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Breed Guide

The Boston Terrier: What They Were Bred to Do

The dog was bred as a companion, not a worker.

What drives your dog?

Breed is a starting guess. Take the free drive test to see which job your dog actually runs on, with three ways to give them that job this week. We email you the result.

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Where the Boston Terrier came from

The Boston Terrier began in Boston in the 1870s. Around 1870, Robert C. Hooper bought a dog named Judge, a mix of bulldog and terrier. Judge became the ancestor of nearly all modern Boston Terriers.

Boston dog lovers bred Judge's descendants to get a smaller, friendly companion. The dogs were first shown as Round Heads or Bull Terriers, which upset bull terrier and bulldog breeders, so the name became Boston Terrier.

The AKC recognized the Boston Terrier in 1893. It is one of a small number of breeds that began in the United States, and is often called the American Gentleman.

  • About 1870 Robert Hooper of Boston buys Judge, ancestor of nearly all Boston Terriers
  • 1891 The Boston Terrier Club of America is formed and the breed gets its name
  • 1893 The AKC recognizes the Boston Terrier

The job a Boston Terrier was bred for

The dog was bred as a companion, not a worker. Ancestors had been fighting and ratting dogs, but breeders wanted a friendly, gentle dog. At home they are cheerful, clownish, social and want to be near their people.

Sports that fit a Boston Terrier

  • Scent work. Low-impact and fun for a social dog.
  • Trick dog. Eager and cheerful.
  • Rally. Good for focus and bonding.
  • Therapy work. Friendly and gentle.

Training tips for a Boston Terrier

  • Keep sessions short and fun. They love people and treats.
  • Teach calm greetings to channel their enthusiasm.
  • Use a harness. Their short noses make collars a poor choice.
  • Stay cool and avoid hard exercise in warm weather.

Body and health

Bostons are short-nosed and can overheat or struggle for air, so avoid heat, hard running and high jumping. Their eyes are prominent and easily scratched.

Fun fact. Because of their formal black and white coat, Boston Terriers are nicknamed the American Gentleman.

Breed is where we start

A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Boston Terrier is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.

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Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.