Boston Terrier

Bred down in size from pit-fighting dogs of the bull and terrier types(true!) , the Boston Terrier were originally much larger dogs. It is difficult to believe that these dapper little dogs were once tough pit-fighters, but that is truly the case.

Made in the USA, the original Boston Terriers were a cross between the English Bulldog and now extinct English White Terrier.

Appearance
Boston Terriers are small, compactt, well proportioned, dogs with erect ears, short tails, and a short muzzle free of wrinkles. Boston terriers weigh from 10 to 25 lb, typically in the vicinity of 15 lb. The breed is known for its gentle, alert, and intelligent expression.

Boston Terrier is usually marked with white in proportion to either black, brindle, seal, or a combination of the three. Seal is a colour specifically used to describe Boston Terriers and is defined as a black colour with red highlights when viewed in the sun or bright light. Ideally, white should cover its chest, muzzle, band around the neck, half way up the forelegs, up to the hocks on the rear legs, and a white blaze between but not touching the eyes. In the show ring, symmetrical markings are preferred. Due to the Boston Terrier's markings resembling formal wear, in addition to its refined and pleasant personality, the breed is commonly referred to as the "American Gentleman."

Frequently, variations on the standard are seen depending on the ancestry of the individual dog. At various times, the English Bulldog, English Mastiff, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and French Bulldog - among other breeds - have been crossbred with Boston Terrier lines to minimize inbreeding in what is necessarily a small gene pool.

Temperament
Bred for companionship, the Boston Terrier is gentle, alert, and well-mannered. They may struggle with toilet training. They're known to be quite rambunctious, with a sense of fun. Many Bostons enjoy having another Boston for company. They are not barkers, and are generally social with kids and other animals, though some may be possessive of one person and be aggresive about protecting them. Usually, they don;t realise they are small, and will confront much larger animals.

Health
Several health issues are of concern in the Boston Terrier: cataracts (both juvenile and adult type), cherry eye, luxating patellas, deafness, heart murmur, and allergies. Curvature of the back,(roaching) might be caused by patella problems with the rear legs, which in turn causes the dog to lean forward onto the forelegs. This may in fact cause no major issues for your dog. Many Bostons don't tolerate excessive heat and humidity due to the shortened muzzle, so hot weather brings the danger of heat exhaustion.

As always where a breed exhibits some health problem, seek out a reputable breeder and check out their breed stock history.