If you establish dominance when you first bring your Boston terrier home, you'll have no problem teaching him basic obedience training and will soon move on to teaching him tricks. Boston terriers are an intelligent, highly trainable breed that love physical and mental exercise. They catch on to tricks quickly with frequent training sessions and positive reinforcement.
Step 1
Establish dominance immediately with your Boston terrier. Because Bostons are an affectionate, sensitive breed, their owners often treat them like babies. This results in the dog thinking he is the dominant member of the family. You need to train your Boston terrier with a firm and confident voice on a consistent training schedule, so he knows that you are the pack leader.
Step 2
Create a daily training schedule for you and your Boston terrier. You'll need to work with your pet daily in short, but frequent sessions to keep him interested in the training. Start with basic obedience training, such as sit and stay, and advance to more difficult tricks once your pet has mastered all of the basic commands. Bostons love physical and mental stimulation and even more, they love to please their owners. The more you train, the closer you and your pup will be.
Step 3
Give commands in a firm voice. If you want your Boston terrier to sit, say, "sit," in a firm, confident voice and push down gently on his rear until he sits down. Guide your pet into the tricks you want him to perform and show him affection when he follows your guidance. If you want him to shake hands or give you a high-five, say, "shake," and lift his paw off the ground with your hand. Give him tons of affection when you lift his paw to show him that he performed well. Be consistent and maintain your dominance at all times, but never yell at your pup or punish him while training.
Step 4
Reward your pup with a treat or affection every time he successfully completes the trick you are teaching. Keep the training experience fun for you and your Boston terrier, and stop the training session if either of you get frustrated or tired.
References
Tips
- Boston terriers are eager to please, and they respond very well to positive reinforcement training. They're a sensitive breed that trains quickly with rewarding, positive training methods, but they train poorly with harsher methods.
Writer Bio
Courtney McCaffrey graduated from the College of Charleston in 2008 with a B.A. in media studies. She has served as an editor for Blooming Twig Books and the MADA Writing Services publishing company. She is now a writer on various outdoor sports such as snowboarding, skiing, surfing and bodysurfing.