I Need Ideas If You Have Them...

Did you get this puppy from a pet store? If so, I know that many puppies from pet stores have a hard time getting house broken because they were used to pottying in their crate and (as in your case) playing with their poop. Yucky stuff, but very hard to correct. I don't think crate training is going to work with your new puppy, I would research alternate house breaking techniques. Keep the crate for when she gets older and don't rely on it for house breaking her. She doesn't understand that she isn't supposed to potty in the crate and therefore makes the whole theory behind crate training useless.

If she is eating the poo you can get a product called "for-bid" that you feed the dog and makes the poo nasty tasting (or more nasty tasting??). Works great, usually breaks the habit and you can quit using it after a week or so. If she's just pawing the poop around I don't know what to tell you. Be a new one for me!
I have had pups come from nasty situations that will poop in their crates. What I do is confine the dog in an exercise pen or bathroom with an open crate and a pee pad on the outside. I put a bed in the crate and let them do whatever on the floor. Most trainers would call it crazy since you are supposed to prevent indoor accidents, but if you can't get them to respect the crate as their "clean place", then crate training can't really work. It really does work to help them respect the crate and I do it for about 2 weeks.
When you are home try keeping the dog with you. I clip a caribeaner hook on the leash handle and myself, usually a belt loop, so you can supervise even when your attention isn't really on the dog. When you feel her tugging to sneak off, you know to take her out. It's hard with terriers to get them to go quickly, there are so many fun smells out there. I go out and make like a tree. I don't move until they potty, and then we get to run around the yard and smell and have fun, but no fun until after the potty. Jack Russells will fool you like they are really looking for a spot to go when they are really just enjoying the ground.
Let me know if you need help. I do JRT rescue and own a training business in Stokesdale... quite familiar with the breed! :-)
K.

C.,
I am not a dog trainer, but from my own experience, the crate may be to big, there should not be allot of extra space in the crate, other wise they might do just as your dog does. Also a freind of mine owns a large pet shop and a suggestion she made to me was to place a hand full of rabbit pellits in her food, they don't like the smell once they poop it back out(sorry, to be so discript). It worked for us, my dog use to try and eat it(gross!!) And the crate thing worked as well, I worked and thought I was being kind by allow my dog to have extra room, they just need to be able to stand up and turn around. Hope it helped alittle, you can also call a vet they or their staff can sometimes if they are nice, make a suggestion.

To start with, have you checked out the official Jack Russell Terrier website? (www.terrier.com) They have great advice. Also, you should talk to your vet - there are products you can give your dog to put in their food that makes their poop distasteful to them. (I know, it seems like it should be distasteful already, right?)
Jack Russells are one of the most challenging dogs you can raise. The official website will tell you that most Jack Russells train their owners, not the other way around. They are VERY smart, VERY stubborn and VERY strong willed. And yes, I know from experience - we have had three! One was killed by a bite from a brown recluse spider (that was awful), another we gave away because it was a female and she got so nervous around men that she wet constantly. We gave her to a single woman who lived with her grandmother. Now we have a 6 year old male who is my baby - and my proctector. He loves everyone - unless they try and touch me! I would definitely advise you to get some kind of help with the training. And hang in there, it will get better! Good luck!!

Hi
I actually have a fair amount of dog experience, but you got me on that one :)
Try calling Play Dog Excellent for training advice she is good at what she does.
J.

Maybe her crate is too big?? If they have too much room in there they will usually 'go potty' in one corner and sleep in the other. The trainer that I had a few years ago for my aussie suggested a wire crate with a divider that allows you to move it back as the dog gets bigger, so that way they only have enough room to sleep and turn around, of course. You don't want it to be cramped, but you want just enough room for them to be able to change position - and they should also be able to sit and stand. Just a thought! Oh, and if you're not using some type of pet odor neutralizer to clean the accidents with, she will keep going in that spot because it smells like her (and that makes her think that it's where she's supposed to potty). Hope this helps some!! Good luck!