Have you ever seen anything like this before?
My 2 yr. old female spayed Jack Russell Terrier goes nuts when I am getting ready to turn the dishwasher on. I will be loading the dishes in and she’s sitting there vigilantly waiting (trying to lick the dishes). When I get out the cleanser tablet and take off the plastic and close the door she is barking and going totally bonkers and then I turn it on and she’s totally fine, back to normal. It’s like it’s become some kind of a job for her, I can’t figure it out. I totally ignore her while she’s doing this. My husband thinks we should put her leash on her and put her far away from the dishwasher during the process. She is the most entertaining sweetheart the rest of the time.
Photo by Pat Thomas of Photo Phetish
Jack Russells are very high-energy dogs, and usually to burn off the extra energy, they need a job! The scientists here at Ask Spike Online and I are working on a way to make cars that operate off of the energy of a Jack Russell Terrier (JRT). We are also hard at work trying to fuel cars on dog hair freed by FURminators. Needless to say, neither of these projects have progressed far enough to help us decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.
Of the many words that come to mind when describing a Jack, the one that sticks out in my mind is obsessive. Some JRTs exhibit very odd behaviors, such as licking furniture or dishes, and act on them obsessively. I think that anyone who has a JRT in their family just has a sense of humor. While many dogs would be deterred by something that tastes awful, a JRT will simply make a career out of getting rid of the deterrent.
To correct this behavior in a Jack Russell, it will be necessary to give a very strong “NO,” immediately at the start of the behavior. I also suggest that you physically remove her from the area. When doing this, I advise that you use a leash to remove her, because some JRTs can be so involved in their little project that they do not realize who is moving them. This can cause a bite to occur. If you want to be proactive about it, you can prevent her entry in the kitchen by confining her in another room or by purchasing and using a baby gate when it is time to wash dishes.
Obsessive behavior is not exclusive to the Jack Russell Terriers. In fact, an obession with the dishwasher is a common behavior among a lot of dogs. My puppy grandfather (Autumn’s dad), Buster, used to gather his tennis balls and bring them to the dishwasher for a good cleaning whenever he found the dishwasher door open.
You may find that the time investment to correct this behavior is not worth the end result, especially since the behavior is rather benign. Even if you remove her from the area, you will not stop her obsession, and she will move on to something else to obsess about, probably something that is far more destructive. So, it is now your job to find something that is more interesting to your dog than loading the dishwasher!
Ignoring a behavior like this works for most dogs, but Jack Russells have an uncanny ability to solve a problem, and this one has decided that it is her “job” to help out with the dishes. They think that if they are prevented from doing their “job,” then they will move on to something else. Of course, they do not decide to move on to something else right away, obsessing about their “job” and that can lead to some serious stress and anxiety on their part, especially when they know the activity is still continuing. Some JRTs will try to come up with a solution to a problem for days, weeks, or even months. They are a true terrier, and they are the most determined and stubborn in the terrier family, in my opinion.
I have a quick story to share that may help you as well. Every year when we decorate for Christmas, my brother, Tax, goes ABSOLUTELY BONKERS! As soon as the boxes of Christmas items come down from storage, he starts bouncing off the walls, running, barking, and pulling ornaments, tree parts, and tinsel out of the box to help Mom decorate. After a couple years of trying to decorate with Tax, last year she decided that she could not have him underfoot while decorating, so she enlisted the help of my sisters with two legs. They come over before the decorations come down and play with Tax and the only thing that is more interesting in the world that Christmas decorations, a little red dot. Mom calls it is a “laser pointer.” I call it the most entertaining day of the year. Tax chases that dot around the floor, up the walls, on himself and any other surface it comes across. This goes on until the batteries die, Mom finishes decorating, or my sisters get too tired to continue. So, if you buy one of these “laser pointers” and have someone in your family with thumbs operate it while loading process, she may become so fascinated, that her obsession moves to that instead of the dishwasher.
