When Do Boston Terriers Calm Down?

Is your Boston Terrier acting crazy and you’re wondering how long this behavior will last? Is your Boston terrier still high energy even though he or she is getting older? 

If the answer to both questions is a yes, then there are a few things you need to know about this breed. 

Boston Terriers are one of the most beloved dog breeds across the US and are great fun to have around. With their ability to make comical expressions, no wonder they are often called clown dogs.

Moreover, the Boston Terrier is a playful breed and can have high energy levels. The energy levels of the young ones are higher. However, with the right combination of training, exercise, and mental stimulation, Boston terriers can be made to calm down.

In this article, we will address all the concerns you may have about your Boston Terrier’s hyperactivity.

How Do I Get My Boston Terrier to Calm Down?

There are three primary ways to calm down your Boston Terrier:

• Give them attention to keep them stimulated
• Take them out and allow them to get exercise
• Use a calming aid

Let’s expand upon this a little. 

Provide Attention 

When your Boston Terrier doesn’t receive the attention they want, they could start acting out of impulse to get attention whether it be positive or negative. 

By playing a game with them, talking to them, or simply sitting on the couch – you can help your Boston Terrier feel like they’re receiving the attention they want. The end result, a calmer dog and one that isn’t itching for your attentiveness. 

Mental and Physical Stimulation

Dogs crave stimulation and Boston Terriers can unfortunately become aggressive and destructive if they’re not able to get in a little exercise everyday. 

Taking them outside for an hour a day can be enough to stimulate their mind and body so they can understand that it’s time to relax when they return indoors. Throwing a frisbee, playing fetch, or taking them for a walk in a great way to get the jitters out. 

How Do You Calm a Hyper Boston Terrier Puppy?

Boston Terriers tend to not know how to release their energy. This may lead to aggression, restlessness, destructive behavior, or jumping on you or the guests.

The fact is, even when an adult Boston Terrier calms down, it can be more energetic than many other breeds. As the owner of a Boston terrier puppy, you need to know the correct ways to help them calm down. 

Develop the Right Mindset in the Dog

If a Boston Terrier pup is constantly nudging its human guardians for attention, it might have developed an idea that they are in a leadership role. Such a dog can be under the impression that it can tell a human what to do. Marking of territory within the house can also be seen in such cases.

Such dogs will listen to instructions and follow commands only when they feel like it. They also assume that they have the same authority as the humans in a home.

In such situations, the guardians need to follow some specific rules and instructions to change the mindset of the dog. When the right boundaries are set, the dog will learn to identify itself in the follower position.

Set the Right Exercise Schedule

One of the best ways to calm down a Boston Terrier is to take them outdoors to burn off the extra energy. Hyper-active Boston Terriers need the right level of activity throughout the week. While the amount of activity needed can vary between dogs, it can be anywhere between 30 minutes to one hour.

Note, you can break this time period into multiple sessions. For example, take your pet out for a walk in the morning and then again before dinner. 

When a Boston Terrier gets enough outdoor activity, it tends to settle down when indoors. In addition, daily walks will also have a positive effect on the overall health of your pet. However, do not exercise them to the point of exhaustion.

Engage Them in Activities

Along with regular walks, Boston Terriers also need mental stimulation and medium-intensity activities. Since they are a playful breed, they tend to get bored easily. So mixing it up is a great way to provide an outlet for their surplus energy.

In terms of the type of activity, you can try fetch games with a rubber ball or frisbee. Tug games with chew toys also work well. Other than that you can also try training exercises through positive reward training.

The combination of mental and physical activities is perfect to tire out an energetic dog. When it comes to mental stimulations, you can try puzzle toys or scent games. You can also try food dispensing toys to make your pet work for your food. 

Work with Obedience Training

One way is to take the help of a professional trainer to learn the proper methods that will help in disciplining your dog. Make sure to conduct the training in a consistent manner to ensure the best results.

Good training is based on rewarding your pet for positive behavior. The consequence of not behaving in the way you want is the withholding of the reward. The best reward is the one that your pet seeks the most. It can be a favorite food or your attention.

Boston Terriers are smart enough to learn what sort of behavior you expect from them. Since Boston terrier puppies have short attention spans, keep the training sessions brief and to the point.

Use Soothing Techniques

There are various techniques you can use to calm down an over aroused dog. One of the best methods is to use soothing music. The type of tune a dog responds to can vary. So, you can try relaxing tunes or nature sounds to see what works.

Physical touch can play an important role in calming your pet. Giving your Boston Terrier a belly rub can also help in calming it down. You can also try rubbing the muzzle area or between the eyes to produce some calming sensations. 

Like humans, dogs also respond well to aromatherapy. So you can use oils like lavender and chamomile in an oil diffuser. But make sure to keep the diffuser out of reach of your pet.

Timeline of Typical Boston Terrier Development

Here is a look at how your Boston Terrier’s behavior and energy levels will vary with age.

Newborn

At the time of birth, the average weight of a Boston terrier puppy is around 0.48 lbs. Between the period of 0 to 2 months, the puppies will lack any sense of hearing and vision. They will be completely dependent on their mother for survival. 

During this period, the puppies will be asleep 90% of the time. Their eyes will open around the 10th day after birth. Since the mother will lick off the excretion at this stage, you don’t have to worry about cleaning the pups.

Between 2 to 4 Weeks (puppy stage)

After the eyes open up, the puppies enter a transitional phase. Their ears will also start functioning during this period. 

In this phase, they start showing social behavior by playing with each other and wagging their tails. While the puppies can move around on their wobbly legs, they are still dependent on the mother for nutrition. 

Between 3- 12 Weeks

This is the phase of growth where the puppies learn to react to stimuli and also begin to bark. They also start to form emotional attachments with people from the 4th week. As their curiosity levels rise, they are ready for new experiences

This is the period when the puppies should be trained with the necessary skills related to socialization. You need to introduce them to new environments and other animals to help in the development of a positive personality.

Between 7 to 9 weeks the puppies develop all their senses and are ready to shift to solid food. Around 9 to 12 weeks, the puppies are ready to learn the basic commands.

Between 3 to 6 Months

This pre-adolescent period is the phase when the puppies tend to have high energy levels. So, proper socialization and training are important for them.

This is also the period when the pups will develop adult teeth and start chewing. Regular training and exercise sessions along with proper communication is a must during this stage.

Between 6 to 18 Months

A Boston Terrier will attain sexual maturity between 6 to 9 months unless they are spayed of neutered. Since there are hormonal changes in the dog during this period, they are likely to be highly energetic and aggressive. They can also get territorial during this phase.

This is also the period when you need to put more focus on the training to prevent any disobedience. It is also the right time for advanced training and obedience sessions.

Between 12 and 14 months, a Boston terrier reaches adulthood and stops growing. An adult male weighs between 15 and 25 lbs, whereas an adult female weighs between 10 to 20 lbs.

Are Boston Terriers hyper Compared to Other Breeds?

Generally Boston Terriers are considered as medium energy dogs. However many owners consider them as a hyper dog.

Is my boston terrier hyper compared to other dogs?

In terms of energy levels, the Boston terriers can be compared with the following breeds

• Pug
• Dachshund
• English Springer Spaniel
• Chihuahua
• Miniature Schnauzer

Interestingly, the French Bulldog, considered as a close relative of the Boston terrier, is a low energy dog.

Normal Activity Level

With proper training, Boston Terriers can be well-mannered indoor dogs. When taken out, they are highly active and always ready for a session of play. They are also not as vocal as some other dog breeds.

You will find that Boston Terriers show high bursts of energy. But even though they love running and are good running partners, their shorter snouts can be a cause for overheating. Since the breed cannot withstand high heat, they should not be kept outdoors for long periods

Do Boston Terriers Get Calmer with Age?

Boston Terriers remain highly energetic throughout adulthood. In most cases, puppies have high energy levels. However, with the right training, a Boston Terrier can calm down when it’s around a year old. 

Around 7 or 8 years of age, the dogs develop a more laid-back attitude and become calmer. Naturally, their energy levels come down during this period. Older or senior dog has a better understanding of the environment and the humans around them. So, they alter their behavior accordingly.

Do Boston Terriers Calm Down After Being Neutered/spayed?

If your young puppy is hyperactive, chances are spaying or neutering won’t change the situation. The behavior of a dog depends on social factors and training. So hormonal changes brought about by the surgery will not have any impact on this.

That said, neutering can reduce aggression and territorial behaviors. In addition, the dog will not be hunting for a partner during the daily walks. Besides, your dog won’t be escaping from the yard or rushing to the local dog park to look for a partner.

How Do You Discipline a Boston Terrier?

Even though Boston Terriers can be stubborn, they are easier to train than many other breeds. Since this dog breed is sensitive to reward-based training, that works best for them. This also helps to build a foundation for a long-term positive relationship with your dog.

Generally, Boston Terriers are intelligent and eager to please their owners. Apart from that, they are playful and energetic. So training them can be a lot of fun. However, you need to be persistent and follow a routine as this breed can be stubborn.

Positive reinforcement training that rewards good behavior immediately works best with Boston Terriers. Food-based rewards along with praise and encouragement can deliver quick results. Keep in mind, negative reinforcement techniques and using harsh tones is not the right way to train Boston Terriers.

However, it’s necessary to understand your pup’s temperament during the process and adjust the training process accordingly.

Can Dog Relaxation Music Help My Boston Terrier Calm Down?

Fact is, some studies have indicated that playing classical music in a safe environment can help dogs to calm down and mitigate stress. In most cases, dogs react positively to soothing sounds. So, playing relaxing music can surely help to reduce fear and anxiety levels in them.

That said, every dog is different. So, a playlist that has worked for one breed may not work for your pet.

How Can I Help My Boston Terrier Get Rid of Pent up Energy?

The best way to help your Boston Terrier in shedding so much energy is through exercise and other forms of activity. Make sure not to skip the daily walking or exercise sessions. This will help in tiring out the dog and help it to settle down when indoors.

Depending on the energy level of your pet, these daily sessions can last between 30 minutes to one hour. Combine these sessions with mental exercise activities for a complete workout. This will work wonders for even the most overly hyper dog.

What Age Is a Good Age for Obedience Training?

As per pet trainers, preliminary training can be started when your Boston Terrier is around 8 weeks of age. Socialization training can also start from this period. Structured playing sessions and complex command training can begin when the pup is around 3 to 4 months of age.

By the time they reach their first year, the puppy should be familiar with all the basic commands and be fully familiar with the necessary training.

Note, some pups learn faster than others. So, be patient and do not rush them through the training process.

How to Use the Calm Hold Technique

To apply the calm hold technique, place a hand on the shoulder of your dog without making eye contact. You can hold the collar with the other hand to hold the dog steady in one place.

Make sure that you are in a calm state of mind and hold still for some moments. You need not say anything in this period. Once the dog calms down, you can let them go.

Conclusion: When do boston terriers calm down?

Boston Terriers are highly affectionate companions and great pets for a family.

In essence, you need to devote sufficient time and energy to help your Boston Terrier expend the puppy energy and grow into a matured dog.

When you use the proper training techniques with the right amount of patience, it can work wonders on a restless and hyperactive Boston Terrier.