Boston Terrier
One of the first breeds developed in the United States, wearing the markings that got it called the American gentleman. Terrier in name, companion in fact.
Photo by sendaiblog, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Boston Terrier came out of a nineteenth century cross between an English Bulldog and a white English Terrier, and it was bred down from a fighting dog into a companion within a few decades. It is one of the few breeds developed in the United States and it is the state dog of Massachusetts.
It is brachycephalic, though considerably less extreme than a Pug or a French Bulldog, and the shortened muzzle still brings consequences.
Temperament
Friendly, lively and comic. Bostons are good with children, generally good with other dogs, and they are among the easiest of the flat faced breeds to live with temperamentally.
They are moderately trainable and can be stubborn, and they are sensitive to tone. They are not heavy barkers and they are alert enough to notice a doorbell.
Care and grooming
A short smooth coat that needs a weekly rub down. Very little work.
The face is the health story. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome occurs in the breed, the prominent eyes are vulnerable to injury and to corneal ulcers, and heat is genuinely dangerous. Patellar luxation, deafness and cataracts also occur.
Living and exercise
Thirty to sixty minutes a day, split, and never in heat. A flat faced dog cools by panting and a shortened airway makes panting less effective, which is why these breeds die in hot cars and on hot walks.
They suit flats and they suit first time owners better than most brachycephalic breeds. Eleven to thirteen years is normal.
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