This page will give you info and training tips for your new friend, the Boston Terrier.
Please call Christine if you want a new Boston or have questions about training. She can be reached at 423-362-0317
The best training tips are found here at Bostons 4 U!!!!
Kennel or pet taxi training, in my opinion, is the best method to training your
beautiful new Boston Terrier puppy. The taxi you receive from us is the best place to start.
1. You should keep your new Boston Terrier puppy in the taxi at all times unless your
feeding, bathing, or playing with them. Please do play with them often. If no one is keeping an eye on them while
they are out of the taxi, accidents are bound to happen. Boston Terrier puppies usually do not like to
soil their own bedding and when you keep them in the taxi, it helps train them to hold it a little longer
instead of being able to go at will. Sometimes Boston Terrier puppies will soil their own bedding, this is
normal. They are in an unfamiliar place and they are young still. Be patient, Boston Terriers are very
smart and have instincts right from the very beginning. It just takes time.
2. You should take your Boston Terrier puppy out every couple of hours. Remembering
to take them out can be a chore. What we recommend is buying a small inexpensive timer and using it. Turn it to
60 minutes and when the time is up, try taking them out. Do not worry if you take your Boston out and they do not
go. Some can just hold it a little longer than others. Bring your Boston in and put them back in their kennel and
try it again in another hour or so. Also take your puppy to the same spot in the grass where you want them
to go. When they get older they will likely go there. Don't get discouraged if they are not happy about
going in the snow or rain, you must still continue to take them out.
3. If you limit their food and water intake it will also stop the urination as frequently.
They only need to eat 3 small meals a day. We recommend canned Pedigree for your puppy. As an adult Boston
we recommend Iams adult dog food. Pick their food up from the floor when they are done so it stops the temptation to
eat more than they should.
4. Your Boston may whine until he gets use to his new surroundings. The question
is how do you get use to him while he gets use to you? It is not as difficult as you may think. If you have to
work the next day like most of us, listening to a puppy whine all night is not our idea of getting a good night's sleep.
What we recommend is keeping the taxi in the livingroom. If you usually fall asleep with the television, turn it up
a little louder. If this doesn't help, trying turning on a floor fan. Only about $12.00 at K-mart. If it
happens to be winter turn the fan on and then turn it around the other way so it doesn't blow on you.
5. One thing you should never do is spank your Boston or rub
their nose in the feces. It just doesn't work. After 33 yrs of being involved in raising Boston Terriers, not
one ever was finally trained this way. If any of you have ever taken a psychology course then you know about Skinner's
box. Only positive reinforcement works. Reward the behaviors you want and ignore the ones you don't want.
6. Start training your Boston Terrier puppy from the very beginning. Take your Boston
out every time you go to have a cigarette, if you smoke (I hope you don't) or when you yourself want some fresh air.
Not hard work but consistent work will win in the end.
7. As Bostons mature they will start to be able to hold it a little longer and you can
begin letting them out of their taxi. Letting them have free reign is still a no no at this point. Just a
little at a time. I can't give an exact age to start doing this, because all Bostons are different. Estimation
would be about 3 months. What we recommend is taking them out at night time and letting them bed with you if you wish.
Make sure you take them out 1st thing in the morning. Do not go to the bathroom first yourself.
8. By about 6 months or so they will be trained. Our bostons were all trained fully by
this age. They do have accidents but we are not all perfect either. If you use the larger kennel method
with your Boston puppy, put the newspaper towards the back and the bedding at the door of the crate. Even at 7-8 weeks
of age they will learn to get up off of their bedding and go on the newspaper. I recommend the large kennel training
for people who work outside of the home.
9. Some Boston Terriers when they get older will let you know when they want to go
outside and others won't. Just because they have become old enough to have a little free reign of the house does not
mean, you don't have to be consistent in taking them out. This part will never end. Just the frequency.
If your Boston ever begins to rebel remind them of their taxi by putting them back in it.
10. For those of you that are away from home all day you may also purchase a extra large kennel
that will be suitable for their bedding, food & water, as well as newspaper. I recommend you put the bedding toward
the front of the kennel so when you let them out they don't track over their feces.
Consistency-Consistency-Consistency-Consistency-Consistency
is the key to working smarter, not harder.
Written by Christine Smith. Copyright, 2003. No part of this may be reproduced or altered
without permission from the author. Exerts may be used if given proper credit.
