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Although not colored red, white and blue, Boston Terriers are the all-American dog. They were developed in the city of Boston, as their name suggests, and then spread out across the nation and the world. They are very much like the American owners who developed them. The Boston Terrier was not in America when the colonists arrived. They were developed from dogs brought over and imported from Europe.

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.

The first dog considered to have the most influence on today's Boston Terriers was a dog imported from England called Hooper's Judge. He was thought to have been born in about 1865. He was purchased by Richard C. Hooper of Boston in 1870 and known for excellent looks, as well as a friendly and lively disposition. Most of his puppies looked like him, but dog breeders purposefully tried to breed smaller dogs. He often was put to the now extinct breed English White Terrier.

No matter what kind of bitch Hooper's Judge was put to, the puppies took on mostly his characteristics and not hers. Nobody spayed or neutered their dogs back then, as there was usually a need for more dogs, and no sign of the pet overpopulation problem of today. Also, veterinary medicine for dogs was pretty primitive back then. Soon, the Boston Bull Terrier was known outside of Boston.

Eventually, the determined Boston breeders got the dog they wanted. This Boston Bull Terrier or Boston Bull was about fifteen to twenty five pounds, had a naturally short tail and had an evenly proportioned amount of white with the colors black, seal or brindle.

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 future of the Boston Terrier looks very good, because there has been just as much attention to breeding a good temperament as there has been to breeding cute looks. There have been attempts to make a teacup sized Boston Terrier, but they are frowned on because of health concerns.

Despite all of the generations of fighting dogs in him, a Boston Terrier is more inclined to run away than pick a fight.

About: Wendy Caples is a passionate lover of the Boston Terrier and owns a popular website that can teach you how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Boston Terrier. Among other topics at this website, you will find out more about Boston Terrier Training plus a whole lot more.

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