I’m happy that you’re here. All too often people rush into buying a dog. They don’t undertake any research and end up with a dog that doesn’t suit there lifestyle or personality. All too often the relationship ends early with the poor dog ending up in a rescue center.
That’s not you though, as you’re here! So, thank you for being a future considerate owner, whichever dog you choose. Although as you’re here on this site looking at Boston Terrier, I think I already might know what you’re going to end up with! Anyway…
The Boston Terrier is right for you if you have a family and are prepared to commit to spending a substantial amount of time with it for, at least, the next decade. The Boston Terrier will demand your attention and will demand your love from the day it enters your life until the day it leaves.
Summary of the Boston Terrier Personality
To make things easy for you, here’s a brief summary table of the Boston Terrier personality:
| Nickname | The American Gentleman |
| Companion Dog? | Oh Yes |
| Affectionate? | Very much so |
| Loves People? | More than anything |
| Therapy Dog | Very possibly |
| Can be trained? | Yes, and they enjoy it |
| Loyal? | Yes, which can make them protective |
| Energy Level | High, likes to play |
| Exerise Requirement | Once a day, caution advised |
Boston Terrier Temperament
A lot of sites claim that the Boston Terrier was originally used for fighting and, to be quite honest with you, I didn’t believe it. So, I did a bit of research into it and although all over the internet the Boston Terrier is linked to this fighting past, I have to say I couldn’t find any indisputable evidence that this was the case.
Perhaps, it’s ancestors were or other variants of it were, but I just can’t believe that a breed with the personality that this dog has would be any good at pit fighting! You see, the Boston Terrier makes a good house dog. A very good house dog!
Whether it’s true or not, the Boston Terrier is a long, long way from having a personality that could, in any way, be associated with a fighting dog! The Boston Terrier makes for a fantastic family dog.
You should just pause maybe at this point. I’ve got a fair amount to still say and perhaps I should have left that sentence to the bottom but just think about it for a second. It makes for a fantastic family dog – is there anything else that needs to be said?
You see, when it’s possible to say that a dog makes for a good family pet, you can read many more things from that one statement. Think about what a dog needs to be if it is a family dog…
Is the Boston Terrier Good With Kids?
Yes, the Boston Terrier is typically an excellent dog around children. It’s patient, fun and mischievous – everything a dog needs to be with kids. This is a dog that will grow up with your children.
It will be a friend, a companion, a brother, a sister – you don’t need to label it, but it will be there with your family as your kids grow up to become adults. The Boston Terrier could also be described as cuddly as it seems to flourish in this family environment.
Don’t take my word for it though. Join Facebook groups (a good one I like can be found here) and ask people there. The vast majority of people in this group are owners, so join and ask them some questions. Or, just watch what these owners have to say for a few days.
You’ll get a feel for the love that owners have for this breed and you’ll be able to confirm that what I’m saying here ties in with not only my experience but other owners too.
One thing I should mention though – do everything you can to ensure that your Boston Terrier is properly socialized. If you’re not sure what this is there’s lots of information out there that can help but basically, when your Boston is still as young as possible, introduce them to as many different people (especially children) and as many different people (especially cats) as possible. What this will do is make your
Boston Terrier think that it’s quite normal to have other people and other animals around with them. So, when it sees one later in life it won’t be a shock to them and they will be less likely to react negatively or aggressively.
Of course, you may be acquiring one when they are not a puppy. In which case, consider this a question to ask the breeder/owner/rescue center when you go and look at one.
As good as the Boston Terrier is with children though, it doesn’t really need me to say that care should always be taken when it comes to kids. No dog should be left alone with children, however much you trust them and especially with babies and toddlers.
Is the Boston Terrier Good with Other Animals?
Usually, yes – the Boston Terrier is very good with other animals. Again, their behavior can be improved by decent socialization but generally, they are pretty well behaved. Perhaps their smaller stature than many other dogs helps also. Generally, though – it’s just down to the fact that this is just a decent dog.
In fact, problems can usually arise when you try and introduce the Boston Terrier into a family that already has a dog. The introduction of a new dog into a household can be a complex process and there are no guarantees of success.
However, with the case of the Terrier, problems usually arise with the other dog not accepting the arrival of the Boston. Doing things slowly and having lots of patience are key here!
How Much Exercise Does the Boston Terrier Need?
The Boston Terrier is extremely active and ideally should have around an hour of exercise each day. Of course, if you’re spending a lot of time playing with them outside then you might not think you need to spend so much time walking them. You do need a way to burn some of that energy though!
Something to consider about exercising the Boston Terrier though and this is something that they actually have in common with the French Bulldog. The Boston Terrier has some difficulty regulating its temperature. What this means for you, as an owner, is that you need to be careful as to how much exercise they get.
You see, the Boston Terrier may want to run around for hours and hours, as long as you do. However, they can quickly overheat and without assistance in cooling down things can quickly lead to some pretty serious health concerns.
So, you’ll need to keep an eye on them and have somewhere nice and cool for them to go after exercise to help them lose some of that excess heat. A cold floor or an air-conditioned room are both ideal.
Can the Boston Terrier be Trained?
Yes, the Boston Terrier can be trained however the earlier you start the easier it will be for you. In fact, though, you shouldn’t consider training your terrier as a phase that they need to go through. It needs to be a life-long journey that starts from the moment they enter your home and will continue throughout their time with you.
Personally, I think the reason why the Boston Terrier is so accepting of training is that it thinks it’s a game. It enjoys it! If there’s an opportunity for the Terrier to interact with you in some way, it’s going to do it and it’s going to have fun whilst doing it. These training sessions are just another way to interact with you.
Is the Boston Terrier Expensive?
They can be. In fact, you can spend anything from a few dollars to over $5,000 if you use a top breeder. I’m not sure why you would do that though. Most people end up paying between $500 and $1000 but of course, and you don’t need me to tell you this, it varies dramatically depending on where you want to get one from.
Sometimes though, when you buy a dog breed it’s better in the long term to buy from a reputed breeder as you are more likely to know whether they have inherited any genetic problems. You just wouldn’t know this if you bought one online. You could well argue the point that the Boston Terrier fits into this category.
My first choice would be always to check your local rescue center first. Give a Boston Terrier a home that really needs one.
Can the Boston Terrier Be Left Alone?
The Boston Terrier should not be left alone for more than a few hours. It is an incredibly sociable breed of dog and likes to be around people. Without anyone around it can start suffering from separation anxiety and you may have some problems with it.
If you, and your family, are in a position where you are not going to be around for long periods of the day and the dog will be left alone, then this is not the dog for you. Yes, there are some things you can do, such as crating them and if you’re looking for one then consider checking my article out here about the ones I recommend (opens in a new tab).
Summary
So, have you made your mind up yet? I imagine that if you’re searching for this question and reading this article then you had a good idea of what you wanted to do before you read it.
I hope that after you’ve read it (around about now) you’ve decided that the Boston Terrier is the right dog for you. I’m pretty confident it will be. As long as you can devote as much of your time to it as it will to you (which is a lot) then you’re going to get on just fine.