Case Profile: Working Terrier
Hold onto your butts - in this case profile, we discuss the delightful assassins of the dog world - the pocket rockets, the Swiss army knife, the lethal teddy bears. The 10kg workout, the professional nightmares. The Working Terriers.
BREED(S): Jack Russell, Parsons Russell, Border Terrier, Patterdale Terrier, Fox Terrier etc.
Owners most commonly see me for: Prey driven aggression and overstimulation. Generally wanting to chase and kill things.
Most Common symptoms include: Fixated behaviour escalating to intense lunging and biting, towards dogs and other animals. ‘Screaming reactivity’. Other reactivity and aggression without self preservation.
Occasional symptoms include: Territorial barking and lunging. Anxiety and fear.
Case Breakdown: I have to preface this article by saying that more than any other group of dogs, the working terriers are the one that I have warmed up to the most - because for all the ways in which they can be intensely challenging for their owners, and for professional trainers - they almost always have winning personalities that you cannot help but love.
With that being said, they are lethal. Not always - but often. And if they are not lethal, they are still very intense, and more often than not leave their owners absolutely at a loss for how to keep them calm and under control. Of all of the dogs I work with, it is most commonly the terriers which need intensive resocialisation work - so these are not typically easy dogs to take on.
The biggest challenge by far is that working terriers are busy, high energy dogs that are perfectly happy moving ALL DAY - and this is usually at odds with the types of people who buy them under the pretence that being small will make them easy family pets. As a farmer once said to me, if his mother in law knew what that dog had had in its mouth earlier that day when it was sat on her lap licking her face, then it probably wouldnt be allowed in the house. Every terrier I know that exists in psychological balance either lives in a highly active home, or on a farm where it is allowed to roam for miles getting itself into mischief. There is a good argument that many working terriers simply aren’t compatible for low energy modern living - but most people will not be told.
…when you are dealing with a dog that has the equivalent of A Tony Stark Arc Reactor in its chest, the release of energy becomes essential to prevent these dogs from boiling over. Releasing too much energy too quickly, or getting into associations whereby these dogs learn they can direct their energy into other dogs, people or animals - becomes a recipe for disaster very quickly.
Energy Level Matters. Exercise Matters.
When it comes to aggression, there are always three factors - excitement, space and competition. And when you are dealing with a dog that has the equivalent of A Tony Stark Arc Reactor in its chest, the release of energy becomes essential to prevent these dogs from boiling over. Releasing too much energy too quickly, or getting into associations whereby these dogs learn they can direct their energy into other dogs, people or animals - becomes a recipe for disaster very rapidly.
There is a skill in not only ensuring that you are getting rid of enough of your dogs pent up energy, but doing so in the right way to direct it somewhere safe and healthy, and not into bad habits. As a rule, I don’t let my clients with working terriers chase other dogs if they have a history of aggression. The line between excited play and prey drive, which becomes predatory drift and aggression, is so blurred with terriers that it is usually not worth crossing. I could spend this entire article caveating the fact that there are terriers who are perfectly capable of playing nicely - but those dogs don’t come to see me for resocialisation work because they took a bite out of a cockapoo (or my ankles… or my kneecaps).
Give them a ball or let them chase a lure. take them swimming, learn canicross, join an agility club. Or buy a farm and let them help you with your rat population - but keep them calm around other dogs and people.
Learn the long line and use it properly.
When I say long line, I dont mean tie your dog to a 30 metre lead and let it wrap itself around a tree or disappear down a rabbit hole. Long line is an activity - typically done on a 3 or 6 metre lead, and involves you having the ability to guide and direct their energy and attention in a healthy way, whilst letting them get their steps in and not keeping them tight/frustrated on a lead. You will never hear me publicly advocate for an extendable-lead, but there is an immense amount of value in long lining activities to release energy.
You will not resocialise your terrier by giving them food near dogs.
For terriers that have issues with other dogs, it cannot be overstated that throwing food at them to form “positive associations” won’t help. Most terriers I work with do not need help forming positive associations - they have a perfectly positive idea about other dogs and all the ways in which those dogs can help them release their energy. many terriers I know will have the time of their lives chasing after other dogs with aggressive/prey driven intent, and the presence of a little bit of double Gloucester or some of your finest Wensleydale is of absolutely no interest to them, other than to create more excitement.
You will not resocialise your terrier by delivering heavy corrections near dogs either.
It’s also worth saying that a ‘well timed correction’ typically does very little by way of a behavioural resolution. Most terriers I know have absolutely zero self preservation and have absolutely no opinion on someone trying to issue a lead correction - or being shouted at, or all the other ways in which people try to discourage their terriers. Most of them don’t care - because their goal is simply to release energy and direct their prey drive.
Teach your terrier limits. Teach them to be calm and self regulate. And make sure you have a really good alternative for their energy.
There are no quick solutions for a working terrier - long term success is about respecting the whole picture of your dog, their Breed requirements and their need for an outlet. It means having clear communication and strong obedience when it comes to impulse control - as well as a ‘floodgate’ for getting rid of energy effectively on a regular basis. These are prerequisites to getting a working terrier calm and comfortable around other dogs, not optional extras - and provide the foundation for successful interactions.
