Tell me about Boston Terriers

[BuzznBelle'smom]

My DS10 fell in love with a Boston Terrier this past fall. It showed up on our doorstep, lost. We pulled out some porcupine quills and gave him some water--he seemed like a real nice dog, obviously belonged to someone but appeared to have slipped his chain. Anyway, DS was heartbroken that the dog found his way home to his owners. I'm considering getting the kids a dog at some point--DD12 and I are allergic, so we'd have to deal with that, plus I'm not a dog person. So, my specific questions are:

Are they good with kids? Even little ones?

Do they shed a lot?

Do they bark a lot?

Are there particular health issues associated with the breed?

Ditto for behavioral issues?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance--right now I'm just contemplating.

 

[jennyl772003]

Our dog is a Boston Terrier/Pug mix. We love him to pieces.

Boston's aren't big barkers. At all. Bruce barks maybe 1 a week. And it's not a full blown bark either. Boston's, being push faced dogs, can have some breathing issues and such.

Sorry that I can't be a ton of help since Bruce is a mix, but I'm sure you'll get some good info here.

 

[lillielil]

I haven't had one, but my mom had one when she was little. It slept with her brother, with it's rear-end on his pillow and made a lot of wind. It was also a very adventurous eater, including a chocolate cake meant for the rabbi and a rope. My grandma is in her 80s and still tell stories about Smoochie the boston terrier all the time.

If you're researching a particular breed, check out DogBreedInfo. Also, don't forget to look on PetFinder when you're ready to add a pet to your family - there are tons of breed-specific rescues out there.

 

[Sthronds]

My DS10 fell in love with a Boston Terrier this past fall. It showed up on our doorstep, lost. We pulled out some porcupine quills and gave him some water--he seemed like a real nice dog, obviously belonged to someone but appeared to have slipped his chain. Anyway, DS was heartbroken that the dog found his way home to his owners. I'm considering getting the kids a dog at some point--DD12 and I are allergic, so we'd have to deal with that, plus I'm not a dog person. So, my specific questions are:

Are they good with kids? Even little ones?

Do they shed a lot?

Do they bark a lot?

Are there particular health issues associated with the breed?

Ditto for behavioral issues?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance--right now I'm just contemplating.

I've got two (see my sig) and I had another before this. I love these dogs to pieces. They are so smart and so very sweet and funny. I'll try to answer your questions.

They do shed but the hair is short and isn't usually noticeable on furniture or carpets. You'll find that they shed selectively based on what you are wearing. If you are wearing black, they will shed their white hairs. If you are wearing white, they shed black.

My two current dogs do not bark much at all. Corie only barks when she is startled or the doorbell rings. Oreo has never really barked at all. Missy barked a lot but only at a certain tree. She would go outside and bark at the tree all the time. It apparently was offensive to her. Ironically, we buried her under this tree.

The biggest health issue my girls have had are heart problems. Missy died of heart disease at age 10. Oreo has heart problems but she's 11 and still doing fine. Corie has joint problems in her hips, which is common. They are also susceptible to knee problems and breathing problems because of their flat snouts.

I don't think there are many behavioral issues at all. They train easily, are highly intelligent and are very gentle. They are active as pups but they do calm down. They have a lot of gas and snore quite a bit.

Bottom line, I can't imagine life without one.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Thanks for the input!

jennyl, your puppy is adorable. Who could resist that face?

My son really, really fell hard for the one that he found. It seemed very gentle and family-friendly, and if I were to get a dog, I'd want a smallish, quiet, gentle dog. Plus, we have 4 kids, the youngest almost 2--a dog would have to be compatible with our lifestyle.

I don't know about the gas thing, but at least then DH would have someone to blame!

lillielil--You had me cracking up! Your mom's dog sounds like the cat I used to have that stole a pork roast off my counter once. But I like animals with "personality", so that wouldn't be a deal-breaker.

 

[dodukes]

Well we have one, ill post apic when i get home. SHe is a very nice dog, very calm, doesnt shed much, but wow the gas and the snoring are a PAIN!!>..lol....ours i s abig skiddish and not to good with kids due to she is skidish by nature and kids arent the gentlest beings sometimes, (she was alsmot eaten by a larger dog wen smaller, accordin to my dbf so shes nee skiddish ever since)..lol ours doesnt bark much only when its playtime and we are encouraging it, in fact sometimes we get home and she doestn make a peep.
i would most def get another one like her....

 

[hiwaygal]

Take a look at this website:

Boston Terrier Club of America

 

[tonilea]

Like alot of dogs with bulgy eyes, they tend to have eye injuries and more eye problems than the average dog.

They are also very enthusiastic and can be agressive toward other animals.

 

[jennyl772003]

OOOOH! Bruce farts like nobody's business. It could clear a room. He doesn't snore, but he snorts. A LOT. Me and him have conversations in snort all the time! He's full of personality, and doesn't quite seem like a typical dog.

We would totally get either another mix, or a full Boston.

 

[tonilea]

Oh, and BTW, the markings on a Boston Terrier are pretty specific. The ones with all white or lots of white are considered mis-marked. In spite of being a deviation from the breed standard, they are adorable and many places try to charge extra. Read up on the breed standard and don't be fooled into paying extra for a fault.

 

[Sthronds]

Oh, and BTW, the markings on a Boston Terrier are pretty specific. The ones with all white or lots of white are considered mis-marked. In spite of being a deviation from the breed standard, they are adorable and many places try to charge extra. Read up on the breed standard and don't be fooled into paying extra for a fault.

We actually got a discount for taking Corie! She may be mis-marked but she's adorable!

 

[tonilea]

We actually got a discount for taking Corie! She may be mis-marked but she's adorable!

I honestly think the mis-marked ones are even cuter than the standard perfect ones.

But, working in a veterinary clinic, I have seen people who paid more for one that was mis-marked out of a pet store.

 

[MinnieMe87]

Our Boston Beth is a doll. Loves to be around people and kids and is very sweet. She snores like nobody's business when she's sleeping (and can clear a room as well) and barks when she thinks someone is coming to our house to visit. She's also very protective of any of us, even our Lab. She does like to eat cat poop though and mom's earplugs!

 

[MosMom]

My aunt has a Boston Terrier. She is a rescue and came from a puppy farm. she has trouble with her bladder because she has pumped out so many puppies but she is a sweetie. She is aggressive towards other dogs but socialization early on could stop that.

I brought her to my house yesterday and she went after our Golden Retriever. Scared the pants off our Golden!!! She is 3 times the size of the Boston but was cowering under the table and running to me panting. Looked like she was saying "why is this little dog being mean to me?".

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Thanks for the link, I bookmarked it.

The eating cat poop worries me a little--although I currently have a gate to where the cat boxes are, because I think my DS2 would eat cat poop, too. Or at least play in it if he had the chance!

The only reason I care about breed is to determine size/temperment. The coloring wouldn't matter to us, and I would go with a mixed breed if I knew what it had mixed with, if that makes sense (don't need a BT/Great Dane mix!). But I appreciate the info on the mis-marking--I never would have known. And I would get a puppy, mostly because we have 2 cats that would want to train the dog to know its place on the totem pole, which would be at the bottom!

 

[lisamulls]

I have a ten month old Boston named Annie and I love, love, love this dog. She hardly ever barks and is happiest around people. She is good with kids but quite active because she is still a puppy. She always does the "play" bow when she sees another dog because she loves to be chased but she is never aggressive. She does have terrible gas problems and I have found Purina One to be the best food for her (Wellness and Nutro were too rough on her tummy) but all dogs are different.

 

[Dr Pepsi]

Several of my neighbors have boston terriers. It's actually kind of weird how many there on in my apartment complex.

Anyway, they bark...a LOT.

And I few of them seem to be dog-agressive. They certainly want to eat my dog, anyway, and my dog is not at all dog agressive. She loves all creatures, great and small.

They are adorable little things, though.

 

[PixiePop]

We have a Boston and he is absolutely the sweetest guy ever. He loves to give kisses and he is very gentle with my son. He is very intelligent and doesn't shed much at all.

He is a great family dog.

 

[3princesses4us]

Lucy is our first Boston and we've had her 2 years now. I love this dog so much she is my 4th daughter. She barks only when the doorbell rings, then she proceeds to lick whoever comes in to death.

She is excellent with all of my children. She has never growled at or bitten them. In fact we got her because my vet recommended the breed. He loves them for people with young children.

She does shed short hair but it's not bad. None of us are allergic to her though thank goodness. The upside is we never have to groom her. She does snore some at night due to her short snout.

I would get another one in a heartbeat and I've had cockers my whole life.

I'll post a pic later. She's gorgeous!

 

[crz4mm2]

Our Boston Beth is a doll. Loves to be around people and kids and is very sweet. She snores like nobody's business when she's sleeping (and can clear a room as well) and barks when she thinks someone is coming to our house to visit. She's also very protective of any of us, even our Lab. She does like to eat cat poop though and mom's earplugs!

OMG!! My boston's name is BETH too!!!! LOL.
Short for Bethany.

She snores like crazy too and barks quite a bit. She is a cat poop eater too and eats earplugs too. That is JUST too funny. I had to look and make sure I hadn't already responded to this post!!

I forgot to add she will eat any small animal she can... She is the queen of possum slayers She chases the cats like crazy (but they are on to her) and I think she would be aggressive to other dogs too (she loves our lab).