Boston Terrier 101: Breed History
The Boston Terrier, nicknamed The American Gentleman, is the first dog breed to be developed in America. They were bred specifically to be companion dogs to human beings. However, their ancestors were fighting dogs, including their original type of the rare breed the Olde English Bulldogges. This ancient breed was thought to have been created from crossing the English Bulldog and the long-gone English White Terrier.
Dogs were already well established in North America by the time the very first European settlers arrived. However, anything having to do with the Native Americans was seen as shocking, savage and unfamiliar. So the Native American dogs, along with their owners, were ostracized from new America. Boston was one of the biggest shipping towns in New America, and still had close ties to Europe. Therefore, the Boston Terrier came from predominately European bulldog lines.
There were dogs already in North America living with the Native Americans, but they were not the kind of dogs the European colonists were used to. Also, the Native American dogs were still half-wild and independent. The young country of America, although proud of their American-ness, also yearned for some of the comforts of the old country. One of these comforts was for a companion dog based on Bulldog stock.
Hooper’s Judge looked a lot different from today’s Boston Terriers. The only Boston Terrier information we have of him is written descriptions. He was thought to be over thirty pounds, a solid dark brindle color except for a white blaze down the nose. His head was more round like an English Bulldog. He established a breed called the Old English Bulldogge (which has gone through several spellings). The breed still exists today, but it is very rare.
The Boston dog breeders first developed the Old English Bulldogge, which is a far larger dog of solid colors and a round head. The founding father of the Boston Terrier is considered to be the English import Hooper’s Judge, which was bought by Richard C. Hooper of Boston in 1870.
Smaller dogs were favored and kept in the breeding program. The Boston Terrier became a familiar sight in the fashionable homes of the North East as early as 1889.
The breed was considered highly desirable by anyone with a bit of money by 1889. By 1893, the Boston Terrier was a recognized breed in the American Kennel Club. In 1870, the first Boston Terrier was allowed to show. The first breed standard to be passed that made the Boston Terrier as we know him today was drafted in 1900.
Despite all of the generations of fighting dogs in him, a Boston Terrier is more inclined to run away than pick a fight.
