Jack Russells- Bad dogs?!

[GinaL2007]

My sister bought my mom a Jack Russell for her birthday three years ago. She got him from a place that rescues dogs from puppy mills- so he was a stud. My mom's name is Jill so she decided to call him Jack. The first several months we had him, Jack was not bad at all. Then, out of nowhere, for no reason at all, he started barking, chasing, and biting me and my boyfriend. My room is in the back of the house above the garage, kinda like a private "apartment" type thing. If we are in the living room in the front of the house, Jack will be normal, even let us pet him every once and a while. But as soon as we go down the step of the mudroom, he attacks. We have tried everything- saying "no no" or "bad boy", squirting him with a squirt gun (he just caught the water in his mouth like it was a game). When we had balloons for a birthday, he was scared of them, so I decided to carry that everytime I went downstairs. That lasted about a day, I realized i just couldn't carry around a balloon in my own house all the time. It's not only really annoying, but he has broken the skin on my boyfriend and my skin more than once. He wont go past the second step, so if I have anything but long pants on it's like a race to get to my room before he gets me. I'm so fed up with. What's up with Jack??
PS- I thought I should add that he is a bit spacey. We think it's from living in the puppy mill- but he is just completely out of it all the time.
PSS- This is only to me and my boyfriend. If someone else goes up the stairs to my room- he doesn't do it.

[GinaL2007]

Thanks again. Your mother-in-law sounds like a character. I'll have to get some books from the library. I appreciate all your advice!!

[Jaybay]

No no no!  You misunderstood me.  :-)  I never, ever got the impression that the dog was being abused.  Definitely check out some books and learn everything you can about basic dog psychology.  Maybe as you start applying those techniques when you visit your mom, and she sees that they work, she'll start adopting them herself.  

My Mother-in-law has had the same problem with every dog she's ever owned.  She "babied" every one of them, and they all turned vicious to anyone who came within 20 feet of her.  Good thing they were all tiny dogs, huh?  The one she has now is a chihuahua mix, and MIL constantly allows the dog to roam off-leash in her retirement community.  That dog has become a holy terror to the other residents, and the manager is now threatening MIL with eviction if she doesn't obey the leash laws.  MIL refuses to see that she is doing anything wrong and sees no good reason for training of any kind.  What a messed up situation!

[GinaL2007]

He is neutered. I would NEVER think to abuse him. If I would abuse him, why would I waste my time on a board like this trying to find an answer to his behavior. And I wouldn't dare think to ask my mom to get rid of him. I greatly appreciate your advice and will definately check out the tv show. However my mom obviously doesn't think it's a problem so I doubt she would go for the veterinary behaviorist. I'm only 20 and working a part time job so I cannot afford it, either. Thanks, though!

[Jaybay]

Oh boy.  What you just described is why there are so many homeless and eventually abused dogs.  None of you has a clue as to how to live with a dog and be the pack leader.  Before you get upset at my saying that, let me say I don't mean that to be insulting.  You and your mom are far from alone with dog issues just like this one.

First, and probably most important: if the dog isn't neutered, that MUST get done.  

Next, you all simply need some is some help in learning how dogs live in the world and how their brains work.  I strongly urge you to hire a veterinary behaviorist.  A behaviorist can help you understand dog psychology so that when you give a correction, it is done properly.

If it's not financially possible to to hire a behaviorist for a few sessions, at least start watching the Dog Whisperer on the National Geogrphic channel, or get the book "Cesar's Way" by Cesar Milan.  I learned his techniques from both reading the book and watching the show, and can testify truthfully that they really do work!  

You both obviously need to address this dominance and agression issue, because it will only escalate the longer he gets away with it.