Boston Terriers are charming and lovable dogs, but as with all other breeds, they do require training to make sure that they’re well-behaved and a pleasure to be around. In this guide, we’ll give dog owners all the information and tips you need on Boston Terrier training.
As with all other breeds, your Boston Terrier will require at least some basic dog training to be a well-behaved and well-adjusted pooch. If you don’t train your Boston or train it incorrectly, you could end up with a badly behaved and disobedient dog, making life with your canine difficult.
Training a Boston Terrier should be fairly straightforward, as it is an intelligent breed eager to please its owner. However, some Boston Terriers can be a bit stubborn, and if this is the case with your Boston Terrier, then training may require more patience than usual.
At the very least, your Boston Terrier will need toilet and obedience training and to learn to follow some basic commands. They will also need to be socialised early to know how to behave around strangers, other animals and children.
There are various different training methods you can use to teach them these things, but as a rule, you should always use rewards-based training sessions and positive reinforcement.
Ideally, you’ll want to start potty training your Boston Terrier as early as possible. However, Boston Terrier puppies cannot control their bladders until they’re about 16 weeks old, so you won’t be able to start until after this point.
The first step in potty training is to identify an area outside that you want your Boston Terrier to use as a toilet. Ensure you’re happy with your chosen spot, as this must be your dog’s permanent potty spot.
The next step in potty training is to take your Boston Terrier to this spot regularly so they can become familiar with it. You will need to take your Boston to this spot at least every hour at first. If it doesn’t go to the toilet, take your Boston Terrier inside the house for 15 minutes and then return to the potty spot again.
Whenever you take your Boston Terrier outside to go to the toilet, you should supervise them to ensure they do so instead of becoming distracted. You should also have a cue word when your dog goes to the toilet, and you should use it every time so that your dog comes to associate it with potty time. This is the method a professional dog trainer would use, and so should you.
You should use a combination of dog treats and praise to reward your pooch every time it goes to the toilet in the correct spot. Do this consistently; voila, you will have one fully house-trained Boston Terrier.
Proper crate training is important for Boston Terriers as it can help you to house train them and make them comfortable with being transported. The crate will also become a safe and calm space for your dog to relax, making them less likely to develop separation anxiety.
Ideally, you should begin crate training sessions with your Boston Terrier as early as possible. However, it is still possible to crate-train an adult Boston Terrier, but it will be more difficult.
Firstly, you’ll need to choose the right-sized crate for your dog. It should be big enough for them to stand up and walk around in. You should then fill the crate with bedding and your dog’s favourite toys.
At first, you’ll need to lure your dog into the crate using treats and then allow them to spend some time inside with the door open. You should use a cue phrase such as ‘crate time’ whenever your Boston enters the crate so that they start to associate this cue with going inside.
Then, start using the phrase when you want your dog to go into the crate and reward it when it responds to this.
Once your dog is comfortable going into the crate on its own, you should close the door and leave it inside for short periods.
You should gradually increase the time your dog is left inside the crate with the door closed until you leave them inside overnight.
The training process for an adult dog is the same, but it may take longer and require a lot of patience.
Pros and cons of crate training
Some Boston Terrier owners choose to teach their dogs to do tricks, and Bostons are a good breed for this due to their intelligent nature. You can teach Boston to shake hands, dance, fetch and roll over, and many other tricks.
Make sure you stick to a consistent training schedule, as this is the best way to ensure your dog learns steadily.
You should use training methods that involve rewards and positivity rather than those based on negativity and punishments, as this will make your dog more likely to engage with the training sessions.
You should use treats as rewards during training, but be careful not to give your dog too many, as this could lead to weight gain and other health issues.
Clicker training can be a good training method as you will gradually start to use the clicker as a reward during training rather than a treat.
Although some Boston Terriers can be a bit stubborn, this breed is usually easy to train due to its intelligence and eagerness to please. So, now that you’ve got all the information you need, it’s time to start your Boston Terrier training for it to be a charming and well-behaved pooch.
Welcome to Pets Online, a team of pet parents, animal lovers and veterinarians devoted to providing you with everything you need to know about pets.