Boston Terrier Peanut sits perfectly still, eyes locked on the treat hovering two feet above his nose. His little tuxedo chest is puffed out, ears forward, whole body vibrating with barely contained excitement. Then his owner says the word, and Peanut spins three full circles, catches the treat mid-air, and takes a bow. The crowd (okay, it’s just the family) loses their minds.
That moment is possible with your Boston Terrier, too.
These little dogs are wildly underestimated. People see the bat ears and the big eyes and think "cute companion," not "agile performer." But Boston Terriers are sharp, eager, and genuinely love having a job to do.
The tricks below aren’t just impressive party stunts. They’re also fantastic mental exercise, which Bostons need just as badly as physical activity. So grab some tiny treats and get ready to be genuinely surprised.
1. Spin: The Crowd-Pleaser That Takes Only Days to Learn
This one looks fancy. It feels fancy to teach. And yet, most Boston Terriers pick it up in less than a week.
The spin is exactly what it sounds like: your dog turns a full circle on command. What makes it special is how clean and fast Bostons execute it. Their compact, athletic builds mean they can whip around with surprising speed and precision.
How to Teach It
Hold a treat at your dog’s nose level and slowly guide it in a circle. Their body follows their nose. Simple as that.
Once they’re completing the loop consistently, add your verbal cue ("spin," "twirl," whatever you like) right before you lure. After a week of reps, start fading the lure and letting the word do the work.
"The best tricks aren’t the ones that take months to teach. They’re the ones that make your dog’s whole body wiggle with joy every single time they do it."
The spin is one of those tricks. Bostons seem to genuinely enjoy the movement, which makes practice feel like play rather than work.
2. Take a Bow: The Finishing Move That Looks Impossible
Picture this: your Boston just completed a full trick routine. You say "bow," and they drop their front legs down, rear end still in the air, holding the position like a tiny performer at the end of a show.
It looks incredibly polished. It also happens to be one of the easier tricks to teach.
Why It Works So Well for Bostons
The bow position is actually a natural stretch dogs do all the time. You’ve seen it: the "play bow" they offer before a chase or wrestle session. Teaching a formal bow is really just putting a cue on something they already do.
Catch your Boston mid-stretch and say "bow" right as they’re doing it. Mark it with a "yes" or a clicker, and treat. Repeat this every single time you catch them stretching, and within a couple of weeks, you’ll have it on command.
Their naturally playful energy makes this one click fast. Bostons love the play bow position because it signals fun, so the behavior comes with built-in enthusiasm.
3. Skateboarding: Yes, Really
This is the one that gets the gasps.
Boston Terriers have been documented skateboarding, genuinely pushing and riding, and not just standing on a board while it rolls. Some of them seek out the board on their own after learning because they enjoy it that much.
Breaking Down the Steps
Start with the board completely still. Let your dog sniff it, stand on it, get rewarded heavily just for touching it with one paw.
Slowly build duration and comfort. Then introduce gentle movement, just a tiny roll, while your dog has two paws on. Keep sessions short and keep the treats coming.
The key with Bostons is momentum. Once they realize the board moving with them on it equals jackpot rewards, they lean into it (sometimes literally). Their low center of gravity and sturdy little legs actually make them physically well-suited for this.
"When a dog learns something through pure curiosity and reward rather than pressure, the result isn’t just a trained behavior. It’s a dog who genuinely loves what they’re doing."
Expect this one to take weeks, not days. But the payoff is a trick that will make every person who sees it question what they thought they knew about dogs.
4. Tidy Up: Putting Toys Away in a Basket
This is the trick that crosses the line from impressive into suspicious.
Your Boston picks up a toy, carries it across the room, and drops it into a bin. Repeat until every toy is put away. This is a real, teachable behavior, and Boston Terriers are genuinely good candidates for it.
The Secret: It’s Two Tricks Stitched Together
First, your dog needs a solid "drop it" or "out" cue. If they don’t have one, build that first. Second, they need to understand that dropping an object into a container (not just anywhere) earns the reward.
Start by sitting right next to the basket yourself. Have your dog pick up a toy (or lure them to grab one), hold the toy over the basket, and cue "drop it." Reward the second it lands inside.
Gradually increase the distance. Move the basket further away. Eventually, point at the toy, point at the basket, and let your Boston problem-solve.
They will figure it out. That’s what makes this breed fun to train. Bostons aren’t just following a script; they’re actually thinking. When a Boston Terrier finally connects the dots on a complex behavior like this, you can see it in their face.
5. Shell Game: The Trick That’s Really a Brain Test
Three cups. One treat hidden underneath. Your Boston uses their nose to indicate the right cup.
This isn’t just a trick; it’s a cognitive exercise that taps directly into your dog’s strongest sense. And Bostons, being curious and food-motivated almost without exception, tend to go absolutely wild for this game.
Teaching the Shell Game
Begin with just one cup and a treat under it. Encourage your dog to sniff and paw at it. The moment they make contact with the correct cup, flip it, reveal the treat, celebrate.
Once they understand that "touching the cup with the treat underneath" is the game, introduce a second cup (empty). Then a third.
"Dogs don’t experience a puzzle as frustrating the way humans can. To them, a challenge with a reward at the end is just the world working exactly as it should."
Bostons are particularly engaged by scent work because their brains process smell in a way that’s deeply satisfying for them. This trick gives that system a real workout.
Taking It Further
Once your Boston is reliably finding the treat under three cups, start shuffling the cups slowly after you hide it. Watch their nose track the movement. It’s one of the most remarkable things you’ll ever see a small dog do.
Some owners have taught their Bostons to do this with six or more cups. At that point, you’re not just teaching tricks. You’re raising a tiny genius.
Training Tips That Apply to Every Trick on This List
Short sessions win. Always. Five minutes of focused training beats thirty minutes of frustration every single time.
Boston Terriers have big personalities and bigger opinions. If they’re bored or tired, they’ll tell you by getting silly, wandering off, or just flopping down dramatically. That’s your cue to end on a successful rep and call it a day.
Keep the treats tiny. Training sessions can mean dozens of repetitions, and you don’t want a stuffed dog who’s lost interest in the reward. Think pea-sized pieces, not biscuits.
Consistency matters more than frequency. Training once a day is better than training five times in one day and then skipping a week.
And finally: celebrate the small stuff. Every paw on the skateboard, every toy that lands in the basket, every nose touch on the right cup deserves a reaction. Bostons are performers at heart, and they feed on your enthusiasm.