Puppy nipping stage

First of all Pete has gotten better with the cats. He listens to the "leave it" command and they have been close enough to touch and have ignored each other.
I have 3 kids. Ages 9, 7.5, and 5.5. My youngest who has some minor health issues is jealous of Pete and has either tried to get puppy excited or gotten in his face and today he was nipped in the nose.
My mom who is a dog trainer chides me for getting a puppy first of all, and jack Russell terrier second of all. She has worked with me and Pete some but we are waiting for him to mature. She has suggested re-homing and getting a proven with kids and cats dog. She is willing to work with pete and I but she supports if I make a different decision.

What would you do?

I'd keep the dog, and keep training him. I'd also make sure that my children know how they are allowed to treat the puppy, and that he may nip them if they do otherwise.

To me, getting a pet is a lifelong promise to take care of that animal.  That being said, if you found someone who really wants him, and would be a better fit, that may be the best thing for him. Going out and getting another dog after that though, is not the best idea.  ALL dogs need training. Even if they are already kid and cat friendly, they need to learn how you expect them to act in your home.  Its like saying, Pete wasnt good enough, lets try again.  The fact that he has gotten better with the cats seems like a positive start though.

I have a dog who was a very mouthy puppy.  He would play bite all the time.  Of course never in an aggressive way, just playful.  We kept on him about it.  We were very consistant, and said "NO" in a very stern voice everytime he did it.  You, and your whole family need to be consistant in his training.  The kids need to know that Pete putting his teeth on them is not ok. The kids need to be taught how to say NO in a firm strong voice, and when it is appropriate to say it.  If they are constantly telling him no for every little thing, it wont mean anything to him.  It is going to be a lot of work for you to teach Pete, and your young kids at the same time. Dogs are pack animals, and they need to have an order in the pack. Because of that, all pack members (your kids, yourself) need to be on board with the training.

My mouthy puppy is now my best behaved dog.  He got over the phase.  He listens very well now. Hes 2 and a half, but he has been good scince he was about a year. 

I would keep Pete.  With good training, and time, he will improve.  I wish you, your family, and Pete the best of luck. 

I do plan on keeping Pete and training him.
I do agree that having a pet is a commitment for their lifetime.
And I believe that he will grow up to be a good dog.

All puppies are mouthy little beasts. At least he can't be as bad as a Lab pup! :lol3:

Here's a good technique: http://www.dogforums.com/first-time-dog-owner/8377-bite-stops-here.html
Whatever you choose, make sure you stick with it, and that everybody in the home is being consistent.

I had a Siberian Husky puppy that was very mouthy. He even chewed the corner of an expensive piece of furniture that we had brought back from Germany and given the chance he would chew on one of us the same way. A combination of outgrowing it, plenty of chew toys that he was allowed to chew on, and training brought him out of it and he became a very good dog. It takes time and patience, he is still a baby.

mom2raven-  I did not mean to sound offensive.  I scincerly hope you didnt take my post that way.  Having a puppy is hard.  Really hard. Im sure especially when you have young kids.

I know what its like to have second thoughts.  When I got my 1st dog, I was 21.  The whole way home I worried that I had done the wrong thing in getting her.  I kinda freaked out.  I thought about taking her back.  When I got home, my roomates dog bit her in the muzzle.  I went into instant mommy mode.  From that moment on she was my baby.  I cant imagine if I hadnt kept her.  She was the love of my life.  There is not a day that goes by that I dont miss her. 

I am so glad you are keeping Pete .  I am sure the time will come when you cant imagine your life with out him.  Dogs have that way of creeping into your heart. 

Again, best of luck to you.  So sorry if I sounded mean.  I surely did not intend to.

With your mum to help you, as she is a trainer, you should manage to get Pete trained in no time, and if he is already being ok with the cats then that is great, but you must also teach the kids that the dog is not a toy nor a thing to be teased, I am sure if they did it to the cat/s then the cats would scratch, its normal, kids must be taught to respect animals. So I think that with a bit of training on both fronts things should work out fine. 

I have 3 JRTs. I love them. They are a lot of fun, super smart and can be a lot of work. I do clicker training and find them very easy to train.

One thing I would not do is wait for your pup to mature. Puppies learn every day. They learn what we teach them and they learn things we don't want them to learn. If you put off training waiting for him to mature (which with a Jack can mean years) you will be spending a lot of time trying to undo what he learned that you didn't want him to learn. This takes a lot more time and patience then working with them from the start. More dogs end up in shelters because people wait or think they will grow out of it. And JRTs are one breed that ends up in shelters a lot because of this.

Here are 2 free e-book downloads that are great for anyone thinking of/having got a puppy- http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads  > They are written by Dr. Ian Dunbar, a veterinary behaviorist. 

Good luck with your pup! It can be frustrating, but with work, consistency and patience, it can be worth it.