Boston Terrier

Size
Small (under 11kg)
Exercise
20 min/day
Training
Puppy school only
Size of home
Some outdoor space
Time at home
Mostly home
Grooming
Low maintenance
Barking preference
Low
Personality
Very affectionate

Breeder List

Breeder - Ms Michelle Gorman (SHEBOS)

shebos@outlook.com.au
See Details
Breeder - Ms Renee Toovey (PERFECTLY)

perfectly.bt@gmail.com
See Details

Photo by AmyLee.submitted by Deby Norquay

History

The Boston Terrier was originally bred in and around Boston, Massachusetts in the USA in the mid-19th century.

In 1865 Mr RC Hooper came into possession of a dog named ‘Hooper’, who was bred by Mr W O’Brien. The dog became known as ‘Hooper’s Judge’, or just ‘Judge’, and is the ancestor of almost all of the modern Boston Terriers. Judge was a cross between an English Bulldog and a White English Terrier, leaning in type more towards the Bulldog, and the breed soon became known as the ‘Round Heads’ or ‘American Bull Terriers’.

The breed was admitted to the American Kennel Club on 20 February 1893, after 75 dogs were certified as purebred for three generations. Those 75 dogs formed the nucleus of the breed, which was named the Boston Terrier.

Characteristics

The clean-cut, short-backed body of the Boston, coupled with the unique characteristics of the square head and jaw, and the striking markings have resulted in a most dapper and charming American original.

Temperament

A friendly and lively dog, the Boston has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier an incomparable companion.

Appearance

The Boston is a small dog, weighing up to 11.4kg. Its easy care, short, smooth coat comes in all shades of brindle, seal or black, each evenly marked with white. The white markings should include at the least a white muzzle band, white blaze between the eyes and white forechest.

The Boston Terrier is a lively, highly intelligent, smooth-coated, short-headed, compactly built, short-tailed, well balanced dog. The head is in proportion to the size of the dog and the expression indicates a high degree of intelligence. The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and activity, with style of a high order; carriage easy and graceful. 1.

A quiet dog, it only barks when necessary. The Boston is not an outside dog, and loves to be welcomed inside the house as one of the family. With an average lifespan of 12-14 years, a well-bred Boston generally enjoys good health.

Maintenance & Suitability

The Boston is easy to keep well-groomed with just a regular brush and nail clipping to keep the nails short, and shampoo every couple of weeks.

Of course, regular worming and other health care is also necessary. Any injuries, especially eye injuries, should be treated promptly by a vet. Boston Terriers are not lazy; they love to play ball and go for walks, and, once they are over 12 months old, can be taken for long walks and jogging.

Words: Elaine Bond, on behalf of the Boston Terrier Club of NSW (2011)

1. Source: DOGS AUSTRALIA Breed Standard

Image by Ffire Photography

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Boston Terrier, you may think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Boston Terrier and its needs, and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 21 May 2009)

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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

The Boston Terrier is a lively, highly intelligent, smooth coated, short headed, compactly built, short-tailed, well balanced dog, brindle, seal or black in colour and evenly marked with white. The head is in proportion to the size of the dog and the expression indicates a high degree of intelligence.The body is rather short and well knit, the limbs strong and neatly turned, the tail is short and no feature is so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned. The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and activity, with style of a high order; carriage easy and graceful. A proportionate combination of "Colour and White Markings" is a particularly distinctive feature of a representative specimen."Balance, Expression, Colour and White Markings" should be given particular consideration in determining the relative value of GENERAL APPEARANCE to other points.Proportions, Substance: The length of leg must balance with the length of body to give the Boston Terrier its striking square appearance. 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.Influence of Sex: In a comparison of specimens of each sex, the only evident difference is a slight refinement in the bitch's conformation.

Characteristics

Summary: The clean-cut, short backed body of the Boston Terrier coupled with the unique characteristics of his square head and jaw, and his striking markings have resulted in a most dapper and charming American original: The Boston Terrier.

Temperament

The Boston Terrier is a friendly and lively dog. The breed has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier an incomparable companion.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	The skull is square, flat on top, free from wrinkles, cheeks flat, brow abrupt and the stop well defined. The ideal Boston Terrier expression is alert and kind, indicating a high degree of intelligence. This is a most important characteristic of the breed. 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 of the length of the skull. The muzzle from stop to end of the nose is parallel to the top of the skull. The nose is black and wide, with a well defined line between the nostrils.Disqualify: Dudley nose. Fault: Pinched or wide nostrils.
Eyes	The eyes are wide apart, large and round and dark in colour. The eyes are set square in the skull and the outside corners are on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front.Disqualify: Eyes blue in colour or any trace of blue.Fault: Eyes showing too much white or haw.
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. [Note: Dogs with cropped ears cannot be exhibited in Australia.]
Mouth	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.Serious Faults: Wry mouth; any showing of the tongue or teeth when the mouth is closed.
Neck	The length of neck must display an image of balance to the total dog. It is slightly arched, carrying the head gracefully and setting neatly into the shoulders.
Forequarters	The shoulders are sloping and well laid back, which allows for the Boston Terrier's stylish movement. The elbows stand neither in nor out. The forelegs are set moderately wide apart and on a line with the upper tip of the shoulder blades. The forelegs are straight in bone with short, strong pasterns. The dewclaws may be removed.Fault: Legs lacking in substance.
Body	The back is just short enough to square the body. The topline is level and the rump curves slightly to the set-on of the tail. The chest is deep with good width, ribs well sprung and carried well back to the loins. The body should appear short.Serious Faults: Roach back, sway back, slab-sided.
Hindquarters	The thighs are strong and well muscled, bent at the stifles and set true. The hocks are short to the feet, turning neither in nor out, with a well defined hock joint.Fault: Straight in stifle.
Feet	Front feet are small, round and compact, turned neither in nor out, with well arched toes and short nails.Hind feet are small and compact with short nails.Fault: Splay feet.
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.)Disqualify: Docked tail. Fault: Gaily carried tail.
Gait/Movement	The gait of the Boston Terrier is that of a sure footed, straight gaited dog, forelegs and hindlegs moving straight ahead in line with perfect rhythm, each step indicating grace and power.Faults: There will be no rolling, paddling, or weaving when gaited. Hackney gait.Serious Faults: Any crossing movement, either front or rear.
Coat	The coat is short, smooth, bright and fine in texture.
Colour	Brindle, seal, or black with white markings. Brindle is preferred ONLY if all other qualities are equal. (Note: SEAL DEFINED. Seal appears black except it has a red cast when viewed in the sun or bright light.)Disqualify: Solid black, solid brindle or solid seal without required white markings. Grey or liver colours.Required Markings: White muzzle band, white blaze between the eyes, white forechest.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 hindlegs below the hocks. (Note: A representative specimen should not be penalised 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.
Size	Weight not to exceed 11.4 kg (25 lbs).

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.Disqualifying:Eyes blue in colour or any trace of blue.Dudley nose.Docked tail.Solid black, solid brindle, or solid seal without required markings.Grey or liver colours.Serious Faults:Any showing of the tongue or teeth when the mouth is closed.Wry mouth.Roach back, sway back, slab-sided.Any crossing movement, either front or rear.Faults:Eyes showing too much white or haw.Pinched or wide nostrils.Size of ears out of proportion to the size of the head.Legs lacking in substance; splay feet.Straight in stifle.Gaily carried tail.There will be no rolling, paddling, or weaving when gaited. Hackney gait.Scale of Points (For Interest Only):General Appearance 10Expression 10Head (Muzzle, Jaw, Bite, Skull & Stop) 15Eyes 5Ears 5Neck, topline, Body & Tail 15Forequarters 10Hindquarters 10Feet 5Colour, Coat & Markings 5Gait 10Total 100