Owning a Boston Terrier - FAQs

All right, Boston lovers - here's your opportunity to share your expereience with owners who haven't been able to find an answer to their question anywhere else. Take a look - you may have an answer to one of the questions listed here!

Frequently Asked Questions About Owning a Boston Terrier:

Answer: Because of their "squished" faces, Bostons tend to snore and make other noises, sometimes called a "reverse sneeze". Details on the cause of this condition and more information are available here.

Question: I heard that Bostons fart a lot - is this true?

Answer: Boston Terriers DO to tend to be gassy. That said, like people, they're all different. Sophie isn't gassy at all, while Shadow sends us running from the room at times! You can minimize gas with a good quality food. For more information on diet for your Boston, check out this page. If you just can't stand the thought of dog farts, a BT may not be for you.

Question: My new Boston puppy is chewing up everything in sight. What can I do?

Answer: Boston Terriers love to chew! Crate training your puppy while you are away can help. This way he can't chew on furniture or anything else within reach while you're away. When you're at home, if he gets something he shouldn't have, take it away and give him a toy to chew on. We LOVE Kong Toys - they're the only thing we've found that Shadow and Sophie don't destroy within 5 minutes!

Bitter Apple Spray may also help to keep him from chewing any items he continually goes after. Shoes, socks, and the kids' toys are all fair game in our house, so our BTs help the kids keep their stuff picked up!

Question: Why don't my Boston Terrier's ears stand up?

Answer: Normally, Bostons will have upright ears by about 4 months of age. If the ears are very large or heavy, they may not come up on their own (Sophie's never did - the photo above shows her at 9 months). If this is a concern (for show or aesthetics), check out this article on taping and cropping options.

Question: What is the life span of a Boston Terrier?

Answer: Average life expectancy is 10 to 14 years.

Above, I listed some of my most frequently asked questions about owning a Boston Terrier. Below, you can ask a question or answer any of the questions you see listed.

Add a Question or Answer to the Boston Terrier FAQs

Have a question about Boston Terriers? Add it here, and I will try to answer it as best I can.

Or if you have an answer to any of the questions you see here, please add your answer and advice - YOUR experience can help a fellow Boston lover!

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

can you make your boston's ears stay down? 
I have a 3 1/2 month old puppy and I just love her floppy ears. Is there anything that can be done to keep them from becoming bat ears?

Boston Terrier Vomiting 
My Boston is throwing up her dry food every time she eats. Is this common? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Boston Terriers and Cats? 
Are Bostons good with cats?

Do all Boston Terriers lick a lot? 
our boston licks anything he can. Any exposed skin, his paws and inside of his legs at night, which I'm sure is a calming down mode for him. But he just ...

My two-year-old Boston, Elvis, is still destroying furniture. Help?  
We bought Elvis as a puppy and had him potty trained in 3 weeks, he is ridiculously smart. And he is a great dog, except for the chewing. He has stolen ...

Boston Pattern? 
We have recently become a Boston owner. We bought Zukie when he was 7 weeks old. I loved him from the first picture I saw of him :) The seller was not ...

Some blood around anal area 
July 17, 2008

Hello,

A friend of mine dearly loves her Boston Terrier Eva, and told me this morning that she was concerned because her Boston Terrier ...

Is there such a thing as too much exercise for a 4 month Boston? 
I have a four month old Boston, Henry. He has a lot of energy, and I like to take him to the dog park on the weekend for a good 1-2 hours. Usually he ...

Water Bowls 
Do I leave a water bowl in the cage while I'm gone?
Not sure if I should leave a bowl in there or not. He tends to flip his bowl over almost every time....

Boston Terrier Eye Color 
My Boston puppy has one blue eye. She is 6 weeks, the other has turned brown. Will this eye also turn brown? If it does not turn brown, is this a sign ...

BOSTON TERRIER MALE PUP BITES CONSTANTLY 
He's 2 months old; we just got him 4 days ago. I bought a good medium sized crate today for his "den" and have a pen where we put him when he bites. He ...

i have a 9 week old puppy, what kind of food should i get him? 
what kind of food do i need to feed him, pls give me some names, and tell me what they can have and not have, thanks

How do I prevent my 7-week-old Boston Terrier from biting a lot?  
I know this may be due to her puppy stage, but she seems to be biting my kids (ages 2 and 4) more and holding on when she bites.

Adding to the family 
We have a boston terrier girl named Olive and want to get another boston terrier. Is it better to get another girl or a boy? Hoping they will get along!...

Which is normally the bigger the male or female? 
We are getting two boston terriers and was wondering which are bigger, and also if they are a very hyper dog? I have done so much research but would like ...

How long will my BT stay in heat? 
I am worried that something might be wrong with her. She bled for about a week and was red and swollen. Now she is not bleeding or red but she is still ...

do they shed? 
i just want to know if these dogs shed

whats wrong with my bostons eye  Not rated yet
My 7 year old Boston has a dark spot on one eye ball that looks like an extra pupil. I never noticed it before until we were outside in the sun light. Could ...

Bump / Hair Loss on Boston Terrier  Not rated yet
Why would my BT have a large bump on his back and lost hair on that bump? It doesn't seem to bother him though. Has anyone had this same problem? It does ...

Boston Terriers on planes and in cars for long periods of times  Not rated yet
How are Bostons on planes and in cars for long periods of time? We are thinking about traveling with a Boston.

How long can I leave a trained BT alone during the day?  Not rated yet
We are thinking about getting a BT right before summer and housebreaking it, training it, etc. But when school and work starts up, no one will be home ...

Do BT's need to be leashed outside all of the time?  Not rated yet
We're looking into getting a BT as our kiddos start getting older (4 years, 2 years, and 5 months now). We have a 3/4 fenced yard that leads into two neighbors ...

Can periodontal disease be the answer to my little girls sad face?  Not rated yet
Hello ;) My husband and I just recently adopted a boston who needed a good home ;) We are SO in love with her, and we want to make her the happiest little ...

Itchy boston  Not rated yet
I thought Piglet had learned a new trick, wriggling on her back on the carpet until I realized she had learned 2 new tricks! The other being that she stands ...

How much do the white boston terriers cost?  Not rated yet
How much do white boston terriers cost?

Stubborn Boston Terrier  Not rated yet
My Boston is very stubborn when it comes to "coming" do you have any suggestions?

Boston Terrier teeth  Not rated yet
Is it normal for the 4 fang teeth to look like they're broke off with white round circles at the tips of the teeth and the ends of the teeth behind flat?...

Recent wetting  Not rated yet
I have had Ruby since December of 2007. She has never had a problem using the potty outside. Recently she has started using the potty in her crate. Could ...

Boston Terrier Potty Problems  Not rated yet
Why does my neutered, 5 month old Boston still have the tendency to pee on everything?!! Getting very frustrated... he was litter box trained and never ...

Has anyone been able to train their Boston to wear doggles?  Not rated yet
I have a 12 week old puppy and already had a cornea ulcer. Luckily, it wasn't bad, but since he only has one good eye, I have to try to protect it. I ...

Do boston terriers bite (snip), and are they good with children?  Not rated yet
Question:
I read that bostons are good with children. And I also read that they shouldn't be around them. I have a 2 yr old daughter, and I am thinking ...

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