Boston Terrier Picture Gallery

Boston Terrier Breeders

Boston Terrier Clubs/Associations

The Full Boston Terrier Description

The Boston Terrier - a native American breed - is known for his sunny disposition. He is happy to know you and to be your friend, and is content to live in the city or country. Even though they are small, they'll bark to let their family know if someone is at the door. The Boston Terrier is a highly intelligent dog.

Did you know?

The Boston Terrier is one of America's native breeds having been developed in Boston, MA.

The Boston Terrier is also sometimes called "the American gentleman among dogs."

So you want to own a Boston Terrier?

His coat is easy to care for when it comes to grooming, a few strokes with a soft brush will keep his short, smooth coat gleaming.

He is loving and sensitive, merry and bright, at times a clown and has a deep love for his family and children.

Usually he will get along well with other family pets if introduced to them at a young age.

Indicative Breed Standard

General Appearance

Smooth-coated, short-headed, compactly built, short-tailed, well balanced dog of medium size, brindle in colour, evenly marked with white. Body rather short and well knit; limbs strong and neatly turned; tail short and no feature so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned. Dog must convey an impression of determination, strength and activity, with style of a high order; carriage easy and graceful.

Characteristic

Lively and intelligent.

Temperament

Determined and strong willed.

Head and Skull

Skull square, flat on top, free from wrinkles; cheeks flat; brow abrupt, stop well defined. Muzzle short, square, wide and deep with no tendency to taper and in proportion to skull; free from wrinkles; shorter in length than in width and depth, approximately one-third of length of skull; width and depth carried out well to end; muzzle from stop to end of nose on a line parallel to top of skull; nose black, wide with well defined line between nostrils. Jaws broad and square. Flews of good depth, not pendulous, completely covering teeth when mouth closed. Head in proportion to size of dog.

Eyes

Wide apart, large and round, dark in colour; expression alert, kind and intelligent. Eyes set square in skull, outside corners on a line with cheeks when viewed from front.

Ears

Carried erect; small, thin, situated as near corner of skull as possible.

Mouth

Teeth short and regular, bite even, or sufficiently undershot to square muzzle.

Neck

Of fair length, slightly arched, carrying head gracefully; neatly set into shoulders.

Forequarters

Shoulders sloping, legs set moderately wide apart on line with point of shoulders; straight in bone and well muscled; pasterns short and strong. Elbows turning neither in nor out.

Body

Deep with good width of chest; back short; ribs deep and well sprung, carried well back to loins; loins short and muscular; rump curving slightly to set-on of tail; flank very slightly cut up; body appears short but not chunky.

Hindquarters

Legs set true, good turn of stifle, hocks well let down; turning neither in nor out; thighs strong and well muscled.

Feet

Round, small, compact, turning neither in nor out; toes well arched.

Tail

Set on low; short, fine, tapering, straight or screw; devoid of fringes or coarse hair, never carried above horizontal.

Gait/Movement

Easy and graceful. Sure-footed straight-gaited, forelegs and hindlegs moving straight ahead with perfect rhythm. Each step indicating grace and power.

Coat

Short, smooth, lustrous and fine in texture.

Colour

Brindle with white markings; brindle must show throughout body distinctly; black with white markings but brindles with white markings preferred. Ideal markings: white muzzle, even white blaze over head, collar, breast, part of whole of forelegs, and hindlegs below hocks.

Size

Weight not exceeding 11.5 kgs (25 lbs) divided by classes as follows: Lightweight: under 6.8 kgs (15 lbs); Middleweight: 6.8 kgs (15 lbs) and under 9.1 kgs (20 lbs); Heavyweight: 9.1 kgs (20 lbs) and under 11.4 kgs (25 lbs).