Description

Sometimes called the American Gentleman, the Boston Terrier is a handsome, compact dog. Despite their small stature, they are sturdy and muscular. They have a square head with large bat-like ears (though occasionally some are born with floppy ears) and large round eyes. The muzzle is short but wide, with little to no wrinkling. The upper jaw is often a little shot, though the lower jaw is generally in proportion to the rest of the body. The Boston Terrier’s tail is set low on the rump. The tail can be short and straight, or a corkscrew shape.

Origin: America

Look

Boston Terriers have short, smooth coats. These dogs are easy to groom, and just need the occasional bath and brush with a grooming mitt. Boston Terriers don’t shed much, and grooming helps to keep shedding in check.
Boston Terriers can be black, brindle, or seal (a very dark brown) with white markings on the chest, face and legs. These dogs sometimes look like they’re wearing a tuxedo – no wonder the breed is sometimes called the American Gentleman.

Health

While the Boston Terrier is generally a healthy dog, they are prone to a few health conditions:
• Cataracts
• Cherry Eye
• Patellar Luxation
• Heart murmurs
• Brain Tumours
• Deafness
• Megaoesophagus
• Allergies
• Reverse sneezing
Boston Terriers often have trouble giving birth naturally and often need Caesarean sections.
At Newdoggy.com we promote puppies coming from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

The Boston Terrier is very intelligent and loves to learn. They are sometimes stubborn, so be firm but gentle during training. Like many small dogs, there is a risk of the Boston Terrier developing “small dog syndrome”, where small dogs are allowed to get away with bad behaviours that would not be accepted in a larger dog, and consequently think they are top dog (literally). Small Dog Syndrome essentially means that your dog thinks he is in charge, not you. Consistent, firm, and gentle training is key to making sure that your Boston Terrier does not develop this problem.

Temperament

You would never guess that the Boston Terrier was originally bred for pit fighting. They are incredibly friendly and affectionate. They tend to be playful and make great family dogs. Their friendliness means they usually get on with other dogs and other animals just fine. Boston terriers are sometimes overly protective of their owners, which can lead to behavioural problems: good training will help you avoid this.
You can bring out the best in your Boston Terrier by socialising them from an early age. This will give them confidence and help them to understand how they should behave in different situations.

Living with

The Boston Terrier does need daily exercise, but fortunately short sessions of exercise are enough for this little gentleman. Beware heat stroke: the Boston Terrier’s short muzzle makes the breed very prone to overheating. This short muzzle also makes the Boston Terrier prone to snorting and snoring.
They are also quite sensitive to the cold. This is definitely a house dog, though if you have a garden or yard with a fence (these dogs can move surprisingly fast) your Boston Terrier will probably enjoy playing there.
Boston Terriers do not bark often, and are perfectly comfortable living in apartments.