Are Boston Terriers Good With Kids?
If you’re thinking about bringing a new dog into your home, it’s important to factor in what sorts of breeds are going to work well with your kids.
Some breeds, like Akitas, are known for being difficult to safely have around children.
But how are Boston Terriers with kids?
Are Boston Terriers Good With Kids?
Boston Terriers are really good with kids of all ages. They do get along better with kids that are a bit older than the baby and toddler phase. The baby and toddler age can be hard for any dog or pet to manage since they don’t know how to treat a pet.
The background and original breeding of the Boston Terrier as that of a fighting dog can turn potential adopters with kids off.
Potential adopters with kids can be scared that their breed background and traits that come with that can show up somewhere, and hurt the kids.
While this is a possibility, this can happen with any dog; it is not likely to happen in a dog bred, trained, and socialized correctly.
Dogs that were bred for other purposes, such as companion dogs, can still end up causing someone harm at any time in their life.
The complexities of aggression, temperament, and environment can create any number of scenarios in a family dogs’ life.
Breeding is the most important, and second, the dog’s environment, shaping who they are and what they become in the future.
Therefore, if a loving family with kids adopts a Boston Terrier, their breed background is less of a factor when they are bred properly and receive healthy training and social skills.
All will be well if they are loved, treated with respect, taught what is and isn’t acceptable, and exposed to various life situations safely and lovingly.
This scenario is true of every dog, regardless of breed.
The Boston Terrier’s nature is kind and gentle, and their personality friendly which is exactly what every kid needs in a family dog.
They have a loveable and sweet temperament, which is what a family with kids should have in a pet.
Since all kids love to play and have fun with a zest for life and energy that some parents can’t keep up with, having a dog in the family is a good choice.
The Boston Terrier is a dog breed that will have the energy and spunk to keep up with the kids in the house on their many fun adventures.
They are a perfect dog breed to have in a household where there is one child or many, and their personality will bring a liveliness to the day that every kid will find exciting.
The Boston Terriers size is perfect for a family with kids.
They are not too tiny dogs that will run the risk of being hurt by a kid, but they also aren’t so big that kids can’t pick them up or play a little wild with them.
Boston Terriers have boundless amounts of energy, and they can be quiet the clown and be of great amusement to kids.
This type of personality can be a great asset to a household that has one child who can sometimes get lonely or bored easily.
On top of that, Boston Terriers are smart dogs, and since current breeding puts them in the category of companion animals, they are good at connecting with their human family.
In families with multiple children, they will be good at sensing the emotional undercurrents of the playtime and joining in the fun or creating some of their own easily.
Training is a big factor in how well a Boston Terrier will get along with kids, even if their breeding dictates otherwise.
That is why training and learning social skills from an early age are best.
Training a Boston Terrier later in life can be hard as certain mannerisms and behaviors are set at this point.
A good reason to adopt a Boston Terrier with kids is that they are low-maintenance dogs for their appearance.
Their fur coat is a single coat, which means the fur is easier to manage when compared to dogs with a double fur coat.
While not hypoallergenic, this fur coat can be easier to maintain and mean less shedding and clean-up around the house for families with kids who are or might be sensitive to dog fur.
It should be noted they are not hypoallergenic like other dog breeds, and if a kid is truly allergic, the Boston Terrier may not be a good choice.
Boston Terriers bond closely with their family, naturally making them protective of the kids.
While they are smaller than what most people would consider a guard dog, they can still play a vital role in protecting and watching out for the family’s kids.
Boston Terriers are good listeners with an alertness that not every dog can display. For that reason, they can be good at watching and hearing what is happening outside their home or their environment with the kids.
While households with kids can be very noisy, a Boston Terrier will not add to the noise very much.
These dogs are not overly noisy, and you will not find them barking at everything in sight.
When they do bark, it will usually be a soft bark that is not disruptive to anyone unless there is a REAL reason to bark.
For adopters that are part of a family with kids, this gentle and minimal barking can be a great asset to their home environment.
Kids are noisy enough sometimes without the added sounds of unnecessary barking of your dog.
What about the Boston Terriers’ background as fighting dogs?
Boston Terriers were historically bred to fight, but those qualities have been bred out of them for a long time.
Modern-day breeding practices and the nature of the current Boston Terriers are categorized as companion animals.
In life, even the best-trained dog with the most wonderful personality can still behave poorly or act out aggression given the right environment and circumstances.
This behavior is not always related to their breed background and who they are as a dog.
While breeding is the basis of who the dog is and always will be, many factors play a role in aggressive tendencies.
The Boston Terrier might have historically been bred for fighting, but today, they are nothing but friendly and loveable unless they are poorly bred or in a negative environment.
What should I teach my kids about their Boston Terrier?
It would help if you taught your kids about their Boston Terrier, how to treat a pet, and what is expected of them as a dog owners.
These should be the basic education for any kid who has or welcomes a dog into their home and family, regardless of breed.
Kids should learn how they are expected to behave around the dog and treat the dog.
They should learn what type of care the Boston Terrier needs, such as feeding, walking, and so forth.
The kids of the family should learn what behaviors can be harmful to the Boston Terrier, mistreatment, and not to do those things.
While a Boston Terrier will have to go through training and learn social skills, part of a kid learning about their home life, family and world is also learning social skills and training for how to treat others, including their Boston Terrier.
Each age group should be taught these things differently as a toddler will not need to learn how to feed a Boston Terrier yet, but they can learn not to grab or pull at the dog.
Learning can be done in real-time in a hands-on way, and of course, if they make mistakes, this is normal, but they should have consequences just like the Boston Terrier would.
Repetition is necessary as kids learn through practice, and parents must be patient with their kids.
With time, understanding, and patience, all kids can learn about life with their dog, and everyone will be happier and better for it.
If kids have behavioral or learning difficulties, they may need more time and patience.
It may be necessary to limit their interactions with the Boston Terrier until they get the hang of it.
In all instances, parents should keep a close eye on kids and their Boston Terrier until they are certain that the kids understand.
This timing can be different for each kid in a household of many, such as a parent’s life.
In Conclusion
Boston Terriers make great dogs in families with kids. Their personality, nature, and energy level will be a perfect match for most kids.
While they were originally bred for other things, parents need not worry about aggression today since those qualities have been bred out of them.
With a lot of love and patience, the Boston Terrier and kids will get along great, which might just one day mean the parents can relax!
