Brought to you by Training your Puppy in 5 Minutes
Bred for hunting small game such as rodents, rabbits and foxes, terriers are tenacious and high-energy, rebelling against authority and showing aggression more easily than any other breed group. When riled, they do not back down easily. However, they do learn quickly and, if given proper guidance, socialization and obedience training, make great pets.
Due to a terriers tenacious nature, it will be very important to involve your dog in as many social activities with other dogs and people as possible. Without this exposure, he can become aggressive toward strangers and other animals. Never praise your terrier for any type of growling and refrain from playing tug-of-war with him, for this increases his prey drive to dangerous levels. Games of fetch are the most productive. Also, you will need to practice removing things from your dogs mouth and replacing them with alternative objects. A terrier can become possessive/
aggressive if allowed to steal and keep an off-limits item, and he must be taught to let go when you try to take the object away.
Reprinted from Training Your Puppy in 5 Minutes © 2004. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.