Yes indeed, Boston is a great city full of life, history, and not-so-much practicality, much like the Boston Terrier itself.
The Boston Terrier was ratified as the state dog of Massachusetts in 1979.
The Terrier, nicknamed “The American Gentleman”, was accepted by the American Kennel Club as a non-sport breed in 1893. According to the AKC, there are very exacting standards as to what makes a show-quality terrier.
However, like all true American dog breeds, the Boston Terrier is actually a mutt, and comes in a variety of colors.
Origins
The Boston Terrier breed first emerged in 1870 in Boston when a judge sold his Bulldog/Terrier to a man who bred it with the local breeds.
The current form of the Boston Terrier resembles a French Bulldog, only with a round head that gives the breed its other nickname, “roundheads”.
Description
The Boston Terrier is a small, non-sports dog that can grow up to 17 inches tall and weigh 25 lbs., according to the American Kennel Club.
According to the AKC, a “proper” Boston terrier should “have white that covers its chest, muzzle, band around the neck, half way up the forelegs, up to the hocks on the rear legs, and a white blaze between but not touching the eyes.”
In reality this little dog can be teal, brittle, brown or solid depending on its ancestry. What doesn’t change within the breed is the kind and gentle nature of the dog that give it its proper nickname.