Need Opinions On Bostons Please

[Lori V.]

Karen: Thanks for the welcome. Bostons In Common website has lots of rescue links: www.boston.com. Or www.bostonrescue.com

While all breeds have rescue groups, this breed by far has the most rescue groups I've ever seen on the Internet. I just think people are mislead by their cute smiling faces. Anyway there should be lots of older dogs to choose from on these websites. Maybe the older dogs are less high strung.

[AdoreMyDogs]

Sandy, if your mother is very active and able to take a good sized walk every single day, and knows a good amount about dog training then a boston may be a good match. Bostens are extremely active, Lori is correct. I personally love them but would not recomend them for an older person simply because they are packed to the rim with energy. I am only 26 and they are too active for me, but that's my own opinion, not everyone likes a mellow dog like I do. They can be overly protective but with the right breeding and with a lot of socialization as puppies they are real friendly...maybe too friendly They never really settle down so your mom has to know that it will remain a puppy for most or all of its life. I have no idea how old your mom is, but if she is knowledgable about dog training and is still up and active, and has time/paitence for a boston then it could be a perfect match. If your mom wants a lap dog that likes to cuddle and be held and does not pull with all it's might on the leash then a boston would not be a good choice. Bostons don't like to stand still they want to GO, GO, GO. And most bostons can never walk fast enough on a leash...they pull the entire walk. If they cuddle it will be just a brief cuddle in between spasticlly bouncing around and having fun and making it's owner laugh.

If your mother is depressed or sad or lonely and needs to laugh on a regular basis then a boston would help her with that. They have a great sence of humor because they are extremely silly. They love to make people laugh.

I am not going to put any breeds down because I don't want to hurt feelings, and there are always exceptions to every single breed, but with exception to the rare few bostons that are mellow, everything I said and Lori said seems to be right on. I have yet to meet a mellow boston, and I have been a dog fancier for 15 years and I had worked in a vet for almost 5 years, done lots of volunteer work at shetlers, and attended dozens of dog shows so I have been exposed to many breeds. I guess it all boils down to how active/patient your mom is and how much she knows about training and socializing.

Good luck Be sure and let us know if your mom wants to get a boston even after what she knows about them. I think they are absolutely adorable!

Oh...and about the shih tzu....did I by chance show you the pics of my moms new shih tzu, Ritz? Oh my gosh is he SO cute! He's so cute I can hardly stand it Here he is
http://photomail.photoworks.com/shar...66097976350601

[Lori V.]

Adore My Dogs:

Thanks for sugar coating what I saying...

The pics of the Shih Tzu are too precious. I have a gold male Shih Tzu and those pictures make me want to get another one. This is the only breed I'll ever own. I guess we all have our favorites.

[RachelJ]

Having read all the above information and not having had any previous experience with this breed, I would state that a common mistake people make is underestimating the need dogs have for exercise. It was a mistake I have made myself. I don't think taking a dog for a walk constitutes enough physical or mental stimulation for a high energy animal. They need to play and romp and run. If your mother has a fenced in yard where the dog can get plenty of activity and your mom has plenty of time to supervise and interact with the dog and is aware of the time and work it takes to train the dog, then I'd say go for a Boston. If not, she might be better served to give the decision some extra thought or investigation. There is nothing worse than getting a dog that has needs that you can't provide for. My first dog as an adult was an airedale terrier. After two awful years, I had to rehome this beautiful animal. I thought I was the most dedicated dog person alive and gave it so much effort, but I didn't have the living situation that could accommodate the activity needs my dog had nor did I understand at the time how important those needs were. It was a heart rending experience to go through.

[ July 13, 2001: Message edited by: RachelJ ]

[ilovehounds]

Wow you guys must be seeing some pretty crazy bostons I not only have one living with me but I have met alot aswell and they are nothing like you describe. Mellow would be one of the words I would use to describe Reegan She will sit on your lao and cuddle all day if you let her.

I just wanted to ask Sandy if she has ever seen Breed All About It, they had a wonderful show on bostons wich featured an older couple with a Boston Terrier.

All I can say is do your research, not everyone here will agree on one dog and most of the time they will only recommend the one they own.

[ilovehounds]

Me again I forgot to leave this link I came accross the other day.

I noticed you liked Shih Tzus and there is a webpage with the cutest little SPOILED Shih Tzu

The URL is http://www.geocities.com/tollgirl.geo/index3a.html but I don't remember the name of it.

Hope you enjoy, I did. I love her little flat face. Did you see the Shih Tzu on America's Funniest Animals ? the one that was jumping on the bed and landing on her face ?? I laughed so hard when I saw that.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

I think in any breed, each dog has a different personality. Of course some breeds are known to be more active then others.
However don't judge a book or dog by it's cover. We have two Schnauzers, terrier terrors, they are completely different. All day Daisy wants to play with her toys, play catch the ball, run through the house. I take her outside every day and throw the ball for her to give her more exercise, she can keep going and going.
On the other hand Perry is content to play for a little while, maybe run for the ball twice and give it up, play with his toys for a little while, but what he really loves to do is go in his crate and take naps or jump on my husband and give kisses and sit with him.
So I don't think so much it's the breed, but the personality of the dog.
I have to admit I don't know a thing about Bostons.
Jackie

[bostonlover]

Hello Sandy!


I highly recommand that you get your mom a Boston Terrier.
I have a Boston TERRIER, and she is the sweetest, she loves people and kids, so if she has grandchildren then the dog will get along with them great.
When I have company come over she gets her greetings in then she lays down, she loves to see new people as I imagine every dog does. You should never just throw a dog in a room or it will never learn.
A helpful hint to teach your dog to lay down when company comes, is to have your dog on a leash and when it goes to jump on company give a little tug and say no down, and then throw it a toy. This teaches it to go play when company comes.

And for excersie, all I do is take her outside at nigh and she runs around and plays with sticks and the cats. and if you want to take it for a walk it WON'T pull your arm out! LoL

For training your new puppy, when I was researching the boston I read that they are hard to train, and I was kinda erie about this, but I got my pup when she was 6wks old, and I started training her that day, I kept putting her on the paper, and then once she started going on there I let her outside first thing in the morning, then after every meal, and before bed and she was trained in less then a month.

I guess I blabbed enough, let us know what you deciede to do!

[Pam]

My former boss only ever had Bostons so this topic was interesting to me. As a child he had Bostons and as an adult he has had Bostons. Nothing else! I found a website that is usually right on the mark about the different dog breeds. Feel free to visit and good luck with your decision!
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bostonterrier.htm

[*SimButtTwo4U*]

hink a boston would be good because it would be better for an older woman to have a more active dog to keep her active and the same time the boston can be a lovable dog!

Lori V. - Any breed can jump all over you.. in your friends case that is just improper training.. he or she needs to train it not to jump.

[Logan]

Sandy,
You asked for opinions, and boy did you get them! I think what has come through loud and clear in this whole post is that everyone has their preferences. Large, small, quiet, wild, it's a free for all!!

And you and your mom will make the right decision, I'm sure of it. I grew up with a Boston Terrier as a small child, and she probably was my mother's "dog of a lifetime". Her name was Sput (after Sputnik), and she died at 13 years old. We then switched to an English Bulldog, and he was my favorite ever! One day, I will have another one. But mom followed him with another Boston, Missy, and she was a wild one, but they loved her to death. And now Mr. Darcy has come to live with Mom and Dad, and their lab mix, Scout. And I will tell you that my retired parents could not be happier! Yes, they take a lot of training, but the key is, that they can be trained. You know the difficulties associated with training any breed. I have Golden Retrievers and the people on this board who have known me the past year know that I have plenty of challenges with them, and they are much bigger to handle than a little Boston.

My final thought is this: if something happened to Mom and Dad tomorrow, I would step in and provide a home for Mr. Darcy and Scout, without a second thought.

I expected you to get many different answers. And one thing we know about this board, and expect, is that if you ask, you shall receive, and you'd better be ready! I don't think anyone has said anything offensive, just their honest opinion, just as you asked.

Keep us posted, and whichever breed, or mix, that you and your mother choose, it will be her dog, and she will love it dearly, I'm sure. Good luck and know that all the comments made here have been made with honesty and caring in mind.

Logan

[Tanya&Fritz]

Well, I was going to stay out of this completely but... My dogs groomer has a Boston Terrier that is 6 months old. He is absolutely adorable and no more hyper than Fritz is. He's already completely trained too. They say poodles are one of the easiest breeds to train but I beg to differ I'm still having a terrible time teaching Fritz his basic commands. I think each "dog" is different. It doesn't necessarily matter what the breed is

[shipugtzus]

Thanks a million everyone for your honest and candid opinions.It is very much appreciated.I brought my mom here and let her read all of your messages.She is in her 60's,but still very active and in reasonably good physical condition.Her opinion is if Darcy's mom can handle him and moms friend can handle hers then she can to.She has a backyard fenced and figures she can let him go out there and exercise.she sits out there a lot anyway.I think she would enjoy watching him run around and play.I also feel the activity of taking care of a boston,might be good for her.She has to much free time and think this might be just what she needs.anyway I have a strong feeling she already has her mind made up that this is what she wants.I have tzus and pugs.My tzus are all pretty calm and laid back.She says they don't have enough spunk...lols.Also mentioned a poodle,as I have had some experience with them and they are very sweet,but again she does not want the hair.Like I said I think she pretty well has her mind made up on a boston.I have notified the shelters if they get a fairly young one in to let me know.As of now they don't have any,however said they would probaly locate one shortly from various other shelters and would let me know.I can not tell you what a great group of people all of you are,and how much i appreciate you.I feel more a part of this board than any I have been on and owe it all to all of you.Thanks a million.Hope i can help some of you sometime as much as you have helped me.Will let you all know the outcome as soon as a final decision is made.Sandy

[Pam]

Oh Tanya don't give up on little Fritz! I have now owned 5 poodles and even though the breed is very consistent in traits, etc. each individual dog has a personality of his/her own. Two of my poodles housetrained almost immediately...one in a weekend! Two more took lots longer. Bella took about 6 weeks for #1 but caught on to #2 almost immediately. She now is at the chewing stage and I think she is worse than all of the others combined! Even though we correct her, she will go back and repeat the activity! My husband feels that this may be due to the fact that she is our first "only" dog. Our other poodles all lived with other poodles. Bella lives with 2 cats who do not give her the stimulation she needs so she gets into trouble for the sheer attention of it all! Tanya, poodles are smart but they are also smart enough to try and outwit their humans too! An example of this is that Bella will dig in the yard and get stones and carry them into the house. Once we discovered our home was being invaded by stones we began checking her mouth before we let her in. Of course we immediately disposed of "her treasured stone" at the door. Now we are noticing that she leaves her stone just out of sight of the back sliding door, just before coming in, so we don't throw it away! My husband says maybe we can rent her out to "de-stone" people's yards! Tanya, just keep on keepin' on. Fritz will catch on and reward you more than you can imagine. Bella sends him hugs and so do I.

[ilovehounds]

Sounds like a perfect match Once someone makes up thier mind it's impossible to change it. But in all honesty your mother will be very happy with a boston. With a fenced in yard for the boston to play in they will be just fine. Your mom can sit out and read or garden or whatever and the boston can play and burn some energy. If your mother likes to take trips then she has pick a great breed, most bostons are car lovers and love to see and do new things.

Its a great idea to look at shelters and as Lori has said boston rescues. Boston Terriers are an expensive breed and if you can save a bostons life and save some money at the same time then double bonus for you

Good Luck !

________________________________________

Tanya can I just say please don't get dicouraged with Fritz. I will tell you this, Hannah my three year old beagle is very smart now she can learn new things in the snap of a finger. BUT when she was a puppy she was difficult to work with she just didn't have the attention span to take the time to learn something. You have to make it fun for them so they learn and have fun at the same time. Only work for ten to fifteen minutes at a time or else Fritz will get bored and you will get frustrated.

Trust me it works.

Good Luck !