Well, with my house search finally resolved, the time is approaching for the day I’ve been waiting for since I got to South Africa: getting some animals.
I’m leaning very heavily towards a Boston Terrier. From the ones I’ve seen in the past, to the things I’ve read about them, it’s the perfect dog for me. But I figured I’d turn to the SDMB for any further input I might need before making my final decision.
The key things I have been keeping in mind regarding my pet quest: I will likely have more than one dog - the likelihood is high that I will also be getting a German Shepherd as a watchdog, so I definitely need a dog that can get along with other animals without problems. I work from home, so a slightly high-maintenance personality isn’t a drawback. My main motivations for getting a dog is for the companionship - with my husband working out of the country, it can get rather lonely and having a pet around would definitely help with that. I’ll have plenty of time to work with the dog, so one that is a good learner would be great. Space is definitely not an issue; the yard is quite large, and fully walled off and secured. Oh, and chances are, I’ll likely add a cat to my menagerie. I’d like to get the puppy and the kitten at roughly the same time to hopefully improve their chances of not hating each other.
OK, all that said, from your experiences, does a Boston Terrier sound like a good fit? The things I’ve read seem to indicate that I should be fine, bearing in mind that all animals are individuals and there are no guarantees of anything.
Also, what about the health issues with Boston Terriers? From what I understand, they are more prone to eye injuries because of the nature of their great big goggling eyes (a trait which I adore). Any other major health concerns with this breed?
Pros: Bark very rarely. Shed very little. Extreme lap dogs. Never bite. No chewing issues whatsoever as long as I supply them with their own chew toys. Very, very playful. Get along with all dogs.
Cons: Have been expensive, one got her eye scratched playing with the other, one just got laser surgery to shorten her soft pallate and open he nostril airways for $1200, ear infections, eating things they shouldn’t, etc.
A pain in the ass to housebreak them.
One snores, but hopefully the surgery will have cleared that up.
Incesant about licking themselves like cats.
My Dad has one; she’s nearly 2 and is one of the most loving dogs I’ve ever known. Only accidents she’s had are when she has gotten really excited or there are too many people around (causing her to get overly excited) - then she piddled a bit. She’s a great companion dog for my dad, but boy is she an attention hogger! laughs Not so much now, but she used to hate it when he even talked on the phone. She’s a great dog though.
High energy? I’ve heard owners refer to them as “Boston Terrorists” for that reason. The ones I’ve seen at the dog park have been a hoot to watch–they GO GO GO GO GO GO GO stopanddrinksomewaterandthen GO GO GO GO GO GO!
We had a Boston Terrier when I was in Jr. High and High School. He was smart as a whip. One day he got off his leash, and ran into the street. A car was coming, stopped just in time, and barely bumped him. The next time he wanted to cross that street, he stopped, looked both ways, and then crossed.
He was very hyper at times, though. When I would come home from school, he would go ballistic. You’rehome,you’rehome,you’vebeengoneforyears! He jumped so high that he bit me on the lip! He also tried to jump over the neighbor’s picket fence and almost hung himself, so watch the jumping!
My biggest concern has been whether they’d get along with other animals, so I’m reassured to hear that it shouldn’t be a problem. But what about cats? To be honest, a cat isn’t a must for me, but I do like cats and would quite like to have one around, but if I had to choose between having a Boston and having a cat, I’d likely lean towards the dog.
I fell in love with the breed last year when I went past a pet store that had some Boston pups. My husband insists they’re ugly (though I saw him melt when he held one) but I think they’re horribly adorable. I fell in love with one particular dog at first sight - picked him up and he snuggled into my arms and began licking my chin and gazing happily at all the people who walked by. Looked up with me with those big goggly eyes and… man, it was everything I could do to walk away from him again. Since then, I haven’t gone back to a pet store because I was really sad to have to walk away from him. I’d even dubbed him “Agie” (ah-gee, with a guttural G) because every single woman who walked by said “Ag, moeder” (sort of a way of saying “Oh, that’s just too cute” in Afrikaans). The hardest part was my husband had his wallet out, ready to buy him for me, but I just couldn’t see subjecting a dog to apartment life.
Anyway, since then, I’ve been fairly certain that a Boston pup is the dog for me. Now to find one that I’ll love as much as Agie
Growing up, our family dog was a Boston Terrier. She was a great pup, very affectionate and playful. Her snores could wake me up from a sound sleep, though, so beware! As a young dog, she did get into things she wasn’t supposed (she went through a phase of crayon-eating, for example), but I think that was more due to lack of good training.
We have several that are regulars in the doggie day care where I work, and they are all friendly , happy little dogs that get along with everyone, human and canine alike. I also used to train in an obedience club with a lady that had several, and they were all quite loveable.
That being said, they are VERY high energy, as has been said above. They just . Never. Quit. And in my experience, they are barkers, we have a regular named Echo that never shuts up. That would be the deal breaker for me… as much as I love dogs, I hate barkers.
May I heartily recommend you go to a referred and reliable breeder than a pet store. Chances are the puppies are just bred for monetary purposes and very little ethical standards apply to the Puppy Mills.
My parents have Bostons, and one of them snores so badly it registers on the Richter scale. One of the Bostons, that is.
Personally I favour Staffies, but that’s just me. And as far as cats are concerned, whatever you do, don’t get a Rhodesian Ridgeback if you want your cats to live longer than two days. The Ridgeback was bred to kill leopard, and instinctively has an allergy towards anything feline. A close friend of mine’s Ridgeback killed two cats over the weekend.
My mom loves Bostons, and they annoy the shit out of the cats. Their incessant jumping (they have Tigger Springs in their heels, I believe), would inevitably lead to a solid “thwack!” from an annoyed kitty. This would deter the mongrel for approximately 2.531 seonds before he’s start bouncing to reach the cat again.
I have to be honest, they’re not my favorite dog. They’re so hyper and so…hard. I mean physcially. They have very stiff, muscular bodies and stiff coarse hair. Although they want to be in your lap, they don’t meld very well. It just isn’t comfortable to me. Give me a sweet googly-eyed pug over a Boston any day.
I grew up with a Boston, but he wasn’t normal. He was very overweight, hated to run and jump and loved to drape himself over your lap. Sweet dog, but ate everything he could get his little mouth on. Quite the barker, but it wasn’t loud barking.
If you get one, give him or her a tennis ball. Tennis balls are just small enough for them to get their little tiny mouths around.
My uncle bred Bostons for a time, and they had to keep them busy constantly. They got a tetherball (rubber ball like a volleyball on a long string attached to a high pole, if you don’t know what I mean) and the dogs would jump and smack the ball around the pole to each other. It was very adorable.
Joe (our terrier, show name: Little Joe Dandy), was good with the cats after a period of adjustment. As long as the cat has somewhere high the dog can’t get to her, we never had a problem.
Re: the breeders comment: definitely will be buying from a breeder rather than a pet store. In fact, I have just now gotten back from the breeders and got to spend some time with three Boston puppies and their parents. It didn’t take long for me to be convinced I’ve made the right choice. As soon as I sat on the grass, all five of them were happily crawling all over me, vying for my attention and being just as loveable as I thought they were. It was hard to leave again (especially without taking one home) but I think I’ve settled on one and they’re willing to hold him for me until I move into the new place.
And Mellivora, my Afrikaans is pretty good, if I do say so myself ;). In fact, I was at a Wimpy the other day and the waitress just assumed I was Afrikaans, so I didn’t bother correcting her. She didn’t seem to notice that I was American, so it must not have been too shabby (sometimes when I speak it, people just cock their heads at me and ask where I’m from, likely because of my funny accent). However, I will never get used to being called “Tannie” (for the uninitiated that’s “auntie”, a friendly term used to address females older than you), especially by 20somethings when I’m only 30.
Anyway, I appreciate everyone’s input and welcome any other advice or thoughts. Regarding the cat’s claws and scratching, I plan on the cat being an indoor cat, so I’ll likely get its claws capped to prevent injuries to puppies or furniture.
