THE BOSTON TERRIER,
AN AMERICAN CHARACTER
by Malcolm Dupris
The Boston Terrier had a scrappy beginning in
the fighting pits of early Boston, Massachusetts. Of course, the
Boston Terrier was a larger dog then. It's size may have diminished
over time, but its personality, devotion to his master and family, and
its intelligence is still remarkable. Boston Terriers have been described
as "people in little fur coats". The Boston Terrier is ideal for
those who are looking for an indoor dog. The Boston cannot
tolerate the cold due to its short coat; and their short noses make them
susceptible to overheating. Boston Terriers are lively, they do need
walks and exercise but are not designed to be running companions.
They love to play indoors with their toys, they are very affectionate,
almost demanding attention. Bostons are highly intelligent and easily
trained. A number of Boston Terriers have successfully competed in Obedience
Trials. They are naturally very clean dogs, they only need a daily brushing,
and a bath about every two weeks to keep the dander and fur under control,
for people with allergies. This is not to say that this breed is
hypoallergenic, it is not. Every living thing sheds. If you
control the amount of dander and loose hair, many people are able to tolerate
contact with dogs.
But a word of warning needs to be stated here.
When one combines intelligence with a high activity level, without training
this dog can become a disaster. So when you purchase this energetic,
curious dog, be prepared to be persistent, patient and consistent in your
expectations and training. Some people have found the Boston Terrier
to be a wonderful watchdog. Not a yappy dog, he will bark when someone
is at the door. If someone, that the dog does not know, is trying
to gain access to his territory, or your home, he can be grimly determined
to stop that person. Other owners find that their dog loves everybody,
and the dog seems to think that everyone is there to love him. It
all depends on the personality of that particular dog, and the training
and environment the dog is raised in.
This dog wants to be everywhere the family,
or owner, happens to be. He is a wonderful traveling companion, very
outgoing and entertaining. The Boston Terrier gets along well with
other pets and with children. It is advisable to try to raise the
Boston with the children and pets, and to socialize the dog at an early
age. Children must be supervised around any dog, they don't mean
to hurt the dog, but accidents do happen, and once hurt, the dogs tend
to be untrusting and fearful after that.
The Boston Terrier is a member of the Non-Sporting
Group at the A.K.C. conformation shows. As far as Obedience, Bostons
have been known to do quite well in trials. The trick is to keep
it interesting. The Boston wants to please you, but not at the cost
of their being bored. They possess well-muscled legs, a wide chest,
and a short back. They are inclined to wheeze or snore, but after
a short time you hardly even notice. Their life span ranges around
11 to 14 years. When used for breeding they tend to have small litters,
usually 2-4 pups, and mostly they deliver the pups by Caesarian section,
due to the narrow birthing canal, and the large skull and chest size.
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