We love watching our Boston’s play, but sometimes things get a little more than an owner can handle.
If you have a hyper Boston Terrier, then you may have found that your dog can get really hyper at times.
This energy came out in Bella, my Boston Terrier, when she was younger, not so much now that she is older.
7 Ways To Calm Your Boston Terrier
Some dogs’ no matter their breed or age, just happen to need to release more energy than others.
If you want to help your dog calm down, then there are a few different techniques you can try.
This can be especially helpful if your Boston seems to be bouncing off of the walls when it’s time to go to bed.
However, there are no guarantees this stops zoomies 🙂
1) Extend Your Walking Time
One of the number one causes of an overly hyper dog is the lack of proper exercise. Like many dogs, Boston Terriers need an appropriate amount of activity throughout the week.
On average, a Boston Terrier should exercise for 30 minutes a day with some Bostons needing closer to one hour’s worth of exercise.
This can be broken up into sections throughout the day, and you can choose to take a long walk in the morning or right before dinner.
Do you regularly go to a park to walk or jog around your neighborhood? These walks and jogs can be a great chance to get your dog’s energy out. If you don’t think you have enough time for a long walk, then you can always check into hiring a dog walker.
Need help training your Boston Terrier not to pull, jump up, or chew? Check out Brain Training For Your Dog. This is an inexpensive course to train your adult Boston Terrier or puppy how to stop their bad behavior. Click here for more information, Brain Training For Your Dog.
2) Make Dedicated Playtime
Boston’s, by nature, are very playful and social animals that need stimulation to keep from being bored. If your dog is spending all day at home just lying around, then they are bound to have pent up energy when you come home.
While the first thing you may not want to do when you come home is run outside for a game of fetch, you should make daily playtime for your pet.
How To Fit Playtime In Your Schedule
Just like with walks. You can break these up into smaller chunks of time throughout the day or done all at once. To get in enough playtime, you should pick out a 15 to 30-minute slot a day.
This can be set aside for playing a simple game of fetch or even taking a more active approach to playing with your dog like games of tag. Also, doing something as simple as playing a few rounds of tug-of-war can be a great way to help wear your Boston down at the end of the day.
Alternatively, you could consider going to a dog park or even setting up a playdate with a friend’s dog. This way, they can get their energy out while making some new friends.
Need Help Finding Other Boston Terrier Owners?
Do you want to have your Boston play with other Bostons? At meetup.com you can find meet up places near you where Boston Terrier owners get together and have fun with their Boston’s.
3) Try Soothing Techniques
If your Boston Terrier just can’t seem to calm down, then there are some excellent ways to help soothe them.
Calming Sounds
To begin with, you can use music to help create a soothing atmosphere. The effectiveness of tunes will change depending on your individual dog.
If your dog does seem to respond well to music, then you should look into relaxing audio or go with nature sounds.
Calming Music You Can Start With
The video below is just one example of many calming music videos you can play for your dog.
Quit Time
On the other hand, you may find that your dog calms down more in a quiet environment. If your Boston Terrier seems to be full of energy at night, try turning off the TV a bit earlier and using headphones for yourself to create a quiet atmosphere.
When Bella was younger, she always did her zoomies at 9:00 pm. Emily and I called it her witching hour. Learn more about why Boston’s do zoomies in this article I wrote, Boston Zoomies.
Aromatherapy
Another interesting soothing technique is to use aromatherapy. Aromatherapy for dogs is similar to aromatherapy for people. Many of the soothing oils like lavender and chamomile are pet safe.
To use aromatherapy, simply buy an oil diffuser and the accompanying oil. You will want to turn the diffuser on a few hours before it’s time to settle down. Turning the diffuser on ahead of time will give the fragrance the time it needs to circulate throughout the room properly.
Be sure to keep your Boston Terrier away from the oils and place the diffuser in a safe area that they aren’t able to reach.
4) Look into Obedience Training
If your pet just seems to be hyper, no matter how much you work with them, then training might be the best option. Some dogs, especially when they are younger, just don’t understand how to release their energy properly.
Not knowing how to release their energy correctly can cause them to jump on you or guests. Or this could even cause the development of destructive behaviors. Many of these unwanted behaviors can be identified and adequately dealt with by a talented trainer.
Most trainers will have courses designed specifically for helping dogs learn when it’s time not to play.
What To Expect
If you have a young puppy, then training can be a great way to help prepare your dog for adulthood. The trainer will teach you how to discipline your puppy or older dog properly.
Besides, the trainer will also be able to teach you how to properly “ignore” unwanted attempts for attention in a way that your dog will understand.
Keep in mind that training will have to be consistently done at home to get your dog to recognize the training signals.
Personal Story
Behavioral Training Methods Used
Emily and I used Cesar Milan’s behavior “training” techniques on Bella over the last two years, and it has worked wonders. Using his techniques, she walks better on leashes, no longer jumps up (only occasionally), and seems to be calmer.
The best part of Cesar’s behavioral methods was we were able to implement them for FREE. We learned all of his styles from watching his television show and youtube channel.
Plus, we read his book Cesar’s Way, and we didn’t even pay for the book. We rented Cesar’s Way from the public library.
Cesar Explaining His Method
Why We Started Implementing Behavioral Training
We had to implement a behavioral program at the recommendation of our veterinarian. This was due to an incident that occurred with Bella and Sofia. Sofia at the age of around nine months pulled on Bella’s skin and caused Bella to nip her in the forehead.
This was the only time Bella has ever nipped, and it left nothing more than a little red mark on Sofia’s forehead.
However, we wanted to ensure nothing like this ever happened again. Seriously, we even discussed possible rehoming Bella with our veterinarian because that is how concerned he was about the incident.
5) Entertainment Throughout The Day
One of the other reasons you may find that your dog has pent up energy is the fact that they lounge around while you are working. If your dog spends the day alone, then you will have to provide other means of entertainment to keep them from getting bored or just lounging around.
When you leave to go to work, you should leave out some of your dog’s favorite toys or consider hiding treats around the house.
You can even buy some interactive toys for your Boston to chase around the house throughout the day. Be sure to cycle through different toys, every one to two weeks to make sure your dog has a refreshing line-up of toys. [Full Disclosure: Emily and I do not do this for Bella, but it is a great idea to calm a Boston who is hyper]
Inexpensive Entertainment Ideas While At Work
- Leave the television on (Emily and I do this every time).
- Play calming music from youtube.
- Buy a kong and fill it with peanut butter.
- Buy a multitude of inexpensive toys and rotate through them.
- Use dog puzzles with food in them.
- Hide treats around the house and have your Boston look for them.
- Make frozen treats you Boston can gnaw on when you leave.
Here are some great frozen dog treat recipes from Rover.com, Frozen Dog Treats.
Fun But Costly Ways To Entertain Your Boston While At Work
You can also invest in pet cameras that let you give treats to your dog and talk to them while you away. This is an excellent way of getting some of your dog’s excitement worked out so that they won’t be overwhelmed with energy when you come home.
You can also consider hiring a pet service like a dog walker or sitter to break up the amount of time your dog spends alone throughout the week.
Doggy daycare is another excellent option that will let your dog interact with others and give them interaction while you’re busy working. Not sure if doggy daycare is worth the price? Here is an article I wrote to help answer these questions for you, Doggy Daycare.
Read: 15 Ways To Entertain Your Boston While You’re At Work
6) Use Doggy Supplements
If nothing else is working, then you can consult with your veterinarian about using natural supplements to help calm down your dog.
These supplements can often be found at your local pet store and are made from herbs.
Like with aromatherapy, you will find many supplements made with products like lavender or chamomile.
Keep in mind that Boston Terriers are smaller dogs and that you should always check the recommended dosage on the back of the bottle.
These supplements come in different flavors and are disguised as tasty treats. If your dog isn’t too keen on the idea of chews, then you can use water additives. Some calming supplements can be added to their water or even their food.
This gives you a sneaky way to add in the formula without your dog just spitting the treat back out onto the floor. Supplements can usually be purchased in multi-month supplies and aren’t much more expensive than buying vitamins.
NOTE: ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN BEFORE GIVING YOUR BOSTON SUPPLEMENTS.
7) Control Your Behavior
Believe it or not, our Boston’s react to us, and our moods. If you’re being loud or getting excited over a subject, then your Boston is likely going to mirror you.
Many dogs take there owners excited voice as an invitation to get hyper. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or just got good news over the phone, your Boston Terrier is sure to want in on the fun.
If you are an excitable individual, you may want to watch your energy and tone around your pet as your energy directly affects their mood.
What Some Other Boston Terrier Owners Say
I posed this question to the Boston Terrier Society’s Twitter account and here are some responses from other Boston owners.
- @sftwarelisa: Start rubbing and scratching the tops of their heads until they calm down.
- @AOosthuize: Pick them up and snuggle with them until they relax.
- @frogs53: Play fetch outside with the tennis ball.
- @Mowgli_: Pick you Boston up and massage them.
- @MsSnarky: Remove their toys to end the stimulation.
Final thoughts…
Remember to never yell at a Boston to try and get them to calm down. Yelling at them does one of two things; shames them or gives them a reason to become more excited.
When dealing with an overly hyper Boston, use a calm, gentle, but firm voice when speaking to them. By using a quieter and softer tone, your dog will see that it’s not the time for play. This may take a few minutes for your Boston Terrier to grasp, but eventually, they will realize that your settled and they should be too.
Fun Boston Terrier Quizzes You Can Take
- Is this a photo of a Boston Terrier or Frenchie quiz
- How well do you know Boston Terriers? Can you score 100% on this 25 question quiz?
