife too often.
She loves playing with my son but overall, I am always being watched.
My Jack Russell will stare at me all day sometimes waiting for that next move.
If I move to a different area of the house, she is typically walking in stride next to me.
I have honestly become used to it at this point, but at times, I would still like some space.
That is why I am putting this discussion together for you today.
Next, I want to cover the actual reasons that your Jack Russell is following you everywhere and then cover if you should or can do anything about it.
For more helpful tips on this topic, I recommend taking a quick look at the video I have put together below.
The entire video is dedicated to explaining why a Jack Russell Terrier will follow you everywhere.
Otherwise, let’s continue.
Below are what I believe to be the 3 most common and prevalent reasons your Jack Russell will follow you.
3 Common Reasons Your Jack Russell Will Follow You
Following May Occur Due To Positive Reinforcement
Your Jack Russell following you around everywhere may be a problem you have created with how you act and treat your Jack Russell when they are around you.
Here is a quick video discussing that.
Are you giving your Jack Russell treats and love consistently?
Maybe you are consistently petting and talking to your JR?
Either of these actions is giving your dog positive reinforcement, which in turn, makes them want to be around you even more.
The Jack Russell is a smart dog, they know how to get what they want.
Trust me.
Why wouldn’t they want to be around you?
If they get the treats and affection, you can nearly guarantee that they will be clingy towards you.
We will cover what you can do about this later in the discussion.
They Cannot Stand To Be Away From You (Separation Anxiety)
Separation anxiety is a real thing with Jack Russells and all dogs for that matter.
It can be one of the heartbreaking things you have to deal with when you first begin allowing your Jack Russell to be home alone.
If your Jack Russell tends to whine, bark, or make other audible communication efforts when you are not around, likely they have some form of separation anxiety.
Whether it is severe or mild, it is tough to say.
You may also notice your Jack Russell doing things such as chewing or becoming somewhat destructive if they suffer from separation anxiety when you are not around.
We will also cover some tips on how to start remedying this issue shortly.
Some Breeds Tend To Follow You More Than Others
Now comes some of the bad news.
Yes, some dogs have breed-specific traits that make them more prone to be clingy and want to follow you everywhere.
Guess what?
The Jack Russell Terrier is one of those dogs that is more prone to this behavior. Before adopting a JRT, be sure to ask yourself if this is something you want in a dog.
Part of this is their natural desire to please and work for their owners.
Jack Russell were bred to hunt and work for a living back in the day.
Those behaviors and genes are still present in Jack Russells this many years later.
The Jack Russell seeks attention, seeks approval, and wants to know what is always next during the day.
This is one of the potential reasons your Jack Russell will follow you everywhere and is also one of the only reasons on the list today that you cannot fix.
It simply part of their personality.
It is in their DNA and is prone to happen, so get used to it.
What Benefits Does Following You Offer Your Jack Russell Terrier?
The next thing you need to do to understand why your Jack Russell is following you everywhere is to do some critical thinking.
Ask yourself, what is your Jack Russell benefiting from following you everywhere?
If you answer this honestly, you may be able to start figuring out some of the issues.
Like I mentioned earlier, are you giving your dog treats throughout the day?
Is your dog bored and benefiting from being around you because there is nothing better to do around the house?
Suppose some of these sound true, and it is easy to figure out what your Jack Russell is benefiting from being around you.
The next thing you need to do is decide if you want to make any changes or not.
If you do, here are a few of my tips that should help your Jack Russell not to follow you around everywhere you go.
Some Tips To Implement If Your Jack Russell Is Following You Everywhere
Give Your Jack Russell Some Time Away From You
I know, it is sad to even think like this.
I get it and had the same issues with my Jack Russell but trust me, it is highly beneficial for your JR to learn how to live life without you.
We all have social lives, work lives, and sometimes we just need some family time without our Jack Russell jumping in our face all the time.
C’mon people.
Spend a few bucks and install a dog gate that is tall enough that your Jack Russell cannot jump over.
Place it in a room that you would consider “puppy proofed”.
I use a dining room for this that leads to my back porch.
It is basically a table, chairs, and an oversized chair for her to relax on.
Outside of this, she has her toys, her food, and water bowl, and that is it.
It has a tall gate that she cannot jump that leads into the kitchen.
This room is isolated from the home’s central area where we spend the most time, such as my office, the living room, or even the bedrooms.
So, when we are in the kitchen, we can say hi to her if she is back there, reach over and pet her, but she must learn how to entertain herself and live without us.
Now, I am not saying to go overboard with this.
Simply give your Jack Russell a little bit of time each day to use their own mind and not follow you non-stop.
Utilize Crate Training For Your Jack Russell Terrier
Crate training can be a lifesaver with your Jack Russell and helps with a lot more than the following behavior.
It is beneficial for potty training and leaving your Jack Russell home alone as well.
I have a post about the best crates for Jack Russells that you can see here.
Utilize a crate.
It is not cruel and will not hurt your dog; it will only help your dog with behavior issues and learning your routine.
If you are leaving for the day or going to bed for the night and have a young Jack Russell who cannot stand to be away from you, use the crate.
This eliminates any boredom destructive behaviors and helps create a routine.
Routine creates discipline.
Try it if you have not already; it will make a big difference for your dog to get comfortable with a crate sooner than later.
Take Positive Reinforcement Down A Notch To Reduce Following
We have touched on this a bit already, but it can play a big part in getting your Jack Russell to be a bit more independent.
I am not saying to be a cold-hearted dog owner.
I am merely saying to lay off the treats every now and then.
Every time your Jack Russell jumps into your lap, try not screaming for joy and rubbing their belly for hours.
Yes I know, we all love our JR’s, and it is hard to do, but if you are complaining about your dog following you everywhere, you need to stop giving them 1000 reasons to do it.
It is that simple.
Provide Exercise For Your Jack Russell When You Can
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, always provide plenty of exercise for your Jack Russell.
Jack Russells are hyper dogs.
They like to be moving and get bored quickly, and desire to be challenged.
Challenge them more often.
Activities such as running, walking, or even swimming can help burn off some of that energy.
Maybe instead of being around you non-stop, they will decide to take a nap for once because you have worn them out more.
Not to mention, exercise is highly beneficial for your dog’s health.
If you have an adequate yard with a fence, let them run around for a while.
The point is to let them get more tired and tuckered out so that they will not remain fixated on you all day.
Exercise will help.
Jack Russell Terriers Are Known To Follow And Cling To Their Owners, Get Used To It
A Jack Russell Terrier is going to follow you everywhere most of the time.
It is how it goes with this dog breed.
It is typical behavior, and they crave attention and affection.
The good news is that they are 100% willing to provide that affection back to you.
Jack Russells make for one of the best family dogs you can choose to adopt.
Do not let them following you everywhere bother you and learn to embrace it!
Luna and I wish you the best of luck with your Jack Russell Terrier’s and the journey you have ahead of you. Additionally, good luck getting your Jack Russell to stop following you everywhere!
Does Your Jack Russell Terrier Follow You Everywhere?
Does your Jack Russell follow you everywhere?
Have you implemented any other tricks or tactics to help eliminate some of the following behavior you can share with the readers?
Be sure to share those thoughts, stories, and concerns by dropping a comment below.
As always, Luna and I appreciate you stopping by and reading today, and we will see you again next time.
