<p>It’s of course completely ok to use a muzzle on a dog. They’re common. There are dozens of kinds.</p>
<p>We tried a muzzle for our dog who tended to start the fights with his brother. Bulldogs do not wear muzzles well.</p>
<p>cpt, I tried to picture a bulldog in a muzzle 
Putting one on our GSD’s pointy nose was a very easy task!</p>
<p>Dog aggression in Jack Russells is very, very common. I know a few serious breeders of JRTs and they kennel their dogs separately when they’re gone and supervise them at all other times. They have had fights before where one dog will try to kill another. It’s not a matter of being “alpha”, it’s that TERRIERS LOVE A FIGHT. If a dog has dog aggressive instincts, that can be managed, with training and supervision . . . but it can’t be trained out. (As a sidenote, a dog can be aggressive towards humans without being aggressive towards dogs, or vice versa.)</p>
<p>You could crate-and-rotate (only one dog loose at a time while you are not supervising), but that is a pain IMO. </p>
<p>If you do get another dog, make sure it is the opposite gender of your current dog. (Also make sure they’re neutered, obviously.) Dog aggressive dogs respond most heatedly to dogs of the same gender. If you get a puppy, you may not have any trouble . . . until the puppy grows up. At which point you may INDEED have trouble. I would suggest an older dog, so you can see the dynamic right off the bat and rehome Dog #2 if necessary without the heartache from having bonded to it for two years.</p>
<p>Frankly, though, I think if you get another dog you will have trouble and vet bills given your description of the current dog.</p>
<p>Bunsen…your PM box is full…I have a PM to send to you!!</p>
<p>You all have great advice and I appreciate it.</p>
<p>I’m considering getting this guy a muzzle and demanding that he make friends with me. Not sure how it will go. I really want a lovable and friendly dog and he never will be.</p>
<p>Yeah, when I read lazy and sun seeking I immediately wondered about thyroid conditions. We had a dog with a thyroid issue. Laid around most of the time but anything my daughter thought was a good idea, she went along with it. Lived for our daughter. Never was grumpy though but that could be because she was a lab mix.</p>
<p>Do you have a dog park in your area? I would try him at one of them with a muzzle on. Or an agility training center that could challenge that busy brain? I used to be day care for a JRT and really found him to be the training antichrist.</p>
<p>Try using little pieces of hot dogs for rewards. My not food motivated dog really loves them.</p>
<p>zmom - while I applaud you for looking into Cesar Milan’s availability, I wouldn’t rule out another trainer who has a similar approach to reading dogs and rehabilitating them. I don’t know, but is there a way you can contact his show and ask them for a referral in your area. That’s a good place to start. </p>
<p>When we were looking for a trainer to deal with a territorial dog, we asked our vet. I told the vet the kind of trainer we were looking for and they had an excellent recommendation. Have you had a chance to ask your vet about this?</p>
<p>Zooser, you might try “NILF” (“Nothing in life is free”) training. I have heard it works wonders and it’s not cruel (no hitting, pinching, alpha rolling (which is a very bad idea with a snappy dog, BTW–puts you right by the dog’s teeth) etc.)</p>
<p>[NILIF</a> (nothing in life is free) - Puppy & Dog Forums](<a href=“http://www.dogforums.com/3-dog-training-forum/6856-nilif-nothing-life-free.html]NILIF”>http://www.dogforums.com/3-dog-training-forum/6856-nilif-nothing-life-free.html)</p>
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<p>Your daughter has done her dog no service by letting him act the way he does. That dog is unhappy, nervous, has been allowed to be a brat, yes a brat, for years. Her staying close by won’t help. The whole family needs training on how to handle the dog, who has been conditioned to act the way he does. he has been taught all his behaviors and they can be untaught. If you can’t walk him on leash, he will only get worse, not better. He needs exercise, he needs training, he needs socilization. 5 years of a surly dog sounds awful. And if he isn’t exercised, he will get fatter, in pain, more depressed and moody. I think if you get some training, you will be able to bring another dog into the home.</p>
<p>I have three, sometimes we had four, and the dogs were never “in charge”, that doesn[t do them any good, its not cute, and makes for miserable dogs.</p>
<p>
He does exercise, we have a very big backyard and he loves to play ball and swim, so he’s not a fat dog, thank God.</p>
<p>You’ve given me some very good advice. He is a brat. That’s exactly what he is. I haven’t yet talked to the vet because this whole other dog idea is brand new, but I will speak to the vet and see if he knows any Jack Russell trainers.</p>
<p>My friend’s Jack Russell is a brat, too. I think they are just headstrong, smart, assertive dogs… but because they are so darn cute and small, people tend to underestimate them when young, allowing them to become spoiled and demanding as time goes on. Don’t feel too badly, Z; it seems common with the Jack Russell. I definitely would put a muzzle on him to walk, and seek out a trainer to work with you and him both. You deserve to enjoy your dog for the next five years!</p>
<p>a family member had TWO Jacks and they fought all the time. Brats for sure. Cute though. </p>
<p>Gave them away after the kids came.</p>
<p>The “nothing in life is free” program was developed by Susan Garrett, dog trainer non-pareil. She describes it in detail in this book: [Ruff</a> Love](<a href=“Home - DogsThat”>Ruff Love - DogsThat)</p>
<p>You don’t need to use a muzzle; a Gentle Leader, handled properly, would allow you to turn the dog’s head away from the other dog. Much easier than a muzzle.</p>
<p>ZM, I can’t remember where you are located, but if you would like to send me a PM, a close friend of mine is the WA/OR jack russell rescue coordinator and I’m sure she knows a terrier specialist in most areas (or I can put you directly in touch with her). Her 3 jacks (and one schnauzer) are all quite well behaved. They are friendly dogs who do agility and behave well around other dogs. All but the schnauzer were re-homes. (Right now she is also getting 6 jacks ready for new homes. All ten dogs have their own crates and are never left alone together.)</p>