The 10 Most Important Commands To Teach Your Boston Terrier


Boston Terriers are a popular breed of dog and make great pets. They are known for being friendly, intelligent, and easy to train. It is important to start training your Boston Terrier from an early age, so that they can learn the basic commands that will make living with them easier.

In this blog post, we will discuss the 10 most essential commands to teach your Boston Terrier!

10 Important Commands To Teach Your Boston Terrier

Here are the fundamental training commands you’re going to want to teach your new Boston Terrier.

Read: Love Boston Terrier Puppies? Dog Breed Facts, Features, and Traits!

1. Sit

The first command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “sit.” To do this, hold a treat close to your dog’s nose and then slowly raise it up and over their head. As you do this, say the word “sit” in a firm voice. Most dogs will naturally sit down when they follow the treat with their eyes. Once your Boston’s bottom touches the ground, say “good dog” and give them the treat.

Here is a YouTube video down below of my wife teaching our Boston Terrier Bella how to sit!

Emily Teaching Bella How To Sit

2. Stay

The next command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “stay.” To do this, start by having your Boston sit or lie down. Then, put your hand out in front of them and say “stay” in a firm voice. Take a few steps back, and if your dog stays put, give them a treat and praise them. If they get up and follow you, simply repeat the command and start over.

3. Come

The third command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “come.” To do this, start by calling your Boston’s name in a happy voice and then saying “come” as you take a few steps back. As soon as they start to come towards you, say “good dog” and give them a treat. If they don’t come right away, simply repeat the command until they do.

4. Down

The fourth command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “down.” To do this, start by having your dog sit or stand in front of you. Then, place your hand on their chest and say “down” in a firm voice as you push lightly on their chest. Most Bostons will lie down when they feel the pressure on their chest. Once they’re down, say “good dog” and give them a treat. If they don’t lie down right away, simply repeat the command until they do.

5. Off

The fifth command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “off.” This is a useful command to teach if you don’t want your dog on furniture or in certain areas of the house. To do this, start by saying “off” in a firm voice as you point to the area you want them to get off of. If they don’t get off right away, simply repeat the command until they do. Once they’re off, say “good dog” and give them a treat.

6. Leave It

The sixth command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “leave it.” This command is useful if you don’t want your dog to pick up something off the ground, such as a toy or a piece of food. To do this, start by saying “leave it” in a firm voice as you point to the object you don’t want them to touch. If they try to pick it up, simply repeat the command until they leave it alone. Once they do, say “good dog” and give them a treat.

Boston terrier puppy playing with toy

7. Drop It

The seventh command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “drop it.” This command is useful if your dog has something in their mouth that they shouldn’t have, such as a sock or a toy. To do this, start by saying “drop it” in a firm voice as you point to the object they have. If they don’t drop it right away, simply repeat the command until they do. Once they drop it, say “good dog” and give them a treat.

8. No

The eighth command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “no.” This command is useful if you want to discourage your dog from doing something, such as jumping up on people or chewing on furniture. To do this, start by saying “no” in a firm voice as you point to the behavior you don’t want them to do. If they continue the behavior, simply repeat the command until they stop. Once they stop, say “good dog” and give them a treat.

9. Go To Bed

The ninth command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “go to bed.” This command is useful if you want to put your dog in their bed or crate when you need them to stay out of the way. To do this, start by saying “go to bed” in a firm voice as you point to their bed or crate. If they don’t go right away, simply repeat the command until they do. Once they get in their bed or crate, say “good dog” and give them a treat.

10. Wait

The tenth command you should teach your Boston Terrier is “wait.” This command is useful if you want your dog to stay put while you open a door or gate before they can go through it. To do this, start by having your dog sit or stand in front of the door or gate. Then, say “wait” in a firm voice as you open the door or gate slowly. If they try to move forward, simply repeat the command until they stay put. Once you’ve opened the door or gate, say “good dog” and give them a treat.

Boston terrier puppy licking its face

Boston Terrier Training Questions

When can you start training a Boston Terrier puppy commands?

Boston Terrier puppies can start training on basic commands as early as eight weeks old. However, it’s important to be patient and only use positive reinforcement methods, such as treats and praise, when teaching them. This will ensure that your puppy learns the commands quickly and eagerly.

What order of commands should I teach my Boston Terrier?

The order of commands you should teach your Boston Terrier depends on what you want your dog to learn. However, some basic commands you may want to teach them include “sit,” “down,” “come,” “stay,” and “leave it.” It’s important to be patient when teaching your Boston Terrier these commands and only use positive reinforcement methods, such as treats and praise. This will ensure that they learn the commands quickly and eagerly.

Are Boston Terriers Easy To Train?

Boston Terriers are considered to be easy to train, as they are intelligent dogs that respond well to positive reinforcement. However, it’s important to start training them at a young age, as they can be stubborn at times.

With over 80+ Boston Terrier parents responding to our question, Are Boston’s easy to train? Their response was nearly 80% said yes.

Learn more about the survey done here on Boston Terrier Society with a group of Boston Parents here: Are Boston Terriers Easy To Train?

Final Thoughts…

By teaching your Boston Terrier these 10 basic commands, you’ll have a well-trained pup in no time! Good luck and happy training!

If you are in need of some helpful tips on making your training easier, be sure to read this article here on Boston Terrier Society: 14 Essential Puppy Training Tips.

Donnie Gardner

Donnie Gardner is the owner of the Boston Terrier Society. He has been raising Bella the Boston since 2010. He resides in Kansas with his wife, daughter, and Bella. His favorite activities are hanging out with family, traveling, running (but has bad knees), and reading non-fiction books.

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