Boston Terriers: Positive & Responsive Pets

Boston Terriers are very positive babies who will be equally happy to go shopping with you and doze on the couch. In cynological circles “Bostons” are considered the most responsive and non-conflict pets, with whom it is easy to contact, sometimes even to the detriment of their own safety. They never dictate their terms and do not arrange the chaos in the apartment when they are alone. In addition, these dogs are great comedians who strive to fill the life of the owner with bright and funny moments.

Brief Information

• Breed name: Boston Terrier
• Country of origin: USA
• Weight: 3-11 kg
• Height (height at the withers): 23-38 cm
• Life span: 11-15 Years

Key Facts

• The well-being of Boston Terriers is highly dependent on the weather since heat exchange processes in the body of animals are somewhat inhibited. For example, they quickly become supercooled, and on hot days they can get heatstroke.
• Unlike other brachycephalic dogs “Bostons” do not suffer from excessive salivation, and their faces always remain dry and tidy.
• The breed is famous for its amazing delicacy and politeness, which is why its representatives are often called “American gentlemen”.
• Boston Terriers have the status of the official living symbol of the state of Massachusetts.
• Most official duties are alien to Boston Terriers, but they have a territorial instinct, so in case of urgent need the dog can be entrusted with the protection of the apartment.
• Representatives of this breed are affable, friendly, and malleable creatures, therefore they are often recommended to inexperienced owners, families with children, as well as elderly people.
• Boston Terriers express emotions by barking only on special occasions, so neighbors are unlikely to complain about the pet’s excessive “musicality”.
• Both puppies and adult dogs snore funny in their sleep, and during periods of wakefulness, they emit a characteristic snort and funny squeal. In addition, they are quite active and often pounce on the owner, thereby expressing their own disposition and affection.
• Boston Terriers have a funny expression. Especially these sympathizers succeed in offending grimaces, as well as expressions of general grief and regret – the latter usually follows immediately after the perfect trick.

History of the Boston Terrier Breed

The Boston Terrier is a recognizable and very colorful dog, and the history of the origin of these animals has no less flavor than their appearance. There are several versions regarding the appearance of these pets, and now we will tell about them.

The first version is this: a resident of Boston, a certain Robert S. Hooper, brought a dog from England in 1865, obtained from crossing a Bulldog and an English Terrier. He bought it allegedly because it reminded him of the dog he had as a child. Another version is that the same Boston resident Robert S. Hooper bought his dog from another Boston resident named William O’Brien between 1865 and 1870. In both the first and second cases, the story converges on one thing – the dog’s name was Judge. , which in translation means to judge.

There is another version according to which American, or rather, Boston coachmen in the early to mid-1800s specially created this breed thanks to the crossing of Bulldogs and the English White Terrier, which has now become extinct. They did this in order to obtain a new breed for participation in clandestine dog fights – it is not known how true this is, but there is such a version and many consider it reliable.

Be that as it may, there is one indisputable fact – the dog, from which the Boston Terrier breed is derived, was really named Judge. It is known that he weighed about 11 kg, had a good physique and brindle coat color, with a white spot on his face. Throughout its history, this breed has been called by different names – Boston Bull Terrier, Round-headed Bull Terrier, American Terrier, Boston Bulldog.

The first club of these dogs was organized in 1889 – the first members were 30 owners of Boston Bull Terriers. They called their club “Round Heads”. Subsequently, they changed their name to the “Boston Terrier Club”, and the breed was informally called “Boston Bulls”. The American Kennel Club recognized these dogs in 1893.

Appearance

The classic Boston Terrier is a bulldog-like flattened muzzle and set front legs, plus a muscular body and rapid movements of a terrier. Solid, but proportionally built, this medium-sized “American” is completely devoid of bulldog stockiness and sluggishness, and, unlike his English ancestor, he has no folds on his face.

Gender dimorphism in Boston Terriers is not very pronounced, so the only thing that distinguishes “girls” from “boys” is a more graceful skeleton and general refinement of appearance. In general, the appearance of the Boston Terrier is an image of a stylish “dandy”, the formation of which is facilitated by the proud posture of the dog and its unique color, reminiscent of an elegant coat with a snow-white “shirt-front” on the chest.

Coat and Color

The Boston Terrier’s coat is short, glossy, adheres well to the skin, and is practically devoid of undercoat.

The traditional shades of the Boston Terrier coat are dark brown (fur seal), black, and brindle, all of which must be diluted with white spots. The standard approved white markings: a wide stripe between the eyes, the outline of the muzzle, a spot that occupies the entire chest. It is highly desirable for the animal to have white forelimbs, a collar, and hind legs (not higher than the level of the hocks).

Personality

The Boston Terrier is a good-natured home clown, making funny faces, fooling around like a child, and charging the surrounding space with positive energy. Friendly, restless, ready to give attention to everyone and everyone, he is absolutely devoid of such qualities as aggressiveness and suspicion. So, for example, the Boston Terrier does not really care who the two-legged creature that appeared on the doorstep of your apartment really is – a network marketing representative or a family friend. This “native of Massachusetts” is loyal to any person, unless he violates territorial boundaries and does not try to use physical violence.

With children, dogs have peace and understanding. Boston Terriers do not try to compete with representatives of the younger generation for master’s attention, preferring to join their company in order to play pranks together. They also do not bully the feathery-fluffy pets living with them in the house. Of course, there have been, are, and will attempt to run into a cat that has lost its vigilance. But usually, having received a sobering slap with a paw, most dogs calm down and stop touching cats.

Boston Terriers are philosophical about forced loneliness. They do not make scenes and do not spoil the apartment unless there is a creature in the vicinity that resembles a person. The main thing is to take your pet for a good walk before leaving him alone with his own thoughts.

Having got rid of the energy and emotional burden, “Boston” will peacefully lie on the bed in your absence, immersed in the world of dog dreams and dreams. Well, for those who are planning systematic absences, it is worth starting a company for the animal in the person of a second Boston Terrier: it will be more fun for the two “gentlemen” to while away the hours while waiting for the owner.

Training

All articles and books describing the nature of the Boston Terrier breed emphasize the manageability and docility of its representatives. However, in reality, “Bostons” are not as flexible as they like to show them. Yes, they are not considered difficult to educate, but they know how to be stubborn very well. Intelligence in dogs is also not super-outstanding, so get used to the fact that the educational material that is given to the pet will reach him from the second, or even the third time.

Boston Terriers have not heard anything about domination, so during the training, they do not try to alter the requirements and commands and put pressure on the owner. Nevertheless, the breed needs training, if only because the gullibility of its representatives can go sideways both to themselves and to the owner. For example, any stranger with a treat in his hands and an affectionate voice is able to lure a “Boston” away and lead him away in an unknown direction.

Boston Terriers are vulnerable creatures, and any rudeness provokes the appearance of a grimace of disappointment on their faces, therefore it is not only undesirable to apply forceful techniques to them, but also categorically contraindicated. It is much more effective to attract the dog’s attention with treats, for which “Bostons” will sell not only the soul but also the owner. It is necessary to treat your pet with treats after he has somehow fulfilled the requirement. In this case, the animal will have an incentive to further improve.

When teaching the Boston Terrier to use an outdoor toilet or litter box, do not lose sight of the fact that this breed cannot contain natural needs for a long time. Accordingly, no matter how responsibly you approach the formation of a “toilet” etiquette in a dog, from time to time the “Boston” will make puddles where necessary. Not out of harm, not because he doesn’t understand, just out of necessity. Are you ready to adequately respond to sudden “lakes” on the laminate? In this case, the Boston Terrier is your pet.

Conditions of Detention

On hot days, the breed suffers from overheating, and in cold weather, the short, undercoat loss coat cannot provide a four-legged friend with enough warmth, so the Boston Terrier must live in a house or apartment. It is advisable to equip a separate resting place for the dog in a secluded corner, placing a soft mattress or basket in it. By the way, Boston Terriers are extremely dependent on soft feather beds, so they prefer regular beds to couches, where they willingly relax with the owner. And yet it is better not to accustom them to such excesses, since the overwhelming percentage of “Bostons” suffers from flatulence. It is unlikely that you will be delighted with the one hundred percent “gas pollution” of your own bedroom, which will become an indispensable addition to the pet sprawled on the bed.

Hygiene

With Boston Terriers, you can save a lot on groomer services. The coat of representatives of this breed is short, and occasional combing with a rubberized mitten is enough for it. Although during the molting period (twice a year), the pet’s body should be combed more thoroughly and every other day to speed up the process of renewing the coat. You can rarely bathe Boston Terriers. If the dog for a walk did not measure the depth of the puddles and did not roll its back on long-dead and decomposed animals, there is no point in dragging it to the bathroom.

The muzzles of “American gentlemen” will require more attention. Dogs often get dirty while eating, so wipe the area around the nose and the foot fold more often. The eyes of the representatives of this breed are protruding, easily “catching” infections, so you will have to monitor them. In the morning, the mucous membrane of the Boston Terrier’s eyelids is wiped with a damp cotton cloth (a separate napkin for each eye). If you notice that the eyelid is half covering the eye, from which tears are constantly flowing, most likely the pet has inflammation. The constant scratching of the eye area by animals is also a reason to look into the veterinary office.

Boston Terriers have their ear canals cleaned and their claws cut twice a month. There are no special subtleties in performing these procedures, the same principle applies here as for other breeds. At 3-4 months, puppies begin to glue their ears onto homemade plastic or cardboard frames to give them the correct position (no longer than 5 days). During this period, it is advisable to pet the pet on the headless, although many breeders claim that light touching the ears does not affect their set. A couple of times a week “Boston” is given an examination of the oral cavity, simultaneously removing the yellowish plaque from the teeth with a special silicone nozzle and a cleaning paste for dogs.

Walking

Despite the fact that the Boston Terrier is a 99% decorative breed, its representatives are far from introverts and cannot do without walking. Take (or carry in your arms, if it’s a puppy) the dog outside twice a day, always keeping an eye on the weather. If a blizzard is raging outside the window or the sun is beating down, it is better to postpone the promenade or postpone it to a later / earlier time of the day. In the heat, it is wiser to take a bottle of water and a light plastic bowl with you so that you can water your pet while walking, thereby cooling it down.

On the street, dogs prefer active ball games and short runs. If you got an ultra static pet, and it’s winter outside, it is better to dress it up in a thick felt blanket. It is also important to wean the Boston Terrier from picking up any, even the most harmless, and tempting pieces of food from the ground.

Feeding

Boston Terrier taste preferences are quite traditional. Representatives of this breed respect raw lean meat, offal, ocean fish fillets, as well as low-fat sour milk. Much fewer dogs like all kinds of fiber-containing additives like cereals (buckwheat, rice) and vegetables, but pets quickly get used to them. Once a week, the Boston Terrier is supposed to be pampered with chicken yolk, but quail eggs can be given whole every day. In the first year of life, when an active skeleton is being formed in Boston Terriers, the diet should include collagen-rich foods, for example, cartilage, as well as vitamin complexes with chondroitin. By the way, the more such food is on the puppy’s menu, the faster his ears will “get up”.

Prohibited food:

• sweets and confectionery;
• ice cream (rarely a couple of spoons);
• any fatty meat;
• legumes;
• pearl barley and millet groats;
• potatoes;
• river fish;
• tubular bones.

The average Boston Terrier will never refuse a second meal, which in fact may be completely unnecessary. Nevertheless, the “American gentleman” will gladly find a place in his own stomach for an additional delicacy. Such food fetishism looks funny, but you shouldn’t specifically stimulate it. First, overeating and, as a result, excess weight ruined more than one dog. And secondly, after the holiday of the abdomen, there is a constant reckoning in the form of a “gas attack”, from which your olfactory receptors will suffer.

Health

By inheritance from ancestors to Boston Terriers, a genetic predisposition to the following diseases has passed:

• atopy;
• deafness;
• melanoma;
• cataract;
• hydrocephalus;
• mastocytoma;
• pyloric stenosis;
• brachycephalic syndrome (breathing problems);
• a brain tumor.

But especially “Bostons” are vulnerable to colds and viral infections. So, for example, overcooled during a walk, a dog is able to catch laryngotracheobronchitis, he is kennel cough. Inhabitants of nurseries living in cramped conditions are most infected. Pets usually “catch” the virus at exhibitions or under the door of the veterinarian’s office.

Like all dogs, Boston Terriers must be vaccinated. The first vaccination is given in the nursery, at the age of 2 months. The vaccine is re-administered after two weeks. After the change of milk teeth, approximately 6-7 months, “Bostons” are vaccinated against rabies.

How to Choose a Puppy

• Believe only the documents provided by the seller: puppy metrics, veterinary passports, champion diplomas of parents. If, instead of documentary evidence, the breeder refers to rave reviews from past buyers and his own competence in breeding, forget the road to him.
• Breeders are interested in the quality of offspring test Boston-producers for hereditary diseases: deafness, heart disease, patella. If the owner of the kennel openly declares that he does not financially “pull” medical examinations and in confirmation of the health of the puppies brings his own oaths, it is better to refuse the purchase.
• Take a closer look at how your favorite Boston Terrier puppy behaves in a team. If the baby is angry and bites, it is definitely not worth taking him, since aggressive representatives of this breed should not exist in nature.
• Boston Terrier puppies often have humped backs. In some babies, the defect disappears as they grow older and strengthen the muscles of the legs, in others it remains forever, blocking the animals’ access to exhibitions.
• A traditional Boston puppy should have a square body and large eyes, although in recent years several breed lines have emerged, with small eyes and a relatively long body.
• And don’t forget: the non-profit breeder always keeps the best puppies for themselves, as their main goal is the further development of the breed. In addition, the true specialist is not indifferent to the future fate of the kids, so after the purchase he “leads” the puppy for a year, consulting the new owner for free on health, nutrition, and pet care.