Is the boston terrier an aggressive dog?

Question

Hello ladies and gents! I just wanted to know if a Boston terrier can be aggresive. I live in a bad neighborhood and if someone tries to attack me,I want my dog to go in to action, and go into attack mode. So can an Boston terrier be a protective dog?

Answer 1

Most terriers are aggressive because they get very Territorial with other pets. But I had one and she was good most of the time. Only a couple of times she'd get angry. But if you really want a dog to protect you, just train it alot. Like when it barks at people you don't like, praise em'. That'll teach them. Also try dog books on Guarding. They;ll have a lot of information.

Answer 2

Any dog can be raised to be aggressive and in general a B.T. is not so much an attack dog. The kennel club has this to say about them:
Temperament
The Boston Terrier is a friendly and lively dog. The breed has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier an incomparable companion.

Dogs that come to mind for protection are some like German Shepherd's, Doberman, Bull dog, Rottweiler, Putbull, but those can also be a handful to train and take care of so choose your pet wisely.

Answer 3

I have met many boston terriers, and everyone of them has been a happy go lucky, want to meet everyone kind of dog. They are not generally used as protection. If you want a dog for protection, i would recommend a large dog. Even a lab would be a good dog for protection. But my favorite dogs are american bulldogs, pitbulls and mastiffs. Rottweilers are also good for protection. A lot of people wouldn't consider these dogs because they think of them as being overly aggressive. And they are not aggressive unless their owner does not teach them how to be a good citizen. And aggressive dogs don't make good gaurd dogs. Friendly, yet protective dogs make good gaurd dogs. I think you should do A LOT of research on the breeds i mentioned if you want to consider them. And if you decide to get a large dog like that, talk to a dog trainer, get them into obedience to teach them to be a good citizen, that way you don't have to worry about your dog harming someone for no reason. Also, a lot of times just the big dog alone can warn people to stay away. Whether they are an aggressive dog or a friendly dog. I hope this helps, and i hope you find a dog who is a good dog, but still helps you feel safe.

Answer 4

It depends on the dog really. Boston terriers are typically one person dogs and are likely to protect them if needed. I know that my boston terrier has only tried to attack twice. The first time was when I was home alone and the repair man came.The second time was when my brother's akita, which was living with us at the time, barked at me when I came in the door. I have had one other boston and he was equally protective, but keep in mind while they are willing to protect, they are typically only 20-30 lbs.

Answer 5

U want a 20# dog to "go into action/attack mode" ?

besides any of the possible legal-problems that owning an ATTACK Dog can bring U, it's probable that the person being 'attacked' will just kick the snot out of Ur small dog, and then come after U.

Bostons were originally known by many names, among them 'Yankee Terrier', 'Boston Black and White Bull-Terrier' and the long-running BOSTON BULL AND TERRIER - and yes, they were created from the same mix of breeds and for the same =Purpose= as the American PitBull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the other pit-type breeds:
a combo of the early bulldogs for tenacity, and smooth-coated terriers for athleticism.

nowadays, No ONE crosses the street to avoid a Boston - but many ppl avoid 'pit-types' like the plague, even tho most are very sweet dogs.

the early Bostons were fought in 3 different wt-classes, the largest at over-60#.

modern-day Bostons are under-20# toys... hence, being a convincing 'protection dog' is not only outside their job description, it's beyond their powers !

MUCH better Idea: teach Ur Boston to bark on-cue.

nasty ppl do not like = Witnesses = , and a lodly-barking dog who's smart enuf to stay away from the bad-guy(s) , vs try to bite them/get close, will attract a LOT of unwelcome attention to the nasty-ppl and the bad things they are doing.

so teach Ur Boston to like ppl and other dogs - the more nice folks of every color, sex, size, age, diet, language, etc, the better Ur dog will be at picking out ppl who have bad-intentions.... cuz Ur dog will have a HUGE 'sample' of normal, nice folks, to compare to rare, not-nice, or even DownRight Evil ppl.

then teach Ur Boston to "bark till i say quit" in response to a simple hand-cue.

Rarf, rarf, rarf... will definitely get too much focus on the bad-folks, and they will fade away into the shadows, where they belong, with the rats and roaches!

Answer 6

Though bred at first for use in dog fights, today's Boston Terrier has been bred to have less aggressive tendencies. It is gentle, alert, very intelligent, and well-mannered. Enthusiastic and occasionally rambunctious, this breed has a sense of humor. They are very sensitive to the tone of one's voice. This breed likes to learn and therefore is not difficult to train. Their intelligence ensures they pick things up quickly. At times they can be somewhat willful. Some owners have reported that their dogs are good watchdogs barking only when necessary, while other owners have reported their female Boston Terriers do not bark at the door at all. Most reliable with children, especially good with elderly people and very friendly with strangers. The Boston Terrier is playful, very affectionate and likes to be part of the family. Very popular in the United States, due above all to its excellent character. They generally get along well with non-canine pets. Some males are dominant and may fight with other dogs. These little dogs may be difficult to housebreak.

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Bred down in size from pit-fighting dogs of the bull and terrier types, the Boston Terrier originally weighed up to 44 pounds (20 kg.) (Olde Boston Bulldogge). It is difficult to believe that these dapper little dogs were once tough pit-fighters. In fact, their weight classifications were once divided as lightweight, middle and heavyweight. The Boston Terrier is one of the few breeds that was "Made in the USA." Boston to be exact. The original Boston Terriers were a cross between the English Bulldog and now extinct English White Terrier. Around 1865, the coachmen employed by the wealthy people of Boston began to interbreed some of these fine dogs owned by their employers. One of these crosses, between an English White Terrier and an English Bulldog resulted in a dog named Hooper's Judge. Judge weighed over 30 pounds (13.5 kg.) he was bred down in size with a smaller female and one of those male pups was bred to yet a smaller female. Their offspring interbred with one or more French Bulldogs, providing the foundation for the Boston Terrier. By 1889 the breed had become sufficiently popular in Boston that fanciers formed the American Bull Terrier Club, but this proposed name for the breed was not well received by the Bull Terrier Fanciers. The breeds nickname, roundheads, was similarly inappropriate. Shortly after, the breed was named the Boston Terrier after its birthplace. The breed was recognized by the AKC in 1893. It was first shown in Boston in 1870. In the early years the color and markings were not very important but by the 1900's the breeds distinctive markings and color were written into the standard becoming an essential feature. Terrier only in name, the Boston Terrier has lost most of their ruthless desire for mayhem, preferring the company of humans, although "some" males will still challenge other dogs if they feel their territory is being invaded.

Answer 7

Boston terrier is about the size of a football,protective-yes thinks it is as big as king Kong yes-ability to intimidate others mmmm no

Answer 8

aggressive. my 11 week old terrier dog is VERY aggressive with other dogs! not humans but those types of dogs are bred to fight other dogs.

Answer 9

Any dog you have bonded with should have the tendancy and natural ability to want to protect their pack members (you and your family). Bostons are not known to be overly aggresive but any dog can be trained to be guard dogs - go to an accredited obedience school for suggestions on training.

Answer 10

There are a few real keys to dog training, whether you are trying to train your dog to come when called, sit, stop barking or any other behavior. Understanding their importance is critical to achieving rapid results that are long lasting and help develop the bond between you and your dog. Learn more http://OnlineDogTraining.enle.info/?irTn

The first is simple; you must win your dogs mind. If you don’t achieve this first then you will be struggling the all the way. When I talk about winning your dogs mind what I really mean is that your dog looks to you for all the decisions. Before you do anything else watch one of the amazing video sites that show you the 5 Golden rules to establishing yourself as the pack leader. If you aren’t putting these in place then you are setting yourself up to fail. Just at the crucial point where you really want your dog to listen they will go and do their own thing. For sure your dog may play ball occasionally or even most of the time, you may even have a dog that is obedient 99% of the time, however if you want a dog who always listens to you and does as you ask then you need to win your dogs mind.

The second key to success is to motivate your dog. It is really important that you discover what it is that your dog enjoys both in terms of exercise and play but also in terms of a reward. If you can make the experience enjoyable then you will both achieve more and look forward to training.

Some dogs love to fetch, others love agility, and other dogs simply love obedience training, or swimming out into water and retrieve. At least to start with find out what your dogs love is and help them develop this, what I am saying is work with your dog. The other point to recognize is to make training enjoyable reward your dog.