Loki's Training Plan
A 6-year-old Jack Russell • for Victoria & Ryan
How to help this wholesome little menace to shut the fuck up so V can froth over Agent Hotchner in peace.
The one big idea
Everything on this page comes back to three simple rules:
- Help Loki feel calm first — a worked-up dog can't learn.
- Then teach him what to do — always with food, never with telling-off.
- Do a little, often. Small wins add up.
Tip: pick just one or two problems below to start. Don't try to fix everything at once.
Barking at birds, cats & people outsideInside the house and at the window ▾
Why he does it: Jack Russells are born to watch and shout out. Loki's brain yells "something's there!" before he can stop. We can't switch that off fully — but we can make it shorter and calmer.
The plan
How long: about 8 weeks for the sounds, and up to 3–4 months in real life. He may always give one or two barks — that's okay. We want fewer, shorter, calmer.
Don't do this:
- Don't shout "quiet!" — he thinks you're barking too, or that shouting means attention.
- Don't sit him in front of an open window full of birds to "get used to it." That makes it worse.
Barking at bikes & skateboardsOn walks, at moving wheels ▾
Why he does it: Wheels move fast, and Loki's hunting brain wants to chase. Once that brain switches on, he can't hear you. Chasing feels so good to him that it's a strong habit.
The plan
How long: this one takes longer — about 4 to 6 months of short, regular practice. Chasing is deep in him, so be patient.
Don't do this:
- Don't yank or tighten the lead when a bike comes — he feels your worry and reacts more.
- Don't let him chase and pull. Every chase makes the habit stronger.
Fighting with other dogsOn walks — sometimes, not always ▾
Safety first: If Loki has ever bitten and broken skin, or fights often, please see a vet behaviourist before trying this yourself. See the "See a vet" section below.
Why he does it: On the lead, Loki can't move away or say "back off" with his body. That makes him frustrated or scared, so he barks and lunges first. Terriers also fire up fast and are hard to stop once started.
The plan
How long: about 4 to 6 months of regular practice. Go slow — one scary close-up can undo weeks of work.
Don't do this:
- Don't hold the lead short and tight — it makes him pull and panic more.
- Don't practise where loose dogs can run up to you.
Whining & tapping the bowl for foodAt meal times and when you eat ▾
Why he does it: Because it works! Somewhere along the way, whining or tapping got him food or attention — even once in a while. So he keeps trying. Terriers are stubborn, so expect him to try harder before he gives up.
The plan
How long: a calm mat takes about 4 to 6 weeks. The whining and tapping fade over 8 to 12 weeks — but only if everyone sticks to it.
Don't do this:
- Don't give in when he gets louder — that teaches him louder works.
- Don't let kids or guests slip him food from the table. One treat resets the whole thing.
Food & keeping Loki trim
Loki's carrying a little extra weight — and a hungry dog whines more. Here's how to keep him full on fewer calories, which helps the whining too.
What's the best food for Loki?
Whatever style you feed (raw, cooked, or good-quality packaged), the golden rule is that it must be "complete and balanced." That means it has every vitamin and mineral he needs. Home-made and raw meals often miss some, so ask your vet to check his menu. Here is the simple shape of a healthy bowl:
Eat the most: Balanced mealsLean meat, fish and eggs, with the right vitamins and minerals. This is most of his bowl.
Eat plenty: Veggies and fibreGreen beans, carrot, broccoli, pumpkin. Fills his tummy for almost no calories.
A little: Healthy fatsOily fish like sardines, or a splash of fish oil. Great for skin, coat and joints.
Tiny bit: TreatsNo more than 1 in every 10 bites of his day.
Always: fresh, clean water.
Never feed Loki these:
- Chocolate, grapes and raisins, onion and garlic
- Xylitol (a sweetener in some gum and peanut butter)
- Cooked bones (they can splinter) and very fatty scraps
Loki is a little overweight, so ask your vet for his exact daily amount to lose weight safely. Feed him to his ideal shape, not just what the packet says.
Handy ways to keep him full and trim
- Bulk up his meals. Mix in water or cooked low-calorie veg (green beans, broccoli) with his food. It fills his tummy without many extra calories, and he eats slower. One study found dogs ate about 19% less when their food was bulked up this way.
- Make him work for it. Feed from puzzle toys, snuffle mats, or a frozen Kong instead of a bowl. It takes longer, uses his nose, and tires his brain — a calmer dog all round.
- Small meals, more often. Split his daily food into 3–4 small meals. He's never starving, so he begs less.
- Treats come out of his dinner. Every training treat is part of his daily food, not extra. Take a little out of his meals so he doesn't gain weight.
- Ask your vet how much. Get the right daily amount for safe weight loss from your vet.
Never do this
These feel quick, but they make things worse. The science is clear.
- No shouting, smacking, or "showing him who's boss" (alpha rolls, scruff grabs). Dogs trained this way get more scared and more snappy — even toward their own family.
- No shock, spray, prong or choke collars. They don't work better, and Loki can start linking the pain to whatever he sees at that moment — a dog, a child — turning a small worry into real fear or biting.
- No telling off the barking. Even "no!" or pushing him away is attention. To Loki, that can be a reward.
Reward-based training wins on every measure: less stress, faster learning, and far less aggression.
Call a vet or behaviourist if…
- Loki has ever bitten and broken skin, or fights other dogs often.
- His barking or grumpiness started suddenly (it can mean pain — like sore hips or teeth).
- He seems anxious all the time, paces, chases his tail, or chews himself.
- He's eating like he's starving but losing weight, or drinking a lot more than usual.
- You've tried for a few months and it's not getting better.
A vet behaviourist is the right person for serious cases. There's no shame in it — it's the fastest, safest fix.
Where experts don't fully agree
We want to be straight with you. Good science still has a few open debates:
- How to handle the whining. Some experts say ignore it completely until it stops. Others say that's a bit unfair on the dog and causes stress. Our plan uses the kinder middle path: keep Loki busy and calm on his mat first, so you rarely need to "just ignore" a meltdown.
- How fast it works. One source says weeks to a few months; another says up to 4–6 months for the walking stuff. The honest answer: think months, not days — and that's completely normal.
- Don't teach "speak" to get "quiet". Some trainers do this. But for a barky, easily-excited terrier like Loki, most dog-behaviour vets say it backfires and makes him bark more. So we skip it.
The proof behind this plan
Every tip above comes from real research, not opinion. Most are peer-reviewed studies — checked by other scientists before publishing. That's the most trusted kind.
Most trusted — peer-reviewed studies- Shnookal et al. (2024). Counterconditioning-based interventions for dog behaviour: a systematic review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Shows pairing triggers with food reduces barking and aggression.
- Zurlinden et al. (2022). Classical counterconditioning (Quiet Kennel Exercise) on barking. Animals. Pairing sounds with food cut barking in about 10 days.
- Vieira de Castro et al. (2019/2020). Does training method matter? Negative impact of aversive methods on dog welfare. PLOS ONE (e0220749). Telling-off methods raise stress hormones and worry.
- Vieira de Castro et al. (2021). Efficacy and efficiency of reward vs mixed training methods. PLOS ONE. Reward-only training works as well or better than mixed.
- Herron, Shofer & Reisner (2009). Survey of confrontational training methods. Applied Animal Behaviour Science (vol. 117). Smacking and alpha-rolls increase aggression.
- China, Mills & Cooper (2020). Reward training vs electronic collars. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Rewards beat shock collars — and respond faster.
- Ziv (2017). Effects of aversive training methods: a review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. Aversive methods are linked to stress and problem behaviour.
- Guilherme Fernandes et al. (2017). Do aversive methods compromise welfare? A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Reviews the evidence against harsh methods.
- Casey et al. (2021). Dogs are more pessimistic with two or more aversive methods. Scientific Reports. Harsh training lowers a dog's mood.
- Rooney & Cowan (2011). Training methods and dog–owner interaction. Applied Animal Behaviour Science (vol. 132). Reward training gives more durable learning.
- Dinwoodie et al. (2021). Behaviour programs for canine aggression. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. Desensitisation + counterconditioning links to better aggression outcomes; bark collars/muzzles as a "fix" do not.
- Hiby et al. (2004). Dog training methods: use, effectiveness, welfare. Animal Welfare. Reward-based training links to fewer problem behaviours.
- Williams & Blackwell (2019). Managing the risk of aggressive dog behaviour. Risk Analysis. Supports management + positive methods for reactivity.
- Shnookal et al. (2025). Trainer insights on on-lead dog aggression. Discover Animals. How trainers handle lead reactivity in practice.
- Notari et al. (2022). Behaviour changes in dogs treated with corticosteroids. Animals. Some medicines can increase aggression/barking — why a health check matters.
- Gartner et al. (2025). Food motivation and feeding management linked to overweight. American Journal of Veterinary Research. Food drive and feeding style tie to a dog's weight.
- Weber et al. (2015). Effect of food volume on meal duration and satiety. PLOS ONE (e0127348). Bulking food makes dogs feel full and eat about 19% less.
- Daniels et al. (2022). Dog behaviour modification practice in the UK. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. How professionals deliver behaviour change.
- Deleeuw & Williams (2026). Professional dog trainers' perspectives on methods. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Practitioner views on what works.
- Lewis (2021). A biosemiotic perspective on reward-based training. Biosemiotics. Why reward-based learning works.
- Dodman et al. (2018). Owner personality and canine behaviour problems. PLOS ONE. Owner handling affects behaviour outcomes.
- Shalvey et al. (2019). Best-practice for common dog behaviour problems (Irish vets). Irish Veterinary Journal. Vet views; flags dominance methods as a problem.
- Overall, K. Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for the Dog and Cat (Relaxation Protocol). The trusted "settle on a mat" method used in the food plan.
Two AI deep-research tools (Consensus and Gemini) gathered and checked these sources. We kept only findings backed by the studies above.