Boston Terrier "Just put away anything small enough to be swallowed and you’re good to go."
That’s the advice floating around every dog forum, every first-time owner Facebook group, and honestly? It barely scratches the surface. Boston Terriers aren’t just small dogs who might eat a sock. They’re opinionated, acrobatic, surprisingly clever little creatures who will find the one thing you forgot to move and absolutely destroy it.
Proofing your home for a Boston isn’t a one-afternoon task. It’s a whole mindset shift.
1. Secure Every Vertical Surface (Yes, Really)
Most people think about the floor. Boston Terriers think about everything else.
These dogs can jump. A lot. And they will absolutely launch themselves onto a couch, hop to an armchair, and from there, reach a side table you thought was completely safe.
Think in Levels
Walk through each room and crouch down to dog height. Then stand up and look at every surface a determined 20-pound dog could theoretically reach with a good running start. You will be surprised.
"The real mistake isn’t leaving things on the floor. It’s assuming that anything above knee height is automatically off limits."
Candles, remote controls, reading glasses, small decorative items sitting on low shelves: all of it is fair game. Relocate anything fragile or hazardous to a genuinely high shelf or behind a closed cabinet door.
The Coffee Table Problem
Coffee tables are notorious offenders. They sit at the perfect height for a Boston to rest their chin on and then casually slide something onto the floor. Anything left on a coffee table is essentially already on the floor.
Treat your coffee table like a counter in a house with a toddler. Clear it off, keep it clear.
2. Audit Your Houseplants Before You Bring Your Boston Home
People love plants. Boston Terriers love eating things they shouldn’t. This is a collision course.
A surprising number of common houseplants are toxic to dogs, and the list goes well beyond the obvious. Pothos, peace lily, aloe vera, snake plants, ZZ plants: these are staples in millions of homes and every single one is problematic for dogs.
The Relocation Strategy
You don’t necessarily have to get rid of your plants. But you do need to get real about placement.
Hanging planters work well, as long as your Boston can’t jump to a nearby surface and knock them down. High shelves work too, with the same caveat. Any plant that lives at floor level or on a low table should either move up or move out.
"It’s not about whether your dog will chew a plant. It’s about what happens if they do."
Keep a printed or saved list of toxic plants on your phone. The ASPCA has a searchable database that’s genuinely useful. Cross-reference your current collection before your Boston arrives, not after.
Don’t Forget Cut Flowers
Bouquets are easy to overlook because they’re temporary. But lilies in particular are severely toxic to pets, even in small amounts. If you’re a fresh flower person, get picky about what comes through the door.
3. Rethink Your Trash Situation Entirely
A standard open-top kitchen trash can is basically a Boston Terrier buffet.
This is one of those things that feels obvious in hindsight but catches nearly every new Boston owner off guard. These dogs are resourceful. They will tip a can, drag it across the floor, and go through it methodically if given the opportunity.
Cabinet-Mount or Bust
The most reliable solution is a trash can that lives inside a cabinet with a childproof latch. If that’s not possible in your kitchen layout, invest in a can with a locking or weighted lid. Flip-top lids are not sufficient. Bostons figure those out embarrassingly fast.
Bathroom trash cans are just as important and often overlooked. Used cotton rounds, dental floss, wrappers from personal care products: none of that is safe to ingest, and all of it is interesting to a bored dog.
The Recycling Bin Loophole
While you’re at it, look at your recycling situation.
Open bins with food residue on containers are incredibly tempting. Consider a lidded recycling solution or keep it behind a closed door until you can take it out.
4. Create a Safe Default Space (And Actually Use It)
Every Boston needs a designated safe zone that’s been properly proofed.
This is especially important in the early weeks when you’re still learning your dog’s specific personality. Some Bostons are remarkably chill and leave things alone. Others are relentless and will find trouble the second you turn your back.
What a Safe Space Actually Looks Like
A safe space isn’t just a crate, although a crate can absolutely be part of it. It’s an area where you are confident that nothing in reach is dangerous, and where your Boston can relax or decompress without access to hazards.
A dedicated corner of a room, a gated section of a hallway, a small room with the hazards removed: all of these work. The key is that you’ve done the work of making it genuinely safe, not just mostly safe.
"A safe space that still has three things a dog could chew through isn’t a safe space. It’s just a slightly better version of the rest of the house."
Baby Gates Are Your Best Friend
Boston Terriers respect boundaries about as much as they respect the concept of personal space (which is to say, not much). A solid baby gate keeps them out of areas you haven’t fully proofed yet.
Get a gate that’s tall enough. Bostons can clear shorter gates with an impressive and slightly alarming level of ease.
5. Cord and Cable Management Is Non-Negotiable
Electrical cords are a chewing hazard that genuinely does not get talked about enough in Boston Terrier circles.
Puppies chew. Adult Bostons chew when they’re bored or under-stimulated. And a cord behind a TV stand or tucked under a desk is exactly the kind of thing a curious dog will find and mouth.
The Actual Fix
Cable management isn’t just about aesthetics. Run cords through cord covers or flexible tubing where possible. Tuck excess cord length behind furniture where it can’t be reached. Any cord that runs along the floor or hangs low is a candidate for coverage.
This includes phone chargers left on the couch, laptop cables draped over the edge of a desk, and lamp cords running along baseboards. All of it.
Adapter and Small Electronics
Phone chargers and small adapters are another category worth mentioning separately.
A charging block sitting on a low surface is the perfect size for a Boston to grab and carry off. Even without chewing, a dog mouthing an adapter that’s plugged in is a real hazard. Get in the habit of unplugging and storing chargers when they’re not in active use.
The Bigger Picture
Boston Terrier-proofing isn’t a project you finish and check off a list. As your dog grows and changes, as you move furniture or bring new things into the home, the calculus shifts.
The owners who do this well aren’t the ones who did a perfect sweep once before their dog came home. They’re the ones who stayed curious, kept paying attention, and treated it as an ongoing part of life with a Boston.
That’s the part the "just put away small objects" crowd never mentions.