Boston Terrier - Far removed from his fighting days...
Boston Terrier Care and Ownership
Breed Introduction
The Boston Terrier is one of the few breeds with the distinction of a real "Yankee-Doodle-Dandy". Although originally bred to be fighting dogs, today this is a happy little breed of dog with a gentle and affectionate disposition. The Boston is definitely a lover and not a fighter! However, they will protect their family if they feel that the territory is being invaded. They excel as watch dogs and despite their small size are not yappy. "Bostons" are excellent with children and will amuse people with their antics and unique expressions. They are also well known for being highly intelligent and enthusiastic in all that they do. Their loyal, affectionate, playful and eager to please nature make them a great family pet. However, they can be quite stubborn at times. Bostons should be trained and socialized from an early age as the males can sometimes be quite territorial.
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Will a Boston Terrier be a suitable dog for my family?
- Yes, if you are looking for a dog that is small in size (12-35lbs) but big in character
- If you only have a small back yard or no yard at all
- Any back yard you do have needs to be securely fenced with highly visible fencing
- You will need to dedicate at least 45-60 minutes total per day for the feeding, exercising, training, and grooming of your dog
- The Boston Terrier is a great choice if you want a short coated dog
- If you want a dog that sheds twice a year
- Ideally you should have no children under 5 years of age in the house (or anyone who visits on a regular basis)
- Yes, if you have a fair amount of time and patience to spend successfully house breaking your puppy
- If you want a dog whose activity level is sedentary (e.g. a dog that is happy simply lying around most of the time)
- The Boston is of average trainability, so you will need to spend some time and effort with this to have a well-rounded, trained dog
- Yes, if you want a dog that will bark to warn you of odd noises or strangers
- The Boston Terrier is a good choice if this is to be the first dog that you have owned as an adult
Boston Terrier Stat Chart
Rating System:
Ease of training: 1 is hard to train, 5 is easy
Ease of grooming: 1 is hard to groom, 5 is easy
Sociability: 1 is not social, 5 is very social
Guarding: 1 is not a good guard dog, 5 is very good guard dog
Suitable for Apartments: 1 is not suitable, 5 is very suitable
Noisiness: 1 is quiet, 5 is loud
Biting and Nipping: 1 is doesn't nip/bite, 5 high chance of biting/nipping
Energy Level: 1 is low energy, 5 is high energy
Shedding: 1 is low energy, 5 is high shedding
Affection: 1 is not very friendly, 5 is very friendly
Exercise Requirements: 1 is low exercise needed, 5 is a lot of exercise
Breed Stat
Size: Small
Life span: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 1 hour per day
Grooming: Once a week
Coat length: Short
Coat sheds?: Yes
Home Size: Large,Small,Flat
Garden Size: Medium,Small
Rating System:
Ease of training: 1 is hard to train, 5 is easy
Ease of grooming: 1 is hard to groom, 5 is easy
Sociability: 1 is not social, 5 is very social
Guarding: 1 is not a good guard dog, 5 is very good guard dog
Suitable for Apartments: 1 is not suitable, 5 is very suitable
Noisiness: 1 is quiet, 5 is loud
Biting and Nipping: 1 is doesn't nip/bite, 5 high chance of biting/nipping
Energy Level: 1 is low energy, 5 is high energy
Shedding: 1 is low energy, 5 is high shedding
Affection: 1 is not very friendly, 5 is very friendly
Exercise Requirements: 1 is low exercise needed, 5 is a lot of exercise