Stylized Seated Boston Terrier Dog 3D Print Model

The Boston Terrier is a dog breed that originated in the United States. Known as the American Gentleman, it was recognized as a non-sporting breed by the American Kennel Club in 1893. Boston Terriers are characterized by their small, compact bodies, short tails, and upright ears.

In 2022, the Boston Terrier was ranked as the 24th most popular breed in terms of registrations with the American Kennel Club.

History

The breed traces its roots back to around 1870, when Robert C. Hooper of Boston acquired a dog named Judge (later referred to as Hooper's Judge) from William O'Brien. This dog belonged to the bull and terrier lineage and is considered a direct ancestor of the original bull and terrier breeds from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The American Kennel Club recognizes Hooper's Judge as the progenitor of nearly all contemporary Boston Terriers.

Judge weighed approximately 32 pounds (15 kg) and was bred with a bulldog-type female named Gyp (or Kate), owned by Edward Burnett from Southboro, Massachusetts. Gyp weighed around 20 pounds (9.1 kg) and exhibited a stocky build with the characteristic blocky head seen in modern Boston Terriers. From this initial breeding, subsequent breeders worked to refine the breed into its current form. Originally, Boston Terriers were bred down in size from fighting dogs of the bull and terrier types, with early specimens weighing up to 44 pounds (20 kg).

The Boston Terrier Club was established in 1891 and became a member of the American Kennel Club in 1893. It is one of the few breeds that originated in the United States.

In the breed's early years, color and markings were not considered significant in the breed standard.