A knock at the door, the mailman dropping something off on the front porch, a flurry of cars passing by. Every other dog you’ve had typically goes crazy at these sights and sounds, barking up a storm. Your Boston Terrier though remains mostly quiet. That has you wondering, do Boston Terriers bark?
Boston Terriers are fully capable of barking, but they’re known for being quieter dogs than most. While that’s not necessarily true of every Boston Terrier, yours may not react to all stimuli with a bark. This is due to their different breeding history, which varies so much from other Terriers that Boston Terriers aren’t included in that group by most kennel associations.
In this article, we’ll discuss in more detail why Boston Terriers are renowned for their quiet temperament as well as if there are situations where you’d want a louder dog. Also, just in case your Terrier does bark more often than the breed standard, we’ll discuss tips for more silence at home. You won’t want to miss it!
Why Don’t Boston Terriers Bark Much?
Here’s where the Boston Terrier distinguishes itself from other Terrier groups. While these dogs are usually loud and rambunctious, the Boston Terrier is far less so. Why is this?
Most Terriers were bred to be working dogs, particularly catching vermin. The Boston Terrier lacks that sporting lineage.
In fact, there’s such a distinct difference between the Boston Terrier and others in the Terrier group that the Boston Terrier is excluded from that group by many kennel clubs. That means that while Border Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Airedale Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Jack Russell Terriers, and more are regarded as true Terriers in competitions, the Boston Terrier is not. Even the American Kennel Club, the leading authority on competition dogs, regards it that way.
Your Boston Terrier is still adept at guarding and hunting, as well as many other tasks. That said, they’re less energetic compared to other Terriers, so herding isn’t their strong suit. Combining their lack of energy with their lineage, there’s no need for the Boston Terrier to be as loud as its hunting Terrier brethren.
Should Your Boston Terrier Bark More?
You’ve had your Boston Terrier for a while now, and you can count the number of times you’ve heard them bark on one hand. They seem so nonplussed about everything around them that sometimes you worry. While having a quiet dog is great for household peace, what if something bad happens? Would your dog let you know?
If there were any real threat on or around your premises, your Boston Terrier would indeed inform you. While maybe they’re not the hardest-working Terrier, Boston Terriers do have a strong protective streak. They’re also territorial about the people they care about, such as you and the rest of the family. They will certainly do all they can to save you from danger.
Don’t be mistaken, though. The Boston Terrier needs to see an actual threat to react. To them, a car driving by the street isn’t really a threat. You probably don’t have to worry about your dog overreacting to the mailman or pizza delivery person either.
That said, animals, including dogs, can set off a barking streak in your Boston Terrier. If you have other pets in the house, you may have more instances of barking from your Terrier than ever before. Sometimes this is intended as playful, but more often, it’s a sign of aggression telling this other animal to back off.
Speaking of playful barking, while it does happen, don’t expect it as much from your Boston Terrier compared to other dog breeds. This doesn’t mean they aren’t having a good time playing fetch or going on a walk with you. They may reward you with kisses or their tail could wag a mile a minute to show their happiness. They just won’t verbally express it.
Overall, we would say no, there’s no need to worry if your Boston Terrier doesn’t bark a lot. You also don’t want to encourage them to bark more, as you could open Pandora’s Box, so to speak. Eventually, your wishing for your Boston Terrier to bark all the time could cause them to be louder than you’d prefer.
What to Do if Your Boston Terrier Barks Too Much
You could have accidentally trained your Boston Terrier into barking nonstop. Perhaps they’ve always been this way, which can happen, by the way. No matter what’s caused it, you’d like some silence from your Boston Terrier from time to time. How can you quiet your dog down?
Try these handy methods!
Turn Your Back and Reward the Silence
You probably react the instant your Boston Terrier goes nuts when barking, right? Instead of facing them and yelling at them to stop, turn away from your dog instead. They’ll get the picture within a few minutes and quiet down.
When they do, give them a treat. Then, keep repeating this over the coming days. After feeding them a treat immediately, next time, make them wait 20 seconds for their treat, then 30 seconds, then a minute, then longer. It’s all about how long the dog can sustain their silence.
Ignore the Barking and Again, Reward the Silence
This method works a lot like the first, but there’s no need to turn away from your Boston Terrier. Instead, when they begin barking at that dog someone is walking across the street, hold your tongue. Say nothing to your dog at all.
Act like your Boston Terrier isn’t even barking. Yes, this is harder than it sounds, but it’s worth it. Like with the above method, your dog will quickly catch on that they’re not getting any reaction out of you from their barking. The act of doing so will become infinitely less interesting to them at that point, so they’ll stop.
You can then break out the treats. Follow the timeline above for this method to be effective, once again making your dog wait longer and longer for their reward if they’re quiet.
Train Them to Bark, Then to Be Quiet
Wait, you want to teach your Boston Terrier to bark? That’s right. In doing so, you can next train them into silence. First, you want to focus on getting your dog to learn “speak,” woofing each time you ask them to. Then, when you say “quiet,” your Boston Terrier should immediately cease the barking.
Tire Them Out
Boston Terriers already have less energy to spare than others in the Terrier group, so exhausting your dog shouldn’t prove all that hard. It’s good to get your pup at least 30 minutes of daily exercise anyway. When you two do go out, combine a variety of different activities, from running to fetching, for a fun play session.
Your dog will come inside and drift off to dreamland immediately, giving you a few precious hours of quiet around the house.
Stimulus Desensitization
If the neighbor’s dog always sets off your Boston Terrier or it’s even the mailman, try to desensitize them. In the case of the neighbor’s dog, take your Boston Terrier out in the backyard where they can see the dog, but keep them by the back door. If your Terrier behaves, reward them with their favorite treat.
The second time you go out, exit the back porch and head out onto the lawn. Then move closer onto the lawn the third time, and closer the next. You don’t want your Boston Terrier to be nose to nose with the neighbor’s dog at the end, as that’s not the point. Instead, you’re proving to your pup that they can coexist with this dog. Also, if your Terrier stays silent, they get treats. That will incentivize them to keep up the good behavior.
Professional Obedience Classes
You’ve tried everything, but your Boston Terrier just won’t give you a break. By this point, your best option is to contact a professional dog trainer and enroll your pup in some obedience classes. Within a few weeks, you should have a dog that’s ready to listen and curtail their barking.
As a caveat, if your Boston Terrier is still barking even after graduating an obedience class and following the above methods, then we’d recommend you schedule a trip to the veterinarian. There’s a possibility your dog has an undiagnosed injury or illness that’s causing them pain. The barking is the dog’s attempt to let you know they’re suffering. Until they get treated, they won’t quiet down.
Conclusion
Boston Terriers bark less compared to other Terriers due to their lineage. Most dogs in the Terrier group were bred for working, but the Boston Terrier wasn’t. Since they lack the history of herding animals, the Boston Terrier is typically more relaxed and feels no need to bark at every little thing. Most dogs in this breed will only bark aggressively and sometimes even playfully.
If your Boston Terrier sees almost all stimuli as a reason to bark, you can stop this behavior in its tracks easily enough. Obedience classes can help in severe cases of barking, but don’t forget to see your vet, too. Best of luck with your Boston Terrier!
Author Nicole Malczan