Boston Terrier

DESCRIPTION

Boston Terriers, are also sometimes called the Boston bulldog. They are typically small, compact, well-proportioned and muscular, with erect ears, short tails and a short muzzle. Their faces are unforgettable with their dark, large round eyes. They have a broad, flat head without wrinkles and a short, square muzzle leading to an ample black nose. Their neck is slightly arched and its chest is broad, with limbs that are straight and muscular. Their hair is short, brilliant, and of a fine texture that comes in brindle & white or black & white and some are born brown & white, or red & white. Frequently, variations on the standard are seen depending on the ancestry of the individual dog. At various times, the Bulldog, English Mastiff, and French Bulldog—among other breeds—have been crossbred with Boston Terrier lines to minimize inbreeding in what is necessarily a small gene pool.

Treatment

The Boston Terrier is gentle, alert, very intelligent, well-mannered and enthusiastic. Without the proper amount of mental and physical exercise they can become rambunctious and a bit high strung. They are very sensitive to the tone of one's voice. Bostons like to learn and therefore are not difficult to train. Their intelligence ensures they pick things up quickly. If the humans around the dog do not display the leadership that all dogs need, they will become willful as they begin to believe they are running the show and need to tell YOU what to do. Do not allow the Boston Terrier to developed Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This can cause a varying degree of behavior issues. Bostons need a gentle, but firm, confident, consistent pack leader who knows how to display authority over the dog. It is a canine instinct to have a strong leader and this little guy is no exception to the rule. Either the human will be that leader, or the dog will. Some owners have reported that their dogs are good watchdogs barking only when necessary. Most are reliable with children, and are especially good with elderly people and very friendly with strangers. The Boston Terrier is playful, very affectionate and likes to be part of the family. They will let you know in a hurry if they feel neglected, as they feel that they are a part of the family. These little dogs are very popular in the United States, due above all to its excellent character. They generally get along was well with other pets as well as it does with its family members.

Size

Height: 15-17 inches (38.1-43cm.)
Weight: 10-25 pounds (4.5-11.3kg.)

History

The Boston Terrier breed originated around 1870, when Robert C. Hooper of Boston purchased a dog known as Hooper's Judge, who was of a Bull and Terrier type lineage. Judge's specific lineage is unknown, however, Hooper's Judge is either directly related to the original Bull and Terrier breeds of the 1700s and early 1800s, or Judge is the result of modern English Bulldog's being crossed into terriers created in the 1860s for show purposes, like the White English Terrier.
Judge weighed over 29.7 pounds (13.5 kilos). Their offspring interbred with one or more French Bulldogs, providing the foundation for the Boston Terrier. Bred down in size from pit-fighting dogs of the Bull and Terrier types, the Boston Terrier originally weighed up to 44 pounds (20 kg.) (Olde Boston Bulldogge).

The breed was first shown in Boston in 1870. By 1889 the breed had become sufficiently popular in Boston that fanciers formed the American Bull Terrier Club, but this proposed name for the breed was not well received by the Bull Terrier Fanciers; the breed's nickname, "roundheads", was similarly inappropriate. Shortly after, at the suggestion of James Watson (a noted writer and authority), the club changed its name to the Boston Terrier Club and in 1893 it was admitted to membership in the American Kennel Club, thus making it the first US breed to be recognized. It is one of a small number of breeds to have originated in the United States, and the first American breed.

In the early years, the color and markings were not very important, but by the 1900s the breed's distinctive markings and color were written into the standard, becoming an essential feature. Terrier only in name, the Boston Terrier has lost most of its ruthless desire for mayhem, preferring the company of humans, although some males will still challenge other dogs if they feel their territory is being invaded.

Boston Terriers were particularly popular during the 1920s in the US, and have been holding steady in the top 20 of the AKC's favorite breeds for the past 10+ years.