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According to one of the legends of origin, this adorable dog, who looks like an agile imp or hero of cartoons, was bred in America, and began to be widely used in Britain, where this terrier was recognized as a gentleman's dog. Representatives of this breed have a characteristic black and white coat color, which allows them to be distinguished from ordinary terriers or from a bulldog.
The history of the breed
Apparently, these dogs, which were bred in the United States in the nineteenth century, were indeed artificially crossed in Boston, the most aristocratic city of New Britain. Breeders of America, as is commonly believed, used white British Terriers and English Bulldogs for crossing.The first individuals saw the light in 1865, and then the experts began working on the Boston terrier, moving from the bulldogs themselves to boxers or bull terriers for the whole crossing process.
This version has a lot of evidence. The ancestor of the whole breed is the dog, nicknamed Ja-ja, the Bull Terrier, who arrived in Massachusetts by ship. Its owner decided to continue breeding, noticing how his pet "paid attention" to the neighbors' dog, whose breed was not known. The result was the emergence of the Boston terriers. Then the owner of the dog mate between each other puppies Ja-Ja. Then the grandchildren appeared. The male continued mating until the breed standard appeared. In 1878, an exhibition was held where these dogs were presented to the public, and after a few decades, these “round-headed boules” began to enjoy unprecedented demand, hitting the European continent.
In the territory of England, in the post-war period, the dog managed to get accustomed, as the Europeans could not notice the difference between the Boston terrier and the French bulldog. At the same time, if we talk about the nature of the character, these dogs will not even be able to compare with each other.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the first representatives of the breed appeared in Russia, gaining extraordinary popularity. And in the US, the Boston Bulldog still ranks among the 25 most common breeds. They managed to achieve this by a polite disposition, patience, sociable character.
Initially, these animals were considered decorative, which are great for keeping in an apartment, and can become loyal comrades to the owner and children. And all these functions performed these dogs perfectly.
Description of breed standard
The Boston terrier has received from nature an unusual appearance and medium size. Usually, the height of individuals at the withers is around 40 cm; if we take into account their small weight, these values can be considered impressive. Terriers live, if their content is correct, about 14-16 years. An adult dog reaches a weight of 10 kg, if these figures are exceeded, then the terrier is considered to be a pampered overweight dog.
If you rely on the FCI standards, the Boston terriers come in three classes, depending on their size:
- Small - weight does not exceed 6.7 kg.
- Medium - weight in the range from 6.7 to 9 kg.
- Large - weight in the range from 9 to 11.36 kg.
Usually the Boston terrier has a brindle color, that is, on the skin there are symmetrical white specks:
- In the area of the limbs and chest.
- In the forehead area.
- Limbs from the back.
- Sometimes on the tail.
- On the lower jaw.
The head of representatives of the square-shaped breed resembles the shape of the face of a French bulldog. The nose is pigmented black, eyes brown, slightly protruding. Ears are small, pointed and stick up. The tail of the representatives of the breed is often stopped, in itself is thin and not very long.
Currently, the original decoration of these dogs is firmly entrenched, and many people opt for the Boston terrier, so that their children have an excellent companion.Terriers have a very peculiar appearance, because breeders often do not feel enthusiastic about her. But one should not reject such a choice only because of the appearance of the animal, because their character is simply amazing.
These dogs are amazing, suitable for living in the apartment, as they are miniature and very clean animals, in this plan resembling a cat. In this case, it is advisable not to start a terrier, if you plan to live in a house in the country, as these dogs can hardly adapt to the open space and free conditions.
Boston terriers are small, friendly, loyal and very active dogs who unconditionally trust their owner. Regularly, their excessive vigor and strong build can annoy the owner, but you should show a little patience and pay attention to your pet. It is not recommended to ignore the kid's thirst for play, it is often better to play with a puppy, otherwise the dog will grow up as a lazy and sleepy animal.
Character traits
Hardly anyone who is well acquainted with the Boston terriers can call them arrogant, boring, and lazy animals.These dogs are always cheerful, active, and love to play in their free time with the owner or children, go for a walk. Like a real terrier, this dog will run through the grass.
In a society of breeders of the Boston terrier, they are often considered a bit stubborn and capricious, while he can become an excellent companion to the owner, and with the necessary training will always be a faithful helper and friend.
It is noteworthy that the small dimensions do not interfere with the use of these dogs as watchmen. At the same time, this kind of service needs an enormous amount of patience in the process of dressing; otherwise, a dog who does not know how to distinguish strangers will quietly run after any person. Usually there are no problems with the process of training, as the terriers calmly react to training, are ready to obey people of all ages, and even without problems they find a common language with other pets. However, sometimes the Boston terrier can demonstrate aggression towards representatives of other breeds: being in their own territory, these dogs are sometimes owners.
Keep in mind that the Boston terriers have a vulnerable character, so do not shout at the pet during his training, because the dog can take offense and remember the insult for a long time.
These animals have an amazing feature that is comfortable for the owners - they, following the instincts, are always ready to rely on the owner and trust him, despite what he does. The terrier believes that any act of the owner is necessarily done for good. Also, there are no difficulties in the care and upbringing of a pet, as these dogs always listen to the owner. Even the veterinarian and the accompanying procedures are ready to endure without hesitation, being confident in the decision of the owner.
Fact! On a par with high energy, terriers have an enviable exposure. These dogs are very calm, show little aggression and never get angry.
Also, a nice feature is that the Boston terriers have a conscience, and if the dog is naughty, then the pet will repent for the perfect offense - you will certainly notice it.
Features of care for the Boston terrier
- Walking This is a breed that needs regular and long walks. It is necessary to bring a pet under the open sky twice a day or more, to actively play with him and engage in training.
- Feeding. It is a very unpretentious animal, which sometimes turns into problems with the intestines.If you use dry food, which will be balanced, or natural food, with the exception of sweets and harmful products, the coat of the pet will not lose its gloss and smoothness.
- Coat Many dog lovers decide to have a Boston terrier, relying on the fact that these animals are short-haired. And in fact, these little dogs do not need special care, since the moult happens only once a year, and then for a short time. If possible, for regular combing is better to use a metal brush.
- Water treatments. Bathe your pet often should not be. It is enough to wipe the paws after walking, and in other situations you can pay attention to the white spots of the coat, and if the dog is dirty, it's time to bathe. When the pet has eaten, you can use a soft napkin to wipe the muzzle.
- Eyes. It is advisable to use a cotton swab dipped in chlorhexidine or saline to wipe the eye area. If the dog suffers from lacrimation, purulent discharge, you can brew a very weak tea and, dipping a cotton swab in it, gently dab your eyes.
- Seasons. In winter, it is important to provide proper care for the Boston terrier. Having a short coat, the pet is very cold. Therefore, experts recommend the use of puhovichki designed for this season. And in the summer heat it is better not to go out too often under the scorching sun, as the terrier can easily overheat.
The structure of the skull and the dog's larynx is determined by the fact that often terriers snore. And this is probably one of the few minuses of Bostons, to which the owners, adoring the doggie, can quickly get used to.
These animals can perfectly endure hours of loneliness, so you should not worry if you left the pet alone with you. However, for too long a period you should not leave a terrier, because otherwise its psyche can be undermined. If you cannot take your pet with you for a long time, then it is important to have another dog for your company or a cat in the house.
Boston Terrier Health
Considering the physical abilities that are inherent in the Boston terrier nature, we can say that this breed is unpretentious to external conditions and has high endurance.However, these animals have their weak points:
- Their eyes are always bulging. Consequently, they can be traumatized by fragments of debris, dust.
- The terrier often falls ill with otitis, sinusitis and a number of other inflammatory processes - sinuses of the nose and ears are affected.
- Sometimes, when the Boston terrier only matures, he develops a juvenile cataract. If it is noted that the puppy has become worse to see, his gaze seems to be clouded and absent, you should immediately contact the veterinarian.
- About 6 percent of dogs are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Quite a few dogs are prematurely dying due to feeding errors, cancer or problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Boston Terrier Nutrition
In these animals, the muzzle is short enough, therefore, it is important to decide in advance what to use as food. Your pet will not have a very roomy stomach, which requires feeding twice a day. It is important that the terrier always has a cool clean water near it. Do not take ordinary water from the tap, if there is no filter, as it is filled with chlorine and other harmful elements.
It is necessary to choose a diet, having defined - it will be a natural food or a dry forage. It is important to understand that the feed should be selected in accordance with the size of the pet.
Tips:
- Many people choose natural food. Food in this case should be finely chopped, otherwise the puppies will not be able to properly eat the proposed food.
- Initially, in the morning it is recommended to offer low-fat cottage cheese, you can with honey. You can also add kefir.
- Be sure to offer lean meat - can beef or veal.
- You can alternate between vegetables and cereals: buckwheat and rice.
- If the puppy is offered a natural food, the diet is important to dilute with vitamins and minerals.
Upbringing and training
Incredible feature of the Boston terriers is their unconditional trust in the owner, all-consuming love and respect. It always turns out that the puppy of a terrier is easily exposed to training. They have no doubt that classes are held correctly, that they are extremely important, and therefore it is possible to master the entire training program in a short period. And thanks to a serious, calm and balanced character, dogs behave restrained and polite when trained. At the same time, it is important to understand that you need to train your pet in a quiet and confidential environment,which should be accompanied by obedient performance of those teams that are placed in front of the pet.
Video: Boston Terrier Dog Breed
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