boston terrier?

Question

history of boston terrier

Answer 1

"We are the heirs of the past, and the Trustees of the future."

I love it!

If only the BYBs could be convinced of this.

Answer 2

The Boston Terrier can trace its history back to 1865, in Boston, Massachusetts. At this time pit fighting between dogs was still a popular form of entertainment. There were a number of breeds of dogs that had their start in the fighting pit, and the Boston Terrier is no exception. The Boston Terrier of 1865 is not the dog we know today.
The history that has been passed down is that Robert C. Hooper, of Boston, Massachusetts, purchased a dog that was part English Bulldog, and part English Terrier (the English Terrier being an all white dog). This dog's name was Judge. He was rather tall in stature, was colored a dark brindle with a white stripe on his face. He possessed a square and blocky head, with a nearly even mouth. Judge weighed approximately 32 pounds. A cross breeding was arranged with a Bulldog-type female by the name of Gyp, who was owned by Edward Burnett, of Southboro, Massachusetts. Gyp was rather short statured, possessed a short, blocky head, and weighed around 20 pounds. What was interesting was that some of the offspring from this mating weighed in excess of 60 pounds. These were not wimpy dogs.
As time passed, these dogs were referred to as stableman's or the barber's dog. The reason being that the employees of the very wealthy (most centered around Breed's Hill of Boston), would get together to gossip, drink, and pass the time at the local tavern. Some of these employees had access to their employer's purebred dogs. These employees would borrow their employer's dogs and breed them to other dogs, and arrange for the puppies to "find new homes". The offspring would end up in the fighting pits, either as young pups to demonstrate their "courage", or as older dogs, to actually fight other dogs, rats, bulls, etc. What is interesting is that these breedings were not foolish, nor frivolous. These people were actually looking for certain qualities in the dogs that they were breeding. They did not know the science of genetics, but they did know that certain strengths could be passed from one generation to another. The dogs that were used in the fighting pits were also used as family dogs. Their devotion to their masters was notable even by the people who found pit fighting repugnant.
By 1891, the Boston Terrier was an established breed of dog. By this we mean that the Boston Terrier was reproducing true to its form. Offspring were consistently looking like their sire and dam. Forty breeders decided to form the American Bullterrier Club in Boston, and applied to the American Kennel Club for membership status. There were many objections raised due to the Boston Terrier not looking anything like a Bullterrier. Finally, a noted writer and authority, James Watson, suggested that since this new breed did not resemble the Bullterrier, that the dog should have its own identity. He felt that this dog having been bred in and around Boston, it should be named the Boston Terrier. So the club changed its name to the Boston Terrier Club and in 1893 it was admitted to membership in the A.K.C.
If we advance the years to the early 1900's, we still can find Boston Terriers being shown in the Conformation Ring weighing around 30 pounds. However, in the 1920's breeders started to pay more attention to the markings on the body, and the body proportions. Pit fighting, for the most part, was illegal in most states, and its popularity was dwindling. So the breeders started looking at the dog as a companion. Remember that these dogs already had a reputation for having a notable devotion to their masters and family. By the 1950's the Boston Terrier was very much like the dog we know today. For show purposes, there are three weight classes that pertain to the Boston - they are light (under 15 lbs.), middle (under 20 lbs.), and heavy-weight (under 25 lbs.).
The Boston Terrier Club has as a guideline for its member breeders - "We are the heirs of the past, and the Trustees of the future." If only all breeders felt that way about their charges.



Hope this helps some :)

Answer 3

The Boston Terrier is a lively, highly intelligent, smooth coated, short-headed, compactly built, short-tailed, well balanced dog, brindle, seal or black in color and evenly marked with white. The head is in proportion to the size of the dog and the expression indicates a high degree of intelligence.

The body is rather short and well knit, the limbs strong and neatly turned, the tail is short and no feature is so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned. The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and activity, with style of a high order; carriage easy and graceful. A proportionate combination of "Color and White Markings" is a particularly distinctive feature of a representative specimen.

"Balance, Expression, Color and White Markings" should be given particular consideration in determining the relative value of GENERAL APPEARANCE to other points.

Size, Proportion, Substance
Weight is divided by classes as follows: Under 15 pounds; 15 pounds and under 20 pounds; 20 pounds and not to exceed 25 pounds. The length of leg must balance with the length of body to give the Boston Terrier its striking square appearance. The Boston Terrier is a sturdy dog and must not appear to be either spindly or coarse. The bone and muscle must be in proportion as well as an enhancement to the dog's weight and structure. Fault: Blocky or chunky in appearance.

Influence of Sex. In a comparison of specimens of each sex, the only evident difference is a slight refinement in the *****'s conformation.

Head
The skull is square, flat on top, free from wrinkles, cheeks flat, brow abrupt and the stop well defined. The ideal Boston Terrier expression is alert and kind, indicating a high degree of intelligence. This is a most important characteristic of the breed. The eyes are wide apart, large and round and dark in color. The eyes are set square in the skull and the outside corners are on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front. Disqualify: Eyes blue in color or any trace of blue. The ears are small, carried erect, either natural or cropped to conform to the shape of the head and situated as near to the corners of the skull as possible.

The muzzle is short, square, wide and deep and in proportion to the skull. It is free from wrinkles, shorter in length than in width or depth; not exceeding in length approximately one-third of the length of the skull. The muzzle from stop to end of the nose is parallel to the top of the skull.

The nose is black and wide, with a well defined line between the nostrils. Disqualify: Dudley nose.

The jaw is broad and square with short regular teeth. The bite is even or sufficiently undershot to square the muzzle. The chops are of good depth, but not pendulous, completely covering the teeth when the mouth is closed. Serious Fault: Wry mouth.

Head Faults: Eyes showing too much white or haw. Pinched or wide nostrils. Size of ears out of proportion to the size of the head. Serious Head Faults: Any showing of the tongue or teeth when the mouth is closed.

Neck, Topline and Body
The length of neck must display an image of balance to the total dog. It is slightly arched, carrying the head gracefully and setting neatly into the shoulders. The back is just short enough to square the body. The topline is level and the rump curves slightly to the set-on of the tail. The chest is deep with good width, ribs well sprung and carried well back to the loins. The body should appear short. The tail is set on low, short, fine and tapering, straight or screw and must not be carried above the horizontal. (Note: The preferred tail does not exceed in length more than one-quarter the distance from set-on to hock.) Disqualify: Docked tail.

Body Faults: Gaily carried tail. Serious Body Faults: Roach back, sway back, slab-sided.

Forequarters
The shoulders are sloping and well laid back, which allows for the Boston Terrier's stylish movement. The elbows stand neither in nor out. The forelegs are set moderately wide apart and on a line with the upper tip of the shoulder blades. The forelegs are straight in bone with short, strong pasterns. The dewclaws may be removed. The feet are small, round and compact, turned neither in nor out, with well arched toes and short nails. Faults: Legs lacking in substance; splay feet.

Hindquarters
The thighs are strong and well muscled, bent at the stifles and set true. The hocks are short to the feet, turning neither in nor out, with a well defined hock joint. The feet are small and compact with short nails. Fault: Straight in stifle.

Gait
The gait of the Boston Terrier is that of a sure footed, straight gaited dog, forelegs and hind legs moving straight ahead in line with perfect rhythm, each step indicating grace and power. Gait Faults: There will be no rolling, paddling, or weaving, when gaited. Hackney gait. Serious Gait Faults: Any crossing movement, either front or rear.

Coat
The coat is short, smooth, bright and fine in texture.

Color and Markings
Brindle, seal, or black with white markings. Brindle is preferred ONLY if all other qualities are equal. (Note: SEAL DEFINED. Seal appears black except it has a red cast when viewed in the sun or bright light.) Disqualify: Solid black, solid brindle or solid seal without required white markings. Gray or liver colors.

Required Markings: White muzzle band, white blaze between the eyes, white forechest.

Desired Markings: White muzzle band, even white blaze between the eyes and over the head, white collar, white forechest, white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs below the hocks. (Note: A representative specimen should not be penalized for not possessing "Desired Markings."

A dog with a preponderance of white on the head or body must possess sufficient merit otherwise to counteract its deficiencies.

Temperament
The Boston Terrier is a friendly and lively dog. The breed has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier an incomparable companion.

Summary
The clean-cut short backed body of the Boston Terrier coupled with the unique characteristics of his square head and jaw, and his striking markings have resulted in a most dapper and charming American original: The Boston Terrier.

Scale of Points
General Appearance
Expression
Head (Muzzle, Jaw, Bite, Skull & Stop)
Eyes
Ears
Neck, Topline, Body & Tail
Forequarters
Hindquarters
Feet
Color, Coat & Markings
Gait
Total 10
10
15
5
5
15
10
10
5
5
10
100

History:



This breed is nicknamed the American gentleman among dogs because of his characteristically gentle disposition. The breed is a true American creation, resulting from a cross between an English Bulldog and a white English Terrier. About 1870 William O'Brien of Boston sold an imported dog named "Judge" to Robert C. Hooper, also of Boston. This dog was commonly known as "Hooper's Judge" and became the ancestor of almost all true modern Boston Terriers. He was mated to a white ***** owned by Edward Burnett named "Gyp" or "Kate". From that mating descended a dog named "Wells' Eph" who was bred to a ***** named "Tobin's Kate". The Boston Terrier as a breed evolved from these dogs.

In 1889 about thirty fanciers in and around Boston organized what was known as the American Bull Terrier Club. They were showing dogs name as Round Heads or Bull Terriers. As time went on, these people met with considerable opposition from Bull Terrier and Bulldog fanciers who objected to the similarity of breed name, as they said this new breed was quite unlike their own. As this breed was in its infancy, the AKC was not yet convinced that the breed would breed true to type. The new breed's supporters would not be dissuaded, however, and they established the Boston Terrier Club of America in 1891, changing the name of the breed from Round Heads or Bull Terriers, to Boston Terriers, taking the name of the city where the breed originated. The American Kennel Club admitted the breed to the Stud Book in 1893.

The Boston Terrier is not a fighter, but is able to take care of himself. As a companion and house pet, he is eminently suitable.