Boston Terrier "Just teach your dog sit, stay, and come." You’ve probably heard that a dozen times from well-meaning friends, trainers, even books. And sure, those three basics matter. But for Boston Terriers specifically? That advice is wildly incomplete.
Bostons are not generic dogs. They are opinionated, clever, easily bored little creatures who will absolutely figure out how to work around a half-finished training foundation. A Boston who only knows three commands is a Boston who still runs the house.
Here are five commands your Boston Terrier genuinely needs, and why each one matters more than you might expect.
1. Sit: The Foundation That Actually Needs to Be Bulletproof
Yes, sit is on the list. But not the casual, "he does it sometimes when I have a treat" version. We’re talking reliable, automatic, works-in-any-situation sit.
Why Bostons Need More Than a Casual Sit
Boston Terriers are social butterflies. Guests arrive and suddenly your dog is a spinning, jumping, snorting tornado of excitement. A solid sit is what stands between your Boston and chaos.
"A sit that only works in the kitchen isn’t a trained behavior. It’s a trick."
The goal is proofing the command. Practice it at the front door. Practice it when the leash comes out. Practice it when another dog walks by on your afternoon stroll.
Short, frequent sessions work best with this breed. Bostons get bored fast, and a bored Boston stops trying.
How to Build a Rock-Solid Sit
Start with a treat at nose level, then slowly move it back over their head. The moment that little rear hits the floor, reward immediately. Once they have it indoors, take it outside. Then to the driveway. Then the park.
Gradually increase distractions. Your Boston will surprise you with how sharp they are once they realize the rules apply everywhere.
2. Leave It: Because Bostons Will Eat Literally Anything
This command might actually save your dog’s life. Boston Terriers are curious, low-to-the-ground, and completely fearless about investigating things with their mouths. Dropped medication, a chicken bone on the sidewalk, a dead something in the yard.
Leave it needs to be instant and non-negotiable.
Teaching Leave It Without a Power Struggle
Bostons can be stubborn, so framing matters. Don’t make this a battle of wills. Instead, make leaving it the most rewarding choice available.
Place a treat on the floor and cover it with your hand. The second your dog backs away or looks at you instead of the treat, reward them with something better from your other hand.
"The dog who learns that turning away from temptation always pays off is the dog who will actually listen when it counts."
Build up slowly. Move from treats on the floor to treats within reach on the coffee table. Then transition to real-world scenarios: dropped food, interesting things on walks, the cat’s bowl.
This one takes patience. But it is worth every repetition.
3. Place: The Command Most Boston Owners Have Never Tried
"Place" means go to your designated spot (a dog bed, a mat, a crate) and stay there until released. It sounds simple. It is genuinely transformative.
Why Place Changes Everything
Imagine having guests over and simply saying "place" instead of wrestling your Boston away from the door. Or eating dinner without a pair of enormous eyes drilling into your plate from two inches away.
This command gives your Boston a job. And Bostons need a job.
Teaching Place Step by Step
Start by luring your dog onto the mat and rewarding them for standing on it. Then ask for a sit or down once they’re on it. Build duration slowly, adding a few seconds at a time before releasing them with a word like "okay" or "free."
Keep early sessions short and successful. Ending on a win matters more than pushing for longer duration too quickly.
"Structure isn’t restrictive for dogs; it’s actually where they feel most comfortable. A dog with clear boundaries is a confident dog."
Once your Boston understands the concept, you can send them to place from across the room. It becomes one of those commands that genuinely improves your daily life.
4. Heel (or At Least Loose Leash Walking): Don’t Skip This One
Boston Terriers are compact, but they pull like they forgot that. A 25-pound dog dragging you down the sidewalk is not cute. It is also not safe, especially given how prone this breed is to respiratory issues when they’re straining against a collar.
A proper heel, or even just a relaxed loose leash walk, protects your dog and saves your shoulder.
The Pulling Problem with Bostons Specifically
Part of the issue is that Bostons are so motivated by the world around them. Every smell, every squirrel, every stranger is a potential adventure. They lunge forward not out of defiance but out of pure enthusiasm.
That enthusiasm needs to be redirected, not crushed.
Building a Better Walk
Start in your backyard or a low-distraction area. The moment the leash goes tight, stop walking entirely. When your dog circles back and the leash loosens, move forward again. Be consistent to a fault.
Some Boston owners do well with front-clip harnesses during the training period. These reduce pulling without putting pressure on the throat, which is especially important for a brachycephalic breed.
Reward heavily for check-ins. Every time your Boston glances up at you on the walk, that is the behavior you want. Mark it, treat it, celebrate it.
5. Come (Recall): The One That Actually Matters Most
Here’s where the original "just teach sit, stay, and come" advice falls apart the most. Most people teach come, their dog learns it inside the house, and they call it a day.
Then the front door opens and the dog is three blocks away.
Recall Is a Life-or-Death Command
A Boston with a solid recall is a Boston you can trust off leash in safe environments. A Boston with a shaky recall is a Boston who cannot safely be let off leash at all.
The difference comes down to how you trained it.
Making Recall Irresistible
Never, ever call your dog to you for something unpleasant and then wonder why they stopped coming. Bath time, nail trims, leaving the dog park: if "come" predicts bad things, your Boston will start hesitating. Or ignoring you entirely.
Make every recall a party. Use your happiest voice. Crouch down. Pull out the good treats. When your Boston reaches you, throw a little celebration.
The Long Line Method
Practice recall on a long training line (a 20 or 30-foot leash) before ever practicing it off leash in an open area. This gives your dog freedom while keeping you in control. If they don’t respond, you can gently guide them toward you without a chase, which would turn the whole thing into a game.
Build the habit over weeks, not days. Proof it in new places. Practice when they’re distracted. Practice when they’re tired. Practice when they really don’t feel like listening.
A reliable recall is earned, not taught once and assumed.
The Bigger Picture
Boston Terriers are genuinely brilliant dogs. They pick up commands quickly, they love to make their people happy (on their own terms), and they thrive when training feels like a game rather than a chore.
Five commands sounds simple. Done correctly, each one is a layer of communication between you and your dog. The more fluent that communication becomes, the better your life together gets.
Start with one. Build it until it’s solid. Then move to the next. Your Boston is more capable than most people give them credit for, and every training session is a chance to prove it.