Boston Terrier

Terrific family dogs- VERY intelligent and easy to train. My puppy knew 5 different commands at 8 weeks old. People at the puppy classes were asking me how trained such a young dog...I told them it wasn't me, it was the dog! I've grown up with dogs my entire life- dalmatians, pit bulls, labs, beagles, shih tzus, pugs...none of them were as easy as this breed. He was very eager to please from the start. Don't listen to those posters who have said they aren't good with children or strangers...that is absolutely not typical of this breed. They must have very poorly socialized dogs. They also aren't considered toy dogs like another illiterate poster stated (by the way, to the negative folks- learn how to spell.) Though small and compact, they don't have the temperament of a of toy breed because they aren't a toy breed. Mine is also 30 lbs, which is a medium sized dog..he's a stocky brick sh!t house and is a real mans dog. He likes to hunt, fish, run with the extra large breeds but is also ... Read more

These are dogs really are worthless and a waste of good oxygen. but hey my opinion is mine and yours is yours, if you love them, great. I have a rescued german shepard myself, and will never own any other breed, my fiancee has the boston. I just really dont see the point in buying or owning a toy/small dog, if your gonna buy a dog, go buy a DOG, youll never go wrong with a German shepard, golden retriever, lab, and so on. When I moved in with my future ex wife, this dog was probably the dumbest thing id ever seen, it has a napoleon complex, and an incessant need to jump (it will litteraly jump in place until it cant anymore). Theyre inherently retarded, but I have seen some videos of good, trained ones, anomolies I guess. Also, someone else might be able to chime in on this, when they get overly excited (which is all the time) they have this weird tendency to sneeze grunt? She says its a reverse sneeze that these ugly things have and constantly has to try and calm it down, also theyre... Read more

i have been around bostons my whole life there a wonderful child dog the only dog i would ever buy for my child my three year old owns one that dog sleeps with him like a teddy bear and is his best friend and training it took me one day for maybe 10 min. to teach him sit,lay,up,roll over potty training i agree can be hard what small breed isnt at least they do stop unlike a chi or a pom who pee in the house all there life bts need toys and you can teach them no those are not your toys go get your toys and they listen infact you can tell them to go to bed and they go they are so much apart of the family and so easy to love a boston is amazing dont listen to the people who think there ugly i cant tell you how many people dont give them a chance just for there looks and i agree the people on here claming to be a vet are not inless maybe they couldnt tell a boston from chi

I have a sister-in-law and a nephew who each have one and aside from being high-strung and noisy, snorting beasts you have to put up with being stared at by that damn third eye that is situated just below where their tale should be.

I can only speak about my daughters Terrier, Lexi. She is very loving to her parents and family, however, the love comes to a growling halt when other dogs come into the picture. Lexi gets moody at times and likes to give my Boxer Sophie a hard time. Lexi wants all the attention of humans for herself, she's a little firecracker for sure.

I haven't owned one, so I don't have a whole lot to say, but my aunt has one that's a little high strung and a bit of a terror, plus I saw one at a customers house that had a bit of a humping problem. I wasn't humped, so I found it amusing, but I'll bet it gets old for the owner after awhile.

These dogs can be traced back to a dog named 'Hoopers Judge' in the 1870s. Because of their looks and temperament they have been nicknamed "The gentleman" or sometimes "The American Gentleman" They are highly intelligent and easy to train as long as you use humane training methods. Due to their sensitive temperament, if you use old methods (so-called 'traditional' methods) of training you will end up ruining this dog. They are very active, curious, intelligent dogs so if you don't have the lifestyle for them then don't get one. The American Temperament Test Society rates them an 85.7% which is high, for those readers with no basis of comparison. The average dog is currently at 81.9% as of the time of this post. The ATTS measures stability, shyness, nervousness and aggressivenes. Overall, the Boston makes a fun and interesting companion, but as with all brachycephalic breeds, make sure you save some money for the inevitable vet bills. Bostons can also be gassy and if poorly socialized,... Read more

Inbred, neurotic, nasty, ugly little trolls. They might be good on a barbeque if you slathered on enough sauce.

All of the folks that said negative things about this breed, are so full of it, I smell it through the computer. My sister bought one not knowing how wild they can be as puppies, She gave it to me, and I fell in love. She was house broken after the second week at my house. Did a lot of chewing, a lot, but all puppies do. Very friendly, playful, loving, and well behaved. I have a ferret, a parrot(who lives out of her cage), several cats, a couple other dogs, and I have had NO problem with her at all. She runs from the ferret and the parrot.. She has never growled or bitten anyone. Eveyrone who meets her falls also. Every one of these dogs I have met have been just as sweet, and playfull. They are VERY intteligent, very, and learn quick. One of the best dogs I have ever owned. A very good family dog. Do not listen to the people who say otherwise, but please, please,please,please, do your homework before buying ANY animal. Once more I have to say how ignorent the people who left negative ... Read more

Boston Terriers are fabulous dogs. Easy to train, eager to please, good with kids and other dogs. Mine is a certified therapy dog and AKC canine good citizen. They shed very little, require only the occassional bath and nail grooming, are compact and easy to travel with. BTs can have luxating patellas, do your homework and buy from a reputable breeder who does health testing. Btw, BTs are not true terriers, it is a misnomer. They are actually in the bulldog family. All puppies are hyper and have accidents. It takes human training to teach them how to behave. For some great info on BTs, training, breeders and adorable pics, check out woofboard.com. It's a great site!

I love my Boston. He is extreamly well behaved. He was easily trained. He loves people, traveling, or just chilling at home. In his puppy years he was a bit hyper but I knew this going into purchasing my Boston (he's a TERRIER!!!). If you do your homework and know what to expect you won't be suprised. Although he was a hyper puppy he still learned and listened. House breaking him was easy. He is by far one of the smartest dogs I have encountered. He is also a huge love too and most of the time wants to just cuddle. On a side note, all dogs take time to train. I feel that most any dog is trainable with the right amount of time and patience. People with "bad" dogs typically did not do a good enough job at training, or recieved the dog later in the pups life so it came with bad manners... Again however you can break most of these with time, love, and patience. Dog treats help too :)

These animals are very intelligent and friendly small breed dog. Unlike the Chihuahua, they can make a good companion for an appartment dweller in the inner city. However, their temperment can range from mild to wild, but they are easily obedience trained. Not much needed in the excersize department and grooming this animal requires minimal effort and expense. Additionally, these animals have a few health issues so be sure to get information about the parents before you purchase one.

My Boston is 1 and he is wonderful. There is not a better companion. I take him in the car whenever I can and he is excellent. He sleeps all the way in the back window and is happy to just be around me and watch people. He absolutely protects the car, barking when someone is too close. He loves to play with our cat and is sociable with other dogs. I got him at 3 months and showed him a lot of love and taught him through rewards ---- he can learn quickly. Never be mean to any dog - they will never respond well through fear. Jackson, my Boston, tries always to please and listen. He is a great retriever of whatever you throw for him. He loves attention and to be one of the family. He also is a great watch dog. He only barks when someone is around the outside of the house and then he gets me to show me who is there. he stops barking immediately when I tell him it is alright. You do need to keep him warm in cold weather -- My boston has a coat which he likes to wear. And you do... Read more

I am not a fan of the way that this dog looks, however, it is one of the best if not the best dog around children. I have a three year old and a 10 month old and our BT lets them pull on him and poke on him and never once has he nipped or even growled. I have never heard him bark, he is not aggressive at all. We inherited this dog from a family member who could no longer care for him, and although he is not my choice for a dog he is a great dog and a part of our family now. This is a wonderful breed overall, one I would feel very safe in telling other people to consider as an addition to their family.

Some of you guys are just spiteful immature kids it sounds like. A few things I can agree on is that SOME strains of the breed have health issues, easily fixed if you do some research and go with a reputable breeder... If you are basing your review on not liking the looks, then you really should not be posting poor reviews on here. People are here to see if the dogs personality and demeanor fit the bill of what they are looking for. I personally like the looks of a Boston. It's my opinion, and people can look at pictures of boston's to determine if they like them, please don't post a one star review because you think they are ugly, that's just tasteless at best. A few PROS for a Boston, are they're very smart, make great companion dogs, and they are probably the closest thing you can find to hypo-allergenic, aside from some hairless breeds of dogs. They are fun to play with, and are fun to watch play, they are very agile and graceful. They are also great with children by nature. It is ... Read more

Ugly litle bastards, looks like theyve been shot out of cannon face first into a wall, dumb rats are annoyin as hell. get a real dog you clowns.

My little boston, lucy lou, is the light in my life. Those of you who say theyre ugly trolls or say their little snorts are gross or obnoxious ... dont have kids or get a dog. And these people claiming to be vets and disliking boston terriers, i don't believe youre vets. Lucy is a favorite at her vets office with the staff. Her vet said she was one of the neatest dogs hes ever met. ...I want another boston terrier!

Bostons make Chinese Crested look beautiful. Ugly, bug-eyed dog !

I have a 4 year old Boston Terrier and I have to agree that they suck. I will never own one again - my husband feels the same way. He barks at everything. Pees everywhere. Eats cat poop and drags it all over the bathroom...daily. He has nipped at my 7 month old son and has done so to my friend's children. He is terrible with other dogs and constantly starts trouble when he sees any. He is neurotic, untrainable, he snores AND has an absolute meltdown, complete with all out yelping, shaking and eye bulging everytime it rains. We have another dog (a Rhodesian Ridgeback who is 2 years old) and he is very well behaved and an all around great dog. He is absolutely wonderful with kids. We are very good to our animals and continue to be good owners to this little snorting bag of nerves and he continues to suck. No amount of training has broken the dozens of horrible habits that he has (and I have not named all of them). I should mention that both dogs have had the same training and... Read more

Hi All! Boston Terriers.. I believe they truly are deserving of the title "American Gentleman. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.. I do believe that you did have a dog with all of these bad traits. However, remember that there are NO bad breeds, or dogs.... It's all about the quality and quantity of effort you put into training the dog. All dogs must be trained the basics (Walking (PROPERLY) Sit, Come, Stay, Potty training etc.) They must also be mentally and physically challenged. I have Taught my Bostont all of the above + Lay&Standing Stay, Shake, Rollover etc. I use these tricks to challenge him mentally. I also take my dog to the dog park several times weekly for exercise and socialization. I have been rewarded ten fold by my wonderful little LOU. About the Boston: Beware of the breeders! Please purchase a Boston from a reputable breeder. Some of the breeders are doing so with only financial profit in mind, without any care of the temperament or health of the puppies... Read more

I'm glad that there are people out there who have successfully enjoyed their BTs, but you are doing a MAJOR disservice to people reading on this site if you  misrepresent the level of constant care and training needed for Boston Terrier ownership. It is enormous and leaves little time for much else! If you have the time- great. Most people don't! In my personal experience working with animals on a daily basis, including Bostons, they are high strung with numerous health problems. They require an inordinate amount of time, energy, and resources to train, which does not always take. They must be the center of attention always and cannot stand to be left alone for even minutes- FRUSTRATING. Being terriers, their instinctual nature is to be territorial and the alpha dog (i.e., NOT good with children, house guests, and other pets of any kind). And I suspect that some people treat them better than they would their own children, which is disgraceful in itself (of course, that's not limited to... Read more

I currently have two Boston Terriers. I adopted the second one three weeks ago. They are beautiful, inside and out. They are funny, and GREAT with kids because all they want to do is love and be loved. I realize that some people have had bad experienced with a certain breed, but to say that all of them are vicious and should be banned or not allowed around children or other dogs are just plain ignorant. These dogs are VERY social and highly intelligent. A fabulous family dog. Every dog needs proper training and socialization. I love my Boston Terriers and will probably own this breed for the rest of my life.

Boston terriers are the best! Those "Neurotic, nasty, ugly little trolls" who dislike them are just jelous. Bostons don't kill dogs. Miss' I had a gay little toy poodle that was 'killed'by a boston terrier, your dog was probally being agressive, and the boston just was probally protecting its self from your demon dog. They are adorable, you don't go one second with out laughing. Everyone loves them, they are the american gentle man! They are great with animals of all kinds a childern of all ages! They don't require grooming, they will excersise themselves if you let em' out side. Who ever said they become obsessed over balls/ toys (and claim they worked in a vet office) I know alot of NON bostons that become literally obsessed over balls, including labs, spanials etc. And so they like to play? What is wrong with that?!? Once you go boston there is no going back! Everyone who has met my dogs fall in love.

WOW...I noticed some very ignorant comments, all from people whos contact is clearly not as an owner. By accident I ended up with 1 almost 2 years ago, begged my hubby got another oops had babies. All of my babies are now with personal friends who have meet ups & babysit.In addition one is with a friend that adopted a stray BT after falling in luv with mine...I WILL NEVER NOT HAVE A BOSTON TERRIER!

after having 17 dogs in my life... all types of breeds i can tell you only one thing. Finally I have THE DOG. I have a two year old boston terrier and he is well mannered. He is not only cute but smart.... He's eyes can tell you everything about him. My boston terrier is barking only and only if someone strange comes around my house. Not like other dogs who bark when they see a fly and bothering there owners. So to all you people that say a boston terrier is ugly.. look in the mirror.

Boston Terriers are great with children because they have a high tolerance of pain.They adore children and will tolerate their rough housing. I have had many different breeds in my 55 years and this is by far my favorite. Affectionate and loyal, easy to train, easy to groom, do not set off my allergies, this is a wonderful breed. The only negative is that a few still are territorial towards other dogs. The AKC says that this has been bred out of them. But I feel that you must socialize Bostons as early as possible around strange dogs. That's the only negative, and I rarely find a Boston owner that has had that problem.

I love boston terriers!! They are such personable dogs, full of energy and life. I have 4 in the house right now, never a dull moment! They are very eager to please, easy to train, and love all people and kids. They love to sleep in the bed under the covers. Laura Ricci

Bostons are great little dogs. Very loving, funny, and soo soooooo cute... They are energetic but just like any other breed they seem to calm down as they age. They love to be snuggled and they love any type of affection. One of the best breeds!!!!!

I don't know what planet these people leaving bad reviews are from? Bostons are wonderful! Nothing in the world like them, I have five bostons, this coming from a person , who use to be a cat person. I would take nothing in the world for my boston babies...( Any dog can be bad if the owner is bad!) I LOVE THE BREED!

I have had 4 Bostons over the span of the past 13 years.  Three are still w/ me.  They are awesome little dogs.  Mine are very gentle and kind.  They get along well w/ other dogs and cats.  (I have 3 cats).  They are very intelligent and sensitive.  They are versitile little dogs too.  They will crash on the couch w/ you or go on an all day hike.  Love the breed and will always have one!

An absolutely wonderful breed .. they are little clowns. They are very energetic BUT they are always ready to settle down for a cuddle !!! They are loyal, very clean, and personality plus !! I should know, I am owned by 3 of them !!! Trish

I personally have never owned a Boston Terrier but one recently attacked and killed my toy poodle. I am confident that if not raised correctly these dogs will be incredibly vicious. I was very upset about this for quite some time and I am all for the banning of these horrible creatures.

In general they are great dogs with lovely personalities (though I grew up with the breed so I'm a bit biased). If you go to a bad breeder (or petstore) and/or undersocialize/train them you may wind up with a neurotic, aggressive dog. They are not technically terriers, in that they do not belong to the Terrier group, but they certainly are prone to terrier-like personalities. (Stubborness does not equal stupidity, by the way). They are energetic dogs, but also good at amusing themselves indoors. Unlike my Labs my Bostons don't go stir crazy if they miss a walk now and again. In general (there are always exception to the rule) Bostons adore people (especially kids!), and need trained from the beginning not to jump and kiss uncontrollably. As with all dogs they do need to be watched with children, and kids should be taught to be careful around their bulgy eyes.Grooming wise: they are minimal shedders and really just need brushed once a week to keep their coat shiny. Teeth brushing is esp... Read more

I have two Boston Terriers. One seal and white female puppy named Lady- 9 weeks old and Arthur, 21 weeks. They are playful, affectionate, and hilarious. They are very human in expression and humor- highly intelligent, a bit willful, nergetic though apartment suitable. Exercise is a necessity for most dogs. I have no idea why someone would insist that they are as vicious if not more than a Pit Bull ?? I find them too be quite loving, social and sensitive to children. It is Pit Bulls that can't be trusted. However, we are all entitled to our own opinions.

I love this dog. This dog is alot of work, they are very high energy. They need alot of training, exercise and love. when i say alot of exercise i mean alot. these dog are very vulnerable emotionally, and if neglected they can act out of control. but if you train and play with them as much as they need it they are the best most eager to please dogs. They are defintely worth the time and energy. plus they are so ugly they're cute:)

Tremendous dog! Now remember this is a terrier they are bred for a purpose. If raised incorrectly you will have a mean fiesty dog that will bite and attack anyone or anything. Once again look to the owner of the dog if such a dog misbehaves. Bad pet owners enable bad behavior!

bostonsare wonderful family dogs

We have a rough collie who is very quiet and friendly, and he has been attacked by three boston terriers, and has been attempted to attack on by so many I count remember. I am a retired vet, and now I am a groomer, and I think Boston Terriers should be ban. From my experience,w hich is very great, I know I am right. Boston Terriers are more viscous than any other animal, including the pitbull. Please do not buy one for your family. They attack small children, all people, and other dogs. They are very unfriendly. I will never call any dog ugly, but I will call them ugly on the inside, which is exactly what the boston terrier is. Thank You.

I owned two BTs before and they are one of the best breeds there is. BTs are friendly, very loving, energetic, eager to please, and very sweet dogs. Good with kids too! :) BTs are really indoor dogs and needs some exercise, also sheds very little....both of my BTs were housepets and very well loved.

I grew up with a Boston Terrier. From my experience, they're high-strung and neurotic. Also very energetic... I'm not a huge fan of the breed, but there is something kind of cute and appealing about them.

We have 3 Bostons and love them dearly. With any type of dog, you need to do your research before bringing one into your home. These are very active dogs and act like puppies late into their adulthood. Because they're generally so active, they rarely need to be exercised. Boston's are capable of adapting to most types of living arrangements and do just fine in a small apartment.

a big dog in a little dogs body! playful, sweet, neurotic and active. Don't get this dog unless you can give it plenty of exercise!Very friendly and great with kids too!

Wonderful dogs! They are cute, fun, playful, and affectionate, and gentle. Also, as the other people mentioned, their short hair eliminates grooming problems, and they are great with kids (I sure loved the BT that I had when I was a kid)! Plus, they smell like corn chips!

A great family dog. Little to no grooming or shedding. They are friendly and love to be close to you. They are also very smart and train well, loving to please their human companions.

The Boston is an all around dog that fits any lifestlye. Great with kids! The Boston has short hair so it's easy to groom and it's size is perfect for apartment living. The Boston is a very happy dog always ready to play or snuggle. I recommend this breed highly.