Breed Standard
Head: Angular, short. Skull angular, flat, without wrinkles. Well-pronounced stop. Short, angular, broad, high muzzle. Broad, angular jaws. Wide, black nose.
Ears: Set on high, small, carried erect, either natural or cropped.
Eyes: Large, round, well-spaced, dark.
Body: Fairly short. Neck slightly arched. Broad brisket. Chest well let-down. Well-sprung ribs.
Tail: Set on low, short, slender. Straight or screw. Should not be carried above the topline.
Hair: Short, smooth, fine.
Coat: Brindle, seal color (black with chestnut highlights), or black with evenly spaced white markings. Required markings: white band around the muzzle, white flare between the eyes, white on the brisket. Forelegs entirely or partially white. White markings below the hocks on the hind legs are prized.
Size: 25 to 40 cm.
Weight: 7 to 11 kg.
History
The Boston Terrier was created by American breeders around 1870 for Boston's traditional dog fights. To develop the breed, they crossed the Bulldog and the Bull Terrier in order to maximize the fighting skill of both breeds. Additional crosses were made with the French Bulldog. The Boston Terrier was first shown in Boston in 1870. In 1891, the Boston Terrier Club of America was founded. The breed is not very widespread in Europe.
Behavior
Tough, solid, and very lively, this ratter trained dog seldom barks. He is very good-natured and has a big heart, making him a wonderful pet. He has even been nicknamed the "American Gentleman". He is a vigilant little watchdog but is not aggressive. He needs firm training.
In modern days, aside from being an excellent companion, the Boston Terrier also excels in all sorts of canine sports. The breed is increasingly popular in dog agility competitions, obedience training, rally obedience, tracking, dock diving, flyball, weight-pulling, barn hunting and lure coursing. Being such a versatile breed and with their outgoing personality and eagerness to meet new acquaintances, the Boston Terrier is a popular therapy dog.
Function
Companion, Pet.
Health
Curvature of the back, called roaching, might be caused by patella problems with the rear legs, which in turn causes the dog to lean forward onto the forelegs. This might also just be a structural fault with little consequence to the dog. Due to their shortened muzzles, many Boston Terriers cannot tolerate excessively hot or cold weather and demanding exercise under such conditions can cause them harm. A sensitive digestive system is also typical of Boston Terriers with flatulence commonly being associated with poor diet in the breed.
Their large and prominent eyes make Boston Terriers prone to corneal ulcers. Due to the breed being characterized by a short muzzle paired with a large pair of eyes, their eyes are susceptible to injury when making contact with sand, dust, debris, or sharp objects, such as plants with thorns.
Boston Terriers are brachycephalic breeds. The word comes from Greek roots "Brachy," meaning short and "cephalic," meaning head. This anatomy can cause tiny nostrils, long palates and a narrow trachea. Bostons may be prone to snoring and reverse sneeze—a rapid and repeated forced inhalation through the nose—accompanied by snorting or gagging sounds used to clear the palate of mucus, which does not harm the dog if it does not last for more than 1–2 minutes. Brachycephalic dogs may be prone to complications with general anesthesia. Bostons frequently require caesarean section to give birth, with over 80% of litters in a UK Kennel Club survey delivered this way.
