Boston Terrier - Non-Sporting

Unlike most breeds, the origin of the Boston Terrier is well-documented. Around 1865, the coachmen employed by the wealthy people of Boston began to interbreed some of their employers' fine dogs. One of these crosses, between an English Terrier and a Bulldog, resulted in a dog named Hooper's Judge. Although Judge weighed over 30 pounds, he was bred to a smaller female, and their son was in turn bred to another smaller female. Their progeny, probably interbred with one or more French Bulldogs, provided the foundation for the Boston Terrier. By 1889, the breed had become sufficiently popular in Boston that fanciers formed the American Bull Terrier Club, but this proposed name for the breed was not well-received by bull terrier fanciers. The breed's nickname, roundheads, was similarly inappropriate. Shortly after, the breed was named the Boston Terrier, after its birthplace. The Boston's rise from nonexistence to AKC recognition was meteoric by modern standards, as the breed was recognized by the AKC in 1893, less than 20 years after the breed was born. Breeders continued to seek greater consistency. In early years, color and markings were not particularly important, but by the early 1900s, the breed's distinctive markings had become an essential breed feature. The handsome little Boston Terrier quickly gained favor throughout America, ranking as one of the most popular breeds in the early to middle 1900s and retaining great popularity today.