The Boston Terrier

     He's as full of fun as a baseball game and as lovable as a Teddy bear. He's as reliable as a Chevrolet and as low-maintenance as a pair of blue jeans. He's as friendly as a cowboy and as courageous as a Minute Man. He's always well-dressed, and usually well-mannered. He's one of the nine AKC-recognized breeds to be developed in the United States, and he's known as the American Gentleman. He's the Boston Terrier.

     The Boston Terrier is a true American success story. From its humble beginnings as a fight dog in the livery stables of Boston, the little "round-head" dog used its affectionate nature and striking appearance to become one of the most popular breeds in American history.

     The ancestor of today's Boston Terriers is Hooper's Judge, a bulldog/white bull terrier cross brought to Boston from England by Robert C. Hooper in 1865. Judge weighed about 32 pounds and was dark brindle with a white collar and a screw tail. Judge was a great specimen of the kind of dog sportsmen in Boston were trying to create-a breed with the agility of a terrier and the toughness of a Bulldog. Judge's great-great-grandson, Barnard's Mike, is now considered to be the first dog to display "true" Boston Terrier type, and he consistently passed Boston characteristics-a white muzzle, blaze, collar and forechest, full, round eyes, an even mouth, and a screw tail-on to his progeny.

     Just thirteen years after Judge came to America, in 1878, a good number of Boston Terriers were entered at the New England Dog Show. The dogs were officially entered as "Bull Terriers," but became known as Round-headed Bull Terriers, Round Heads, or Boston Round Heads. As the breed's popularity increased, a group of dedicated breeders attempted to stabilize the dogs' appearance and temperament by implementing the first breed standard. Their goal was to strike a balance between dogs of "terrier-type" and those of "bulldog-type." The standard called for a dog with a large, flat skull, wide apart, round eyes, a short muzzle without wrinkles, and a short-backed, well-muscled body. Preferred colors were brindle and white, or all brindle or all white, and the dog could appear in three size varieties-15 pounds and under, 25 pounds and under, and under 36 pounds.

     With the standard and a few decades of breeding and showing behind them, a group of 40 breeders joined together to form the American Bull Terrier Club in 1889. They applied for admission to the American Kennel Club Stud Book in 1891. The AKC denied the request for two reasons: the still- prevalent use of crosses in the breeding programs, and the name the club had chosen for the breed. English Bulldog fanciers were concerned that the new breed would detract from the popularity of their own breed, and White Bull Terrier fanciers complained that the Round Heads were not, in fact, terriers.

     After two years of negotiations, the breed was recognized by the AKC under a new name-the Boston Terrier, for the city of its origin. The AKC also stipulated that it would only accept dogs that had been bred pure for three generations. In 1893, 75 Bostons were approved for admission into the Stud Book.

     From that point, it was full speed ahead for the Boston Terrier. In just twelve years, the Boston became the most popular breed in America. It was 1st or 2nd in AKC registration statistics from 1905 to 1939, remained in the Top 10 until 1963 and in the top 20 until 1970. It never dipped lower than 29th, and re-entered the Top 20 in 1998.

     Part of the breed's success was due to its American origins; unlike many breeds whose programs relied on imports from Europe, the Boston's population did not decrease during the World Wars, when shipping dogs was difficult. But mostly, the Boston was and is popular because it is, to put it simply, a great little dog and an easy keeper.

     Today's Boston retains few vestiges of its origins as a fighting dog. A Boston will not back down from a fight if challenged, and is protective of its loved ones. But Bostons cannot be described as aggressive, and they are not instigators. On the contrary, Bostons are usually described as near-perfect companions: friendly, affectionate, gentle with children and other animals, playful, comical, lively and intelligent, clean and easy to train. Bostons live for their owners; they are eager to please and prefer to be right by their owner's side at all times.

Bostons are definitely indoor dogs. They are brachycephalic, or short-nosed, which means that they have difficulty tolerating extreme heat or cold. They should not be kept outside for long periods in the summer, and should have a jacket or sweater when outside in the winter. They may also snore! Boston owners should also be wary of eye injury. While the eyes of a "show quality" Boston should not protrude, less careful breedings can result in protruding eyes that can be vulnerable to injury. Overall, though, Bostons tend to be very healthy, and require little grooming. Their short, smooth coats can be kept neat with a few minutes of brushing each week.

The Boston's neatness, good manners, and tuxedo-like markings earned him the nickname of "American Gentleman." American ingenuity may have created him, but the Gentleman's good nature helped him-and his female counterparts-earn a place as one of the most beloved house pets in this country and around the world.

This article was adopted from the American Kennel Club website.