The Boston Terrier has been nicknamed the American Gentleman because of its wonderful, gentle disposition and its tuxedo like coat. One of the few breeds that is truly "made in the USA".
Boston Terriers are rated by the American Kennel club as one of the most intelligent breeds of dogs; making housetraining simple. Over time, they have evolved into a gentle breed that is content to sit on your lap and be petted.
Originally bred down in size from pit-fighting dogs the Boston Terrier was much larger than it is today, weighing up to 44 pounds.
It seems difficult to believe that these little dogs were once tough pit fighters. The Boston Terrier resembles the Staffordshire Bull Terrier with its strong fighting instinct. The Boston Terriers of today are a far cry from the proud fighting dog of the past.
The Boston Terrier resulted from a cross between the English Bulldog and a white English Terrier. Around 1870 an imported dog known as "Judge" was sold to Robert.C.Hooper. The dog became known as "Hooper's Judge" and was a prize stud dog who was mated with many females. He was a heavy dog weighing in at 30 pounds. He was bred down in size. He is believed to be the ancestor of many of today's Boston Terriers.
These offspring were bred with some French Bulldogs and these matings provides the foundation for today's Boston Terriers.
In 1889 the American Bull Terrier Club was started. In it's infancy it only had 30 members and called the dogs Bull Terriers. In 1981 the Boston Terriers club was formed to showcase these dogs. The American Kennel Club only admitted them into their stud books because of the constant persistance of the breed fanciers.
In the early years, the color and markings were not as important as they are today. By the 1900's the breeds markings and colors were an essential part of the breed feature. According to the breed standard, the characteristic markings should be marked white in proportion with a black, brindle, seal or combination of those three. 'Seal' is a word used to describe specifically a color found on Boston Terriers - a black color with red highlights. The white should cover the chest, muzzle and a band around the neck, halfway up the forelegs. In show dogs, symmetrical markings are preferred. A new breed of colors (red) Boston Terriers is not seal.
In comparison to other breeds this is a relatively new breed. Most of the progress in the breed has been made in the 20th Century.
In 1979 the Boston Terrier became recognized by state legislature as the state dog of Massachusetts.
The Boston Terrier of Today is not considered a fighting type dog but can hold its own. The Boston Terrier makes for a wonderful companion for everyone.
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