About the Boston Terrier

An American original: The American Gentleman. A 10-25-pound people-loving, attentive, intelligent, enthusiastic, easy-care partner, making the journey of life more fun with every toss of the ball or side-tilt of the head. Excels at sharing the sofa.

AKC Group

Non-Sporting

Height

10 – 12 inches

Weight

12 – 25 pounds

Lifespan

11 – 13 years

History of the Boston Terrier

The following short history of the Boston Terrier is excerpted from a small book, The Boston Terrier, written by J. Varnum Mott, M.D., combined with information from the archives of the Boston Terrier Club of America, Inc.
“The question is often asked, ‘How did the Boston Terrier originate?’ Briefly stated it may be said to have resulted from a cross between the English Bulldog and the white English Terrier, and then to have been considerably inbred. Incidental peculiarities of the first dogs used as sires are partly responsible for the present type.

“…Mr. Robert C. Hooper, of Boston imported a dog named Judge. This dog, which he purchased of Mr. William O’Brien of the same city, was undoubtedly imported from England. Judge, commonly known as Hooper’s Judge, was destined to be the ancestor of almost all the true modern Boston Terriers. He was a cross between an English Bulldog and a white English Terrier. He was a strongly built, high stationed dog of about thirty-two pounds weight. In color he was a dark brindle, with a white stripe in the face. His head was square and blocky, and he resembled the present Boston Terrier in that he had a nearly even mouth. Judge was bred to Burnett’s Gyp (or Kate). Gyp was a white bitch, owned by Mr. Edward Burnett, of Southboro, MA. She was of about twenty pounds weight, had a fine three-quarter tail, and was quite low stationed. She was of stocky build, showing considerable strength in her make-up. Her head was good, being short and blocky.

“…From Judge and Gyp descended Well’s Eph. This dog was of strong build, and like his dam was low stationed. His weight was about twenty-eight pounds. He was of dark brindle color, even white markings, and like Judge, had a nearly even mouth.

“…Eph was mated with Tobin’s Kate. This bitch was of small size, weighing only twenty pounds. She had a fairly short head, was of golden brindle color, and had a straight three-quarter tail.”

From these dogs can be traced the start of the breed, the Boston Terrier. On March 31, 1891, Charles Leland organized a first meeting of breeders. As an output of this meeting, on April 7, 1891, the first Boston Terrier Breed Standard was presented and soon after a stud register was established. This register consisted of 75 dogs whose ancestors could be traced back three generations.

General Appearance

Height & Weight

Weight is divided by classes as follows: Under 15 pounds; 15 pounds and under 20 pounds; 20 pounds and not to exceed 25 pounds. The length of leg must balance with the length of body to give the Boston Terrier its striking square appearance.

Proportion & Substance

The Boston Terrier is a sturdy dog and must not appear to be either spindly or coarse. The bone and muscle must be in proportion, as well as an enhancement to the dog’s weight and structure. Fault – Blocky or chunky in appearance.

Coat Texture, Color & Markings

Texture: The coat is short, smooth, bright, and fine in texture.

A Note About Color: Per the AKC Breed Standard, brindle, seal, or black with white markings. Brindle is preferred only if all other qualities are equal. Seal is defined as appearing black except it has a red cast when viewed in the sun or bright light.

The Boston Terrier shall not be solid black, solid brindle, or solid seal without required white markings. It also must not be any color not described in the Standard.

Disqualifications – Solid black, solid brindle, or solid seal without the required white markings; any color not described in the Standard, which includes fawn, blue, red, merle, dapper, black and tan, lilac, and any other color. The only colors are brindle, seal, and black with the required white markings. Period!

Per the AKC Breed Standard, the required markings for a Boston Terrier are: White muzzle band, white blaze between the eyes, white forechest. It is icing on the cake to have the desired markings: White muzzle band, even white blaze between the eyes and over the head, white collar, white forechest, white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs below the hocks.

Note: A representative specimen should not be penalized for not possessing “Desired Markings.” A dog with a preponderance of white on the head or body must possess sufficient merit otherwise to counteract its deficiencies.

Head

• Skull: The skull is square, flat on top, free from wrinkles; cheeks flat; brow abrupt; and the stop well defined.
• Expression: The ideal Boston Terrier expression is alert and kind, indicating a high degree of intelligence. This is a most important characteristic of the breed. (Note: not the most important but a most important).
• Eyes: The eyes are wide apart, large and round, and dark in color. The eyes are set square in the skull and the outside corners are on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front. Disqualification – Eyes blue in color or any trace of blue.
• Ears: The ears are small, carried erect, either natural or cropped to conform to the shape of the head, and situated as near to the corners of the skull as possible.
• Muzzle: The muzzle is short, square, wide, and deep, and in proportion to the skull. It is free from wrinkles, shorter in length than in width or depth; not exceeding in length approximately one-third the length of the skull. The muzzle from the stop to the end of the nose is parallel to the top of the skull.
• Nose: The nose is black and wide, with a well-defined line between the nostrils. Disqualification – Dudley nose.
• Bite: The jaw is broad and square with short, regular teeth. The bite is even or sufficiently undershot to square the muzzle. The chops are of good depth, but not pendulous, completely covering the teeth when the mouth is closed.
• Faults: Serious Fault – Wry mouth. Head Faults – Eyes showing too much white or haw; pinched or wide nostrils; size of ears that are out of proportion to the size of the head. Serious Head Faults – Any showing of the tongue or teeth when the mouth is closed.

Tail

The tail is set on low, short, fine, and tapering, straight or screw, and must not be carried above the horizontal. (Note: The preferred tail does not exceed in length more than one-quarter the distance from set-on to hock.) Disqualification – Docked tail.

The Boston Terrier – What to Consider?

Consider your lifestyle. It’s best when your lifestyle matches the personality of the Boston. Boston Terriers are active, enthusiastic, and love daily activities with their humans. They are adaptable to different living arrangements but still desire daily, loving interactions with people. They are equally adept at running zoomies in the backyard, walking down city sidewalks, and stealing your favorite recliner.

Boston Terrier Health

Recommended Tests/CHIC Program Requirements:

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) works with the Boston Terrier Club of America and recommends basic health screening tests for all breeding stock. Dogs meeting these basic health screening requirements will be issued a Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) number. For CHIC certification, all results do not need to be normal, but they must all be in the public domain so that responsible breeders can make more informed breeding decisions.

Potential Health Risks

For potential puppy buyers, CHIC certification is a good indicator that the breeder responsibly factors good health into their selection criteria. The breed-specific list below represents the basic health screening recommendations. It is not all encompassing. There may be other health screening tests appropriate for this breed. And, there may be other health concerns for which there is no commonly accepted screening protocol available.

• ACVO Eye Exam: Testing Options – ACVO Eye Examination. Results registered with OFA.
• Patellar Luxation: Testing Options – Veterinary Evaluation of Patellar Luxation. Results registered with OFA.
• Congenital Deafness: Testing Options – One of the following: B.A.E.R. hearing test. Result regiustered with OFA; GDC evaluation based on BAER test. Results registered with OFA.
• Additional Health Testing: DNA test for Early-onset Hereditary Juvenile Cataracts (HSF4 mutation) and results registered with OFA. The test is required only once in the dog’s lifetime and may be done at any age. This condition is an autosomal recessive trait. Dogs that are clear (do not have this gene mutation) cannot transmit the condition to their offspring. A dog that is a carrier may be used in a breeding program but must only be bred to clear dogs. Carriers should never be bred to each other and affected dogs (those that have two copies of the mutation and therefore have early-onset HJC) must never be bred, even to a clear dog. More detailed information about the various tests and their availability may be found on the BTCA website.

Lifespan: 11- 13 years of age

Boston Terrier Personality

Active, alert and Intelligent. Can be the class clown. Loves finding the squeaker in dog toys and any activity with his/her favorite people.

Boston Terrier Feeding & Nutrition

The Boston Terrier’s overall appearance is directly related to the quality of the diet. As owner, start with a carefully planned diet and regular exercise. Proper nutrition starts as a puppy to develop strong bone and well-conditioned muscles. Research and increase your own knowledge of canine nutrition, as there are ample resources available to aid us as owners to develop the best overall nutrition plan for our Boston Terriers (and ourselves).

Boston Terrier Training

Boston Terriers bond well with humans, having a desire to please. Combining this desire with the lively enthusiasm and high level of intelligence make the Boston Terrier an ideal candidate for being trained to learn new skills. Just start with a gentle approach. Praise, enthusiasm, and rewarding their efforts lead to success. (Pictured: Six-week-old puppies “manding.”) Manding is a concept used in humans and animals, a non-verbal manner of communicating their desire. Mands can be used for many things such as not jumping up, sitting nicely to greet people, sitting nicely at the vets, and many others.

Boston Terrier Exercise

Exercise is important to all dogs and Bostons are no exception. Daily exercise for the Boston Terrier should include walking, running, or chasing a ball. The Boston will be in proper condition with daily attention, daily exercise, and proper diet. Overweight dogs often have shorter lifespans.

Boston Terrier Grooming

The grooming of a Boston Terrier is minimal compared to many breeds. The Boston Terrier should be kept clean at all times and proper grooming always begins with a bath. Nail trimming should be done on a regular basis and introduced at an early age. Introduce the Boston to a grooming table early on and brush to benefit the skin and the coat. Bonus: The Boston Terrier looks forward to extra attention and care.

Living with a Boston Terrier

The Boston Terrier is versatile being able to adapt to apartment life, a single family home, a country estate or a farm. The Boston is at home in any of these environments. Very easy to live with. Though not the best hunter, herder or security dog, the Boston Terrier thrives in winning the hearts and souls of their owners by being friendly, active, loyal and funny.

Boston Terrier Activities & Dog Sports

Some European countries discriminate against the brachycephalic breeds, saying they cannot live long, useful lives because they cannot breathe properly. The Boston Terrier Club of America rejects any such notion. Dogs bred to our AKC Breed Standard excel in all of the dog sports. We offer a consistent record of excellence and achievement as evidenced by the soundness and good health of a well-bred Boston Terrier.

In October 2024, 130 Boston Terriers earned various titles from the AKC. This is a typical number for every month of the year.

Boston Terriers are a fixture on the dog show circuit. Their good looks and formal appearance have earned them the title of “The American Gentleman.” Well-bred Bostons excel in the show ring, but they are capable of much more. In fact, they are standout performers in the myriad dog sports offered by the American Kennel Club.

Bostons participate in many sports. You will find them in the Obedience ring, Rally trials, Agility trials, Flyball, Fast CAT, Disc Dog, Dock Diving, Barn Hunt, and even Tracking events. A healthy, sound Boston is an athlete who can hold her head up among the best of them. A Boston can sail over the jumps and race around the ring, exuding joy at every turn.

The Boston Terrier Club of America supports Bostons in AKC Companion events by holding Obedience, Rally, and Agility trials at its annual Specialty.

The club also recognizes the achievements of our breed at its annual awards banquet, awarding certificates to the dogs in the Top 10 in Agility MACH competition and the Top 5 in Agility PACH competition.

Group Classification & Standards

The Boston Terrier is recognized by the world’s leading registries and kennel organizations, which categorize the breed into a specific Group based on its unique characteristics. This breed is recognized worldwide under the following Group designations:

The ideal Boston Terrier is described by a Breed Standard that is approved by each of the world’s leading registries and kennel organizations. The Breed Standards for this breed may be found in the following links:

Boston Terrier Clubs

Boston Terrier Club of America

A list of affiliate clubs can be found at:

https://bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/btca-affiliate-clubs/

Boston Terrier Rescue Groups

The Boston Terrier Club of America has a Rescue Committee. The BTCA Rescue Committee’s purpose is to aid rescued Boston Terriers through coordination with local organizations and volunteers, and rescue parents. Our main focus is to act as a central contact point for rescue organizations and prospective adopters through a referral system (similar to breeder referral) and networking with local contacts. The Rescue Committee will also provide, with the board’s approval, financial aid based on need and according to the established guidelines. We want to ensure our national club’s support of Boston Terriers, regardless of pedigree, health condition, or age.

More information can be found at:

https://bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/boston-terrier-rescue/