Owning a puppy requires responsibility, and that includes providing its basic needs. A dog’s breed and personality influence what kind of things you should get your puppy.
Boston Terriers are one breed that requires special needs — especially the puppies. That being said, what does a Boston Terrier puppy need?
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What Does a Boston Terrier Puppy Need?
A Boston Terrier puppy needs basic things such as puppy food, toys, bed, grooming tools, and a crate. You also need to make sure your puppy is in a safe environment, has emotional support, and gets vaccinated to protect it against deadly diseases.
Puppy Food
Put into consideration the traits of a particular breed when you choose its food. In the case of a Boston Terrier, it has a small size. Choose a formulated dog food for small breeds like Boston Terrier to preserve the ideal fitness of their body.
Puppy food with DHA content is an ideal choice to help your Boston Terrier’s vision development and brain nourishment. DHA or docosahexaenoic acid refers to the omega-3 fatty acid that is the major structural component of the brain.
Since a puppy has a weak immune system, choose a puppy dog food with antioxidant content to support his developing immune system.
Toys
Starting at the age of two months to 10 months old, give your puppy the appropriate toy according to his breed and personality. Since Boston Terriers are very lively and super energetic, they’d love a toy that they can tear apart.
A puppy chews anything he’d like to bite. To prevent any unpleasant habit like destroying your shoes or socks, give your puppy a toy that will satisfy his teething instinct.
Crate
Most breeders, trainers, and vets recommend the use of crates for dogs starting at a young age. Crate training teaches a puppy to hold his bladder while he is still inside his crate. This kind of training will save you from cleaning your dog’s mess.
Blankets
Boston Terriers have thin coats, so a blanket is essential for them to help keep them warm — especially when they sleep. However, be careful of the detergents used in washing your puppy’s blanket.
Dr. Charlotte Thompson of the Banfield Pet Hospital warns that laundry detergents may have a component that may cause an allergy to your puppy.
In terms of the blanket material, Dr. Thompson says that pets don’t mind. You can buy a blanket specifically made for pets or you can use your old blanket that is safe for your puppy.
Puppy Pads
Puppy pads come very handy, especially if you live in an apartment. These pads are ideal for potty training your puppy. Puppy pads make cleanup and maintenance very convenient as all you have to do is throw away the used pads and put down a new one.
Leash
The American Kennel Club recommends a back-clip harness for Boston Terriers. This breed of dog is prone to tracheal collapse, a condition where short-nosed breeds have a damaged trachea that restricts the air to pass through. The harness fits around the dog’s chest and clips at the back.
Grooming
One basic need for your puppy includes grooming. Grooming your puppy involves bathing, brushing, dental hygiene, nail trimming, ear cleaning, eyes cleaning, and face cleaning. It’s important to make your puppy get used to grooming so that when he grows old, it’s just going to be an easy task for you.
Safe Environment
Boston Terriers are mostly indoors due to their incapability to survive in extreme heat or cold weather conditions. Their thin coats and short nose are the two main factors behind this issue. Since they are inside the house most of the time, you need to eliminate any hazards present.
Below are the examples of home hazards for your puppy:
- poisonous plants
- poisonous chemicals
- open balconies and windows in high buildings where your puppy may fall
- electrical chords
- medicines
- small objects that may hurt them
- breakable items
Always make sure that your house has a comfortable area with temperature control and proper ventilation. Provide your puppy access to his toilet area, away from its sleeping place. And provide protections against the mentioned hazards found at home.
Vaccinations
To reduce the risk of serious diseases, make sure to give your dog up-to-date vaccinations. Vaccines set off your puppy’s immune system to produce antibodies when exposed to diseases.
Vaccinations are essential to protect your puppies because they have very low immunity and are susceptible to contracting illnesses.
Vital vaccines needed by your puppy are also known as core vaccines which include:
- Parvovirus vaccine
- Distemper vaccine
- Hepatitis
- Rabies
While the non-core vaccines are:
- Bordetella
- Canine Influenza
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme Vaccine
Non-core vaccines are only injected when your dog is exposed to any of these infectious diseases.
Emotional Needs
If you’re adopting a Boston Terrier puppy, you can expect it to cry the first couple of nights you spend with it. It’s very upsetting for him to be away from its mom. What you can do to help it get through these hard days is to place its crate next to your bed.
Spend a lot of time with your Boston Terrier puppy. Play with it at least three times per day. You can take it for a short walk too.
These gestures will make it feel like it’s a family member. Reward good behavior with lots of positive praises and a few treats.
Related Questions
What Makes Boston Terriers Happy?
Snuggle time, playtime, short walks, and training are just a few activities that make your Boston Terrier happy. In simpler terms, getting a lot of attention from you makes it happy.
Where Should a Boston Terrier Puppy Sleep?
A Boston Terrier puppy can sleep on a soft warm bed placed inside its crate or pet carrier. You can place some toys and make sure to place its bed where it feels surrounded by the family and not in an isolated area.
Conclusion
To sum it up, a Boston Terrier puppy needs not only basic material things like food, shelter, and toys. It also needs intangible things like your attention, love, and support. Ensure your puppy gets vaccines as well, to make sure you give it all that it needs to live a healthy and happy life.
