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Bits and Pieces
The breeds thought to have been used in the development of the Boston Terrier include the French Bulldog, the Boxer, the
American Pit Bull Terrier, English Bull Terrier, and English Bulldog. The Boston Terrier was actually being bred for pit
fighting, but the Boston Terrier today, however is nothing short of a very affectionate, loyal family dog.
That well-behaved Boston terrier that you met, or knew as a child had a lot of human interaction, and training to be that
way. You only get a well-behaved dog if you are willing to put plenty of time, and training into a dog.
A Boston Terrier will excel at anything that may come its way. They are excellent obedience competitors, due to their
attentive nature to their owner's needs. These dogs will play tug, chase, fetch, and other active games for HOURS. If you
are not interested in playing at the moment, give them a good strong ball the size of a soccer ball. Some of these dogs seem
to have a natural talent at playing soccer with their noses, and paws. They will amaze you at how well they can maneuver
a ball. Also, all Bostons LOVE a good game of tug! You can get rope pull toys in pet sections of most stores. TIP- Make
your own pull toy by taking an old sock, and tying a knot in the middle of it. Or put a tennis ball in a sock, and put a
knot to hold it in. Be careful of the chew toys though, some are not made tough enough, and they may chew them up, and swallow
some of the rubber. If you give your Boston stuffed toys, ensure there are no parts they can choke on (i.e. those plastic
eyes that are glued on). One more thing to keep in mind, if you allow your Boston to play, and nip your feet, and hands,
it is hard to stop the habit once you have allowed it to begin. If allowed, they will look at your hand/foot as a toy, and
by you pushing them away, they will think you are playing. Never laugh as you are trying to get them to stop, they will think
it is a game. Bostons love to please their owners. I just say no in a loud stern voice rather than trying to push them away.
Due to their short noses, Bostons also SNORE LOUDLY, snort a lot, pant loudly, and have the reverse sneezes which, if
you have never seen this, then when it does happen, you may think they are dying, and can't catch their breath. Don't panic
though, just talk calmly to your Boston. Sometimes just putting your palm gently on their noses to force them to take a breath
through their mouths will work.
| Skyline's Monster (We miss you buddy!!!) |
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| Does this coat make me look chubby ? ? |
Boston Terriers CANNOT tolerate extreme heat, or cold. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT factors to take into consideration
when you own a Boston. Bostons do not pay attention to their own needs, and will get heat exhaustion easily if left unsupervised.
They will play as long, and hard as the person playing with them. I have heard an expression that Bostons will play themselves
quite literally to death. This does not mean that the dog is stupid, but rather that it loves attention so much, and is so
happy to please, that they don't realize they are getting themselves getting into danger. DO NOT EVER leave your Boston
in a car, because even in cloudy weather the inside of your car can heat up, and your dog will die of heat exhaustion. This
is not a pretty, nor an easy death. They MUST HAVE AIR CONDITIONING and use it religiously when traveling in vehicles. Always
ensure your Boston has plenty of fresh water at their disposal. This breed drinks large amounts of water, especially in the
warm weather months. In winter months, they are not overly excited to go outside, and as a result they have excellent bathroom
control (once trained of course). A good thing to remember is if you need a sweater yourself, then your Boston needs one
as well. Pet stores sell dog sweaters, and apparel. Also, if you go to the infant department in stores, or a second hand
shop, you can find baby sweaters that will also fit, and work well.
Bostons eyes can be EXTREMELY PRONE TO INJURY!!! On a Boston, you will see that they have very large, and bulging eyes
which makes them easy targets for injury. Something as harmless as walking through a shrub can be cause for injury. Any
eye injury is serious!!! If an eye injury occurs, ensure you have it looked at by your veterinarian.
Some dogs WILL bite if they are pinched, have their ears, or tail pulled, or if they are climbed on. Also, some will
bite if a child trys to get into the dog's crate/kennel, because it feels as though its home is being invaded. We don't want
to take the risk of a child getting hurt, because the child does not understand he/she is doing something that may aggravate
the dog. Bostons tolerate a lot, and are great with children, but remember this is a trait of a DOG, and they, just like humans,
don’t like to be pinched, yanked around, or climbed on ect.. Please keep an eye on your child with ANY breed of
dog.
Bostons need to have plenty of tough chew toys, and be worked with in order to let them know that toys are good things
to chew, but that furniture, and other household things are not. The best way to do this is to crate/kennel them when you
are not at home, and supervise them diligently until they know the difference. That way when they start to chew on something
they are not supposed to chew on, you can say no, chew this, and hand them a toy they are allowed to chew on. I have heard
by putting some Tabasco, or other really hot sauce on whatever it was they wanted to chew will discourage it from doing so.
A TIP - Bostons love to destroy anything that has foam rubber in it. Those wonderful little doggy beds with foam in them don't
last too long.
If you see aggression in dogs it can be, in part, due to incorrect training, and handling of the dog. These issues are usually
due to incorrect training methods, and people who encourage this type of behavior in their dogs. Thinking it is funny to
get them all worked up, or egging them on to do this sort of behavior. If you do this, don't be surprised if you have an
aggressive dog when you don't want it to be. They will do as they are taught, or encouraged to do.
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| Bath day at Skyline !! |
Boston Terriers shed occasionally, especially when they are nervous, (like an appointment at the vet) but
a grooming once a week with a Hound Glove will reduce this, as well as add to the coat's healthy shine. Good nail care ensures
tight little feet on your Boston, and keeps them from breaking their nails if they get left grown to long- ouch!
Bathe him/her when dirty, wipe around face, eyes, and in any creases (creases can be gently cleaned with a moist Q-tip) with
a warm washcloth. When bathing, use a good moisturizing shampoo, and conditioner. Dog named bathing products are not always
the best. There are some good ones out there, but finding them is the trick. Dogs skin is quite sensitive, and will
dry, and flake if not rinsed properly. Keep any bathing products away from the dogs eyes, and ears. You can wash their face
separately, with a facecloth containing no soap. Dental care is also very important in your dog's healthy life.
There are both a regular toothbrush. or finger toothbrush style for them. ALWAYS use the toothpaste specially made for
DOGS. Human grade toothpaste can not be used on your animals. It can actually make them sick. Check their
ears regularly for ticks, and ensure you keep your Boston's shots up to date. ALWAYS follow your vet advice for their shots,
de-worming, flea, and tick control ect..
Feed your Boston Terrier high-grade dog food from a major dog food company.
Keep an eye on the ingredients every few months to ensure the brand is consistent in healthy ingredients. Sometimes,
things change without notice. Make sure the food is appropriate for the dog's age. The first ingredient should be meat if
you want a quality product. Personally, we are currently feeding Nutri Source small breed puppy to our pups.
It is a Super Premium dog food that is is made with real chicken as the number one ingredient. It is all natural, with holistic
dog food ingredients,and does not contain bi-products (yup, no chicken heads, feet, or intestines). Nutrisource has no harsh
chemical preservatives, it is naturally preserved. Nutrisource was a 2006-2007 top approved dog food by Whole Dog Journal.
Have a look at their website for more info.
www.nutrisourcedogfood.com
Bostons love to chew, make sure you have TOUGH
chew toys for them. Do your research to find out the best chews on the market for dogs, and the dangers that some
present. Unfortunately, there are many "unsafe" things out there that can pose unforeseen dangers. For
example, I personally do not like rawhides, as they tend to unravel, become very slimy, and present the danger for choking. For
treats we give them top quality, natural ingredient treats found at our Veterinarians. We also bake our very own dog
treats here at Skyline that includes carrots, apples, banana, plain low fat yogart, tomatoe pomace, and potatoe flour. As
with any treats, we also give in moderation, and only on occassion, fresh carrot, bits of apple, or banana, a bit
of plain yogart, and sometimes a small piece of pumpkin or turnip that is actually a really good natural teeth cleaner. NEVER,
ever feed your dog chocolate. Please be extra careful at family gatherings, to make sure that your Boston has no access to
any chocolate (i.e. left on the coffee table), as this can be cause for death. If you would like more info. on what foods
are toxic to dogs, let me know, and I can send you a sheet of known toxic foods.
As a general rule, puppies are hard
to housebreak. To begin the house breaking, start by taking the pup outside every 2-3 hours. A good thing to remember is that
usually about 1/2 hour after eating, they will need a bowel movement. If they go to the bathroom outside, praise, pet, cuddle,
and tell them how good they are. Bostons love to please their owners. The best method I have found to housebreak puppies is
by crate (kennel) training. Have patience when housebreaking, as this breed can take a while to housebreak. TIME and CONSISTENCY
are the keys to housebreaking pups. These dogs are PERFECT house dogs when housebroken.
If you have any questions
at all, please feel free to contact us anytime. We love to talk Bostons!
Have suggestions, or recommendations? We would love to hear them! Knowledge is worth its weight
in gold, and what better way to find out what is safe or not safe for our loving companions than sharing ideas!
| Buddha (We miss you buddy!!!) |
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| Oh what a night ! |
Benifits of Spaying/Neutering your pet
Males:
Males
tend to become more aggressive, and they also tend to wander off more when "the scent" is in the wind. This brings with it
a much greater chance of fighting, road accidents, and expensive medical bills.
Females:
The
female dog's heat periods can be quite messy since they bleed a lot at this time. A female dog is also very fertile, and a
litter is almost a certainty if she is mated. A female dog in heat also means constant visits from the local pack of un-neutered
(and often neutered) dogs. All of this means messing on your property, howling, fighting, and so forth.
Surgical
Neutering, and Spaying
Neutering
and spaying is done under general anesthesia, and is painless to your pet. There is some mild discomfort afterwards, but this
is all part of any normal healing process. For males, neutering involves the removal of the testes. For females, the uterus,
and ovaries are removed. Most pets are neutered/spayed by 4-6 months of age.
There is no age limit after that.
Benefits
of Neutering, and Spaying
•Obviously
the pet cannot become pregnant, and you are not contributing to the pet over-population problem.
•There
are no more heat periods, and the male's spraying of his territory (which includes inside the house) is prevented.
•Cancer
of the mammary glands, which is very common in un-spayed females, is almost unheard of, if they are spayed young. Obviously,
the dangers of ovarian, and uterine cancers are eliminated.
•The
danger of pyometra, an often fatal uterine infection, is eliminated.
•Prostrate
tumors, and enlargements are a rarity in neutered dogs.
•Aggressiveness
with other dogs is reduced after neutering/spaying.
By
neutering, and spaying your pets, you are doing your bit to control pet over-population. One intact male can literally sire
thousands of offspring, so please….be a responsible pet owner.
SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS!
| Moxie & Charlie *AKC champion bloodlines* |
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| Well EXCUSE ME for coming to tease you about being free!! |
| We miss you Bella!!! |
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| Don't hate me because I'm beautiful Darlink *muah* |
Key Facts: |
Origins:
Developed in the 19th century by crossing an English & French Bulldog with a white
English Terrier. The Boston terrier was the first American bred dog.
ss=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Characteristics:
Height: 15-17 inches
Weight: 10-25 lbs.
Life Span: 12-15 years
Exercise:
Exercise needs are minimal. Bostons
are not keen on long walks, but will follow their owners anywhere.
Grooming:
Grooming needs are minimal. Bath
them only when dirty. Use a hound glove, or soft bristle brush weekly to keep coat healthy. Wipe face, and around the
eyes occasionally, and keep the nails trimmed.
Traits:
The Boston is a very loving, and sensitive dog. Sometimes clown-like, they are always bright, and cheery, and have a deep love for their family. Bostons
are definitely an indoor dog as they are very sensitive to extreme heat, or cold. They can live happily in a city, suburban,
or country setting. This breed is content to sit along side their owners, or at their feet with their favorite
chew toy. They love to play, and to snuggle. Always eager to please their owners,
they are easily trained, and very intelligent when it comes to learning. They
get along well with both young, and old. They are great with children, and get
along well with other pets. Bostons are very good obedience, and agility competitors,
and are an extremely intelligent, and graceful breed. They are a top choice
companion dog, both at home, and in the vehicle, as most Bostons love to travel. Oh,
and if allowed, these little guys make great sleeping companions as well!
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If you're looking for a children's pet, you
have most definately found it in this breed. The Boston Terrier is a very reliable dog around children. Their playful
side, and affectionate nature endears them to the very young, but they are also good dogs for the elderly.
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