Boston Terrier Temperament and Socialization

The Boston Terrier temperament desired and defined in the breed standard is a friendly, lively dog, with a high degree of intelligence and an excellent disposition. These characteristics are what make the Boston Terrier such a great companion dog!

Temperament is partly heredity and partly learned. A good breeder will breed from dogs that themselves have a good temperament, and not from dogs that are overly shy, nervous or unstable. The breeder will also have socialized the puppy from an early age to encourage development of a good temperament.

As the new owner, you will want to continue the socialization process and temperament development through training and behavior reinforcement. Even dogs with the best inherited temperament can become unruly if poorly treated or lacking in basic command training and socialization.

"Puppy kindergarten" classes are a great way to teach your new Boston how to follow commands, and interact with other people and dogs, especially since it is "hands-on". Classes are offered in most areas, but there are also a number of very good books and videos that can help if you are unable to attend a class.