I have had a male JRT pup (now just over 13 weeks old, since he was 7 weeks old).

I have been taking him out and about with me and my older female terrier, to socialise him (I have been carrying him in a shoulder bag when we go for walks & he can see & hear everything around him etc). Now he has had his shots, he is walking with us some of the way - and is doing well.

BUT - He has just started to snarl, growl & snap (violently!) at any stranger who tries to pat/stroke him - and he also did the same to our vet on our last visit. He is fine with people standing close - but it's when they actually go to stroke him that he flips!.

He doesn't appear to be scared, but it seems he knows how to make people stay away!. Can he be a fear biter this young??

We have been attending puppy socialisation classes and he seems fine there with the other puppies & people!.

How can we manage this and what should we be doing when this happens?

Yes, he can be a fear biter at this age- it all depends on the temperment of the dog. And I am seeing this more and more in JRT's in the local Obd. classes that I go to- although I can usually see that it's an owner incluced problem ( and I doubt that this is a problem for Julie)
Has he displayed any aggression to you? Have you corrected him for displaying this behavior towards others, and if so did he display aggression to you at that time?

Will,

a couple of weeks ago he started whining when we picked him up - but we just kept on picking him up and he stopped.

He seems to be a happy little chappy, plays with our older female terrier well etc. She is in charge at the moment - but he does get ralled-up with her at times. (I give them time out, away from each-other for a while and we separate them when we are out).

He has never shown any aggression at all to either of us (me or my partner). He seeks us out to play with him & hops around like a little bunny - looks really happy.

The first sign of this was at the vets. We were really taken by surprise and I said his name out loud as a reaction.

Last night a friend came to the door. I talked for a while, then picked Jake up & asked my frend to stroke him. He flipped!! at my friend when he reached to stroke him - but he does not get aggressive with me.

I have not corrected Jake for this behaviour (he has only done it 3 times so far - and is a recent behaviour). But the test with my friend last night confirmed to me that I have a real problem starting here!.

I need to know how to handle this appropriately, so I don't make it worse! - hopefully eliminate the behaviour ASAP!.

I hope that nothing I have done so far has initiated this?

Julie

It sound like it time for you to set up a weiner machine session. Get several of your friends explain the problem and what you want from them.

Which is to become weiner dispenser have them one at a time slowly approach and give him a weiner and as he eats try to pet him, with you telling him good boy and the weiner machines saying the same.

The next person do the same thing, start with you holding him or on lease.

Once he enjoys that, place him on the ground and the weiner machine across the room, have them call him to them getting the weiners and the petting. Pretty soon (two weeks or a month) he will think everybody that wants to pet him has a treat.

I'm surprise your vet didn't do this or think of this. My vet would do this using a dog buiscuts when she thought the dog was neverous or jumping. She and the dog became friends real fast.

This is only masking the problem he still will be a fear biter or have this deep inside, but now only when he doesn't know the person.

Hey, you don't have a weiner Grrrr! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Just a thought but you mentioned you began picking him up and holding him and he whined about this but eventually stopped. Now by no means do I think it's just the picking up but you mentioned the last time he did this you picked him up and were holding him when she petted him and he then snapped. Is he always being held when this behavior happens?
If so this may have something to do with it as when you first started picking him up he didnt like it at all.
Just a thought...

Julie

I'm talking chopped up peices of weiners. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Patrick to me it seems that he has not made the connection that its ok being out on a leash and felt more sheltered satting in her purse, now he has to get use to being out on his on. I think the growling has already showed him that he can make people back away.

So I think picking him up gives him security so what rather cause him pain, I'm wondering if the whining came after his shots. He was whining thinking a shots coming?

So its time for the weiner machine session.
What do you think?

I like the weiner machine idea, but I think instead of having the people try to pet him while he's eating the goodies, have them hold one hand flat, palm down, with the treat hand below and behind it, so that the dog has to put his head under the forward hand to get to the hand with the treats in it.

Hi everyone - and thanks for the replies.

I will get friends to feed him treats, like Lisa suggested and see how he goes with this.

The vets are really great! - they always give treats etc and are very friendly. In fact my older female won't walk passed the vets door, we always have to go in and say hello, get a pat & a treat.

The puppy socialisation classes are also at the vets - and Jake is fine then.

Yes, I have been holding him each time he has "flipped". I am wondering if he feels trapped because I have hold if him & he can't back away from the person trying to pat him. When he got his shots, he obviously had no hiding place because he was stuck on the examination table. (however, he has been to the vets twice previously with no problems for check-ups).

He was acting strange on the 3rd vet visit & was freaked out by a very exciteable receptionist who sort of swooped on him.

He is fine out walking on the leash - and just ignores people when we walk passed them. (I wish my female did that!)

Again, thank you for the replies - i'll let you know how we get on.

Sorry! - I forgot to ask:-

How should we react when he does the growling & snapping at people?. Ignore it?, verbally correct him?

thanks

Julie

You hear a lot of taught about not correcting a puppy, most of the time they are trying to keep a protection puppy confidence up. Unless you are planning on having him for a protection pup <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> .

Its ok to correct him verbally and if that doesn't do it jerk his chain, and tell him "no". Not hard but enough to get his attention.

Unwanted aggression is something that should get a correction. Distract him with a toy afterwards and praise him when he stops acting aggressive. This still will give you a spunky adult Jack Russle Terror, I mean Terrier.

I think its with either its ok to correct, as long as you distract and praise, afterwards. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />