As American as baseball and apple pie, the Boston Terrier is truly an American bred dog. Born in the mid 1860’s, the result of breeding an English Bulldog named Judge and a White English Terrier named Gyp, and while many of the history books suggest Judge and Gyp were bred to create an American fighting or bullbaiting dog, Mother Nature had a different plan. Originally called the Round Headed Bull & Terrier, the breed took the name Boston Terrier in the early 1890’s with the formation and incorporation of the Boston Terrier Club of America. The American Kennel Club first recognized the breed in 1894, and the tuxedo-clad “American Gentleman” remained one of America’s most popular breeds for most of the first half of the 20th century.
Ironically, despite its name, the Boston Terrier isn’t a terrier at all, but a member of the AKC’s Non Sporting group. While the early Boston Terriers were often upwards of 30 pounds, most of their descendants are between 10 and 25 pounds.
The 21st century Boston Terrier maintains the squared head and body shape of its earlier ancestors, and are lively, lovable, intelligent and often very tenacious in nature. They connect strongly with their human families and are one of the most empathic canine companions. A brachycephalic breed, their snub noses contribute to snorting and snoring at the head end and a fair amount of flatulence at the rear. And their square heads often cause complications in the birthing process, often requiring cesarean section.