Boston Terrier
Temperament:
The Boston Terrier is an alert, intelligent and friendly contemporary. In recent years, the Boston Terrier has become a popular companion dog. Many quickly recognize him by his distinctive face. Despite its cute appearance, the Boston Terrier is a full-fledged dog. A Boston Terrier goes with his family through thick and thin.
Characteristics
At first glance, the Boston Terrier is recognizable because of the shape of its head. The small dog has a large head and a short muzzle. The large and dark eyes give the dog a cute appearance. Many people fall in love with him because of his great charisma.
The large and protruding ears have also given the Boston Terrier a real cult status. However, a Boston Terrier should not be reduced to his striking appearance. He is a full-fledged dog who wants to be kept busy.
In breeding, a distinction is made according to three weight classes. Therefore, the Boston Terrier can weigh between 6.8 kg and 11.3 kg. If you want a Boston Terrier, you should ask the breeder about the weight class of the parents. This way you can estimate how big and heavy your dog could become later.
The coat of the Boston Terrier is streaked with white markings on the face, chest and front legs. The rest of the coat can be brindle or solid black or black and brown. It is very soft and should have a silky sheen. The small dog has a short tail, which may not be docked in Germany for animal welfare reasons.
The small Boston Terrier is agile and muscular, which is why he likes to move. As a classic companion dog, he likes to participate in the life of his owners. He has a friendly and outgoing nature. He is quite easy to handle and docile. Therefore, even as an inexperienced dog owner, you can do little wrong in training him. Nevertheless, you should of course be consistent and patient, as with any dog.
The sensitive dog is very affectionate and should be raised lovingly and warmly. Due to its friendly character, the Boston Terrier is a good family companion. He is considered very friendly with children.
The small terriers are very agile and enjoy dog sports. Of course, the sport should correspond to his small body size. Many Boston Terriers successfully practice agility. Since the Boston Terrier is easily motivated, he quickly learns tricks. He loves to please his owners. You can keep your Boston Terrier busy with small intelligence games. A daily walk should be a matter of course.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
The Boston Terrier has a very short jaw and a round skull. You should keep this physical feature in mind when feeding your dog. The small dog may have problems with chewing, which means that the teeth are not used evenly. This can affect your dog's health in the long run. In addition, painful inflammation of the gums can occur.
Your Boston Terrier should chew enough to keep his teeth clean. Many chews from the supermarket are hardly suitable for cleaning teeth. Here you should not be guided by the packaging. Instead of industrially produced chewing items should therefore whole Food to be fed.
Well suited are dried cattle scalps or rumen. Such chews contain no grain and no sugar, which protects your Boston Terrier's teeth. Of course, the chews should never be too big, otherwise the dog will eat too many calories.
Also a suitable food for Boston Terrier prevents dental diseases. A suitable dry food for Boston Terrier should not have too large chunks of food. This makes it easier for the small dog to eat.
Despite the flat snout, the dog should not gulp down its food. If the dry food is portioned too small, it can be swallowed without chewing. This causes it to swell up unpleasantly in the stomach. As a dog owner, you should therefore watch your dog while it eats. If your dog eats without chewing, you should give larger pieces of food.
Like other small dogs, the Boston Terrier has a high basal metabolic rate. This means that he needs a relatively large amount of energy. Small dogs, especially terriers, are constantly on the move and need more calories than large dogs. Adapted for these needs, there are special foods for small dogs. They contain relatively many calories and nutrients.
Whether your Boston Terrier prefers fresh food, dry food or wet food depends on your and his preferences. At puppy age, a puppy food should be given that contains enough nutrients for growth.
Sinces food should always be given at the same time. Clean water should be available around the clock.
Boston Terrier Care
The Boston Terrier has a very fine and smooth coat with little undercoat. For daily grooming, it is sufficient to groom the Boston Terrier with a soft brush from time to time.
Brushes with soft rubber nubs massage the dog. If your Boston Terrier got very dirty while playing, you should wash him only with water. Only in exceptional cases should dogs be washed with special dog shampoos. Too frequent shampooing can damage the natural protective layer on the skin and coat. As a result, germs penetrate more quickly.
The sensitive Boston Terrier is known for its sensitivity to temperature changes. His fine coat offers little protection against external influences.
Especially in high temperatures you should take it easy on your Boston Terrier. On warm days, you should only go for a short walk. Allow your dog to lie down in the shade. His short muzzle makes it difficult for the Boston Terrier to pant in the heat, causing him to overheat quickly.
Very low temperatures, cold rain and snow also trouble the Boston Terrier. Boston Terriers are prone to colds. You can protect your Boston Terrier against cold with a dog coat. Even in sub-zero temperatures, you should only take short walks.
As already described, some Boston Terriers have dental problems. Special dog toothbrushes and toothpaste for dogs can prevent tartar. To get your Boston Terrier to let you brush his teeth, you should get him used to it at an early age. With lots of praise and patience, most dogs soon accept this ritual.
Suitable accessories
The Boston Terrier is an adaptable dog that does not require many accessories. The Border Terrier is a very cuddly dog that, like any dog, appreciates a soft bed. Especially the lighter specimens only need a light leash and a well-fitting harness. The short-nosed dogs often have respiratory problems. They should not pull on the collar because of this. A collar is therefore suitable only for Boston Terriers that do not tug on the leash.
For very cold days, your Boston Terrier can get a dog coat that will protect him from hypothermia. The coat should fit well and not hinder your dog when running and playing.
The intelligent and playful Boston Terrier should be encouraged with toys. As already mentioned, he should be able to live out his need to chew. There are numerous resistant toys for this purpose. In addition, intelligence toys are a good employment opportunity.
Origin & History
The Boston Terrier was bred from the English Bulldog and the White English Terrier. The White English Terrier is now extinct, but has contributed to the foundation of several breeds. The French Bulldog was also crossed in the breeding of the Boston Terrier. The relationship is still easily recognizable today.
Originally, the Boston Terrier was American bull terrier designated. Until dog fighting was banned in America in 1900, the breed was bred for this purpose. Later, the small breed became a popular companion dog that won the hearts of many Americans.
For this reason, the breed is still known today in many regions as the national dog of America. At that time, the dogs did not all have prick ears. Only in later times this striking feature became one of the breeding goals.
The Boston Terrier was registered by the American Kennel Club as early as 1893. The dog breed got its name from the city of the same name, where the breeding club for the Boston Terrier was founded. Here the dog was also shown for the first time.
In Europe, the cheerful companion dog has been known since 1927. However, for many decades the breed was hardly spread and there were only a few litters in Germany. In recent years, however, the breed is gaining popularity. In the German Kennel Club (VDH), they have tripled the registered puppies from 95 puppies in 1998 to 322 in 2010.
A big problem of Boston Terriers is their flat nose and very round head. Many of the animals are born by cesarean section. If you want to add a Boston Terrier to your family, you should contact a reputable breeder. This way you will avoid that your dog comes from a torture breeding.
