Boston Terrier
By Jacquelyn Valentine
(This article originally appeared in our Spring 2008
magazine. For more information regarding our magazine,
click here.)
Boston is the historic home to many innovative, distinctly American ideas. From the Boston Tea Party to Bunker Hill to Paul Revere’s Ride, the city has been known for the pioneering efforts of its citizens. It is fitting, then, that the American Gentleman of dogs, the Boston Terrier, bred for a “melting pot” of purposes, had its origins there also.
History
Around 1865, wealthy Bostonians traveled by horse and carriage, and the coachmen who handled their horses also looked after the purebred dogs of the wealthy. Most of these stable hands were originally from England and Scotland, and like their bosses, they enjoyed speculating about these canines. Soon, these coachmen began to secretly crossbreed their owners’ purebred dogs. The crossbred litters were passed off as accidents, and the stablemen were doubtlessly offered at least some if not all of the crossbred puppies since the wealthy owners wanted only the purebred dogs.
Some of the Boston stable dogs were fierce English Bulldogs, also known as Molassers and were held in high esteem. Descendents of the Roman Mastiffs, they were used for bull baiting, a practice in which the dog grabbed the bull by the nose with his strong, jutting bottom jaw and held on until the bull went down. Others were known as Bandogs, which were dogs that had to be held by bands or ropes, and were pitted against each other or raging bulls that were about to be butchered. In that day, it was believed that bulls needed to be harassed before they were butchered in order to render more succulent meat.
Another favorite breed, the White English Terrier (now extinct) was strong, fast and alert, with a buoyant spirit. His perseverance carried him through many circumstances and made him the Englishman’s choice for hunting and killing vermin. There is little doubt that these Boston coachmen took the strengths of both these breeds into consideration and deduced that this crossbreed would make a fine dog, with the outstanding qualities of both the English Bulldog and the White English Terrier breeds.
One of these bull terrier crossbreeds was owned by a man named Robert C. Hooper, and was known as Hooper’s Judge. This dog resembled the bull dog more than he did the terrier, and weighed a little more than thirty pounds. Judge was mated to another bull terrier cross named Gyp, who only weighed about twenty pounds. It is thought that their offspring was bred to at least one French bulldog, and thus began the basis for the Boston Terrier.
The first name used to refer to these dogs was the American Bull Terrier; however, the owners of Bull Terriers objected to this. The nickname of the dog, the “roundheads,” was considered, but not many people favored this name. Finally, the name Boston Terrier was settled upon, after the city of the breed’s origin. Thanks to the clear documentation that was kept, the Boston Terrier’s background is mostly a matter of record.
Temperament
The Boston Terrier was originally bred to fight, but over the years the breeding has been toward a less aggressive dog. In fact, the breed of today, while very alert and interested in their surroundings, has a rather calm demeanor. While most of these dogs do not bark incessantly, the owner can rest assured that the family will be notified if someone is at the door.
Boston Terriers are eager to please their owners, and this, along with their intelligence and gentle behavior, makes them easy to train. They listen well, and even though they can sometimes be a little stubborn, it seems that these dogs love to learn. Not surprisingly, Boston Terriers are known for doing well in obedience trials.
The Boston Terrier is also interested in playing and having a good time with the family and consequently does well with children. They are small enough not to injure a small child by running into them, and their chances of being hurt by a child are minimized by their stocky, muscular build. In fact, this smart, amiable dog makes a great companion for any family member, the elderly included. As a testament to the breed’s intelligence, a Boston Terrier is sensitive to the tone of a person’s voice, an appreciated trait for the dog of an elderly person or a child.
In more recent years this dog has been bred to be a companion and should be kept indoors where it can be around people. This qualifies the Boston Terrier as a wonderful dog for apartment dwellers and families who don’t have an enclosed dog yard. There is a need to romp around in the yard or take a daily walk, and the dog revels in playtime; however, the Boston Terrier doesn’t need as much exercise time as some other breeds do.
Health
The Boston Terrier is one of the short-faced breeds commonly referred to as the Brachycephalic breeds. Breathing problems can occur because of the way these dogs’ heads and noses are shaped; this is another reason that this breed of dog should live indoors. These breathing problems frequently occur when the dog is under stress, including getting too hot or too cold. Many of these dogs also snore because of this same physical characteristic.
Due to its protruding eyes, the Boston Terrier is prone to certain eye problems. Characterized by an opaqueness or white spot on any part of the lens of the eye, this breed can develop cataracts which impair the vision to varying degrees. Cataracts can either be congenital (usually the case with juvenile cataracts) or as a result of another disease or of aging. Other eye problems that may affect this breed are cherry eye (a condition in which the third eyelid protrudes out of the eye) and corneal ulcers. Corneal ulcers are usually caused by allergies, scratching, scraping or other injuries to the eye.
The Boston Terrier breed may be affected by a luxating patella, a condition in which the patella (the bone in the ligament that surrounds the knee) is too weak to support the kneecap and hold it in place. The dog is usually able to walk around until the kneecap pops back into the correct position. A veterinarian may recommend surgery in extreme cases, or anti-inflammatory drugs may be sufficient to control the condition.
Boston Terrier pups are often delivered by Cesarean section because of the female’s narrow pelvis and the pups’ large rounded heads and wide shoulders. There simply isn’t enough room for the pup to travel from the uterus down through the birth canal. However, this isn’t usually considered a problem, as the veterinarian fully expects this with a pregnant Boston Terrier.
Grooming
One of the many blessings of owning a Boston Terrier is the ease of the grooming responsibilities. The short haired coat simplifies this process, leaving only the basic grooming tasks to be done. This dog usually enjoys regular washing and brushing; the primary goal of this routine is to keep the skin and coat shiny, clean and healthy. The use of a conditioner when shampooing this breed helps to keep the coat from becoming too dry.
Since the Boston Terrier’s ears stand erect, they tend to get dirty, so its best to check for debris as well as ear mites whenever you brush your dog. The face and nose should be gently wiped and kept clean, and a quick glance at his eyes to check for any scratches or irritation is advisable at grooming time, also.
A Spunky State Representative
In 1979 Governor Edward Joseph King, then governor of the state of Massachusetts, made the Boston Terrier the official state dog, further proof that this exuberant little dog is an established part of the Massachusetts scenery. Now, if he can endear himself to an entire state, imagine what this compact guy, with his short coat, distinctive snout and bigger than life eyes, must mean to his owner!
Boston University's Rhett
The dapper “American Gentleman” has the distinct honor of mascot for Boston University. Rhett, the tough and tenacious Boston Terrier mascot, was “born” on May 5, 1922 and has been the mostly dignified, sometimes snarling symbol for the school ever since. And who better to represent Boston than the city’s very own native dog?
Why the name Rhett? Well, the school’s colors are scarlet and white, so the Boston Terrier mascot was named after the character, Rhett Butler, in Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel, Gone with the Wind, because “No one loves Scarlett more than Rhett.”