Once you’ve decided to bring a Boston Terrier into your family, you will need to prepare some things ahead of time. You should always ensure that both your home and family are suitable and safe for your new family member.
Preparing Space for Your Boston Terrier
Whether your Boston Terrier is a young puppy or an older rescue dog, she will need time to adjust to her new home. Even though you may want to spend as much time with your new pet as possible, you will still want to give her a safe space in the house to retreat to if she gets overwhelmed or stressed with the new surroundings.
Her Own Stuff
To make your Boston Terrier feel as at home as possible, you should purchase plenty of supplies that she can recognize as her own, such as a bed, crate, and some toys. If you have other dogs in the house, then these should not be items that belong to any of the other dogs because the scent could upset your new pet.
Her Own Space
You can keep all the designated items for your Boston Terrier in the corner of a room, so she has space just for her. If she needs time alone, let her retreat to this area to calm down and have some time to herself until she is ready to play again.
Our Boston’s personal little corner is in our dining room. This little corner is Bella’s sanctuary. Bella runs to her corner anytime she is in trouble, tired, or wants to take an afternoon nap.
Boston Terriers are a small breed of dog typically weighing around 25 pounds, so they do not require too big of an area, which means that they are suitable for both houses and apartments. You don’t need to limit your Boston Terrier to certain areas of your home, you just need to ensure that she has enough personal space just in case they need it.
Introducing Your Boston Terrier to Pets and Children
If you have children or other pets living in your home, then they may need some time to get used to your new family member as well. Luckily, Boston Terriers are generally very friendly and affectionate dogs. They should have no problem getting along with other family members, but even so, it is a good idea to be careful about it at first.
Introducing your Boston to Kids and Adults
To ensure that you don’t scare your new dog, start by introducing her to new family members one at a time. Ideally, children should meet the dog before you bring her home. This will give them a chance to meet her ahead of time to ensure this Boston Terrier is a perfect fit for your family.
Kids can sometimes be overwhelming to small dogs because they love to cuddle and hold them as much as possible. Therefore, make sure you talk to your kids ahead of time about how to properly approach the new dog. Make sure they are gentle and understand to leave the Boston Terrier alone if she retreats to a safe space.
Introducing your Boston to other dogs
As for other pets, it can be more challenging to keep them away from a new dog. Different dogs will be extremely curious and may not be willing to give the new dog any space at all. While Boston Terriers are generally excited to be around other dogs, they may not want to have a bunch of strange dogs running toward them in an unfamiliar setting.
If possible, try to get your other pets to meet your Boston Terrier in a location other than your home. This is because your dogs are used to your home and may be territorial about it at first. It is best for two dogs to meet on neutral ground to avoid unnecessary fights. Cesar Milan also says to before introducing two dogs, take them both for a very long walk 30 minutes to help exhaust them before the meeting. This will help burn off excess energy that may turn into aggression if still in their little bodies.
Introducing your Boston to cats
Most Boston Terriers are also good with cats, but if they have never been around a cat before then, it is a good idea to be careful. As you would with two dogs, you can gradually introduce your cat and Boston Terrier to each other, but it is okay to do this at home. Just make sure you observe both pets whenever they interact with each other to make sure one doesn’t irritate the other.
Be patient
Similar to any new family, adding a Boston Terrier into your home can take time and patience. Most animals are not entirely comfortable in a new surrounding right away, so if your new pet needs time to get used to new people and pets in your household, then respect these needs.
Hazards Around the House
Many dogs love to chew and get into things they’re not supposed to, especially puppies. Therefore, it is crucial for you to ensure all hazards are out of your Boston Terrier’s reach before bringing her home. Luckily, Boston Terriers are short, so she shouldn’t be able to reach most hazards.
Food is an essential item to always keep out of reach from your pet. If your Boston Terrier smells delicious food close to her level, then she may do whatever she can to try and get a bite, which could create a huge mess. Plus, many of the foods that we eat are not okay for our pets to consume, so it is important not to leave food unattended.
If you are curious what Boston Terriers can eat. Check out my article on safe and dangerous foods your Boston Terrier can eat.
Also, if your pet likes to chew on stuff, then this can become an issue if you don’t keep an eye on her. Keep any hazardous items such as cords and chemicals out of reach from your dog, so she doesn’t accidentally hurt herself.
Even if you keep all dangerous items out of reach, there is still a chance that your Boston Terrier might try to rip apart furniture when bored, especially if they are young. To prevent this, you should make sure to supply plenty of toys to keep your Boston Terrier entertained this way you don’t have to keep an eye on her at all times. If she has toys or bones to chew on, then she will likely focus on those instead of things that could be hazardous.
Supplies Needed for a Boston Terrier
Before you bring your Boston Terrier home, there are some items you should prepare ahead of time. While you likely won’t know her specific preferences, such as treats and toys, there are some necessities she must have right away.
Food
Of course, dog food is one thing that you will want to make sure you have when you bring your pet home. Whether your dog is from a breeder or rescue, there is probably a particular food that she was fed there. This food source can be an excellent place to start at first since it is the food she is used to. If you would like to change your Boston Terrier’s diet after a while, then you should slowly introduce her to the new food. Start introducing her to her new food by mixing it with the old food at first.
For a Boston Terrier, there isn’t one specific type of food that is best for them. However, their stomachs have been known to be sensitive to grain products, so try to find a grain-free option that still has a good source of protein.
This breed also doesn’t really have any common allergies, but if you notice any reactions to the food, then you may want to check the ingredients and then try something else. Besides grain, chicken is also a common ingredient that many dogs have allergic reactions to.
My wife and I use Blue Buffalo Salmon for Bella. We switched her to this diet years ago because she had a sensitivity to the grain. We now have her food set up on auto purchase through chewy.com.
Leash and Collar
Also, you will need a leash and collar so you can walk your dog as needed. When looking for a leash, avoid getting an extendable one because it doesn’t give you much control over your dog. Plus, those leashes can hurt people or dogs if your Boston Terriers runs too fast and causes the leash to fall out of your hands. My wife and I use a slip lead. This leash does not require a collar and is relatively cheap. Check out the latest price and what a slip lead leash looks like on Amazon, slip lead.
If your dog pulls hard while walking, then you will want to get a harness for walking instead of just clipping the leash to their collar. However, you should wait to purchase this until you get your new dog. This will allow you to better estimate her size and even try on harnesses at the pet store. If you get a harness, you should still use a collar. A collar allows you to put a dog tag on her. If your Boston Terrier gets lost, your Boston will have a tag with your number on it.
Bed or Crate
You should also get a bed or crate for your Boston Terrier so she can have somewhere of her own to rest at home. A crate is really only needed if you plan to train your pet to stay in it when you’re not home, but it can also serve as a safe, comfortable place when needed. Either way, you should make sure your pet has a designated area to rest.
When Bella was 0 to about 8 years old, we used a crate as her bed. We stopped putting her in the crate when we left home around 7 years. If you want to learn how to crate train, your Boston check out my article, How To Crate Train Your Boston.
Try to wait to buy things until you have your new family member
You can still get toys and treats for your Boston Terrier before you bring her home. However, try to limit these supplies since it is hard to guess exactly what your dog will like in advance. Try out a few different items and see which ones your dog likes best before you buy more.
Final Thoughts…
Before bringing your Boston Terrier home, there are a lot of things to consider and prepare for ahead of time. You don’t want to rush into this transition. Take it slow, you want to make it as easy and comfortable for your new pet as possible. Give her time to adjust and make sure you give her everything she needs to feel at home.