Boston Terrier

Description:
The Boston terrier has the body of a terrier but it has a short head and this characteristic is what makes it unique. Although it is a smaller dog, it isn't considered a toy; its size is actually medium in any of the three varieties it comes in which are less than 7.5 kilograms and in between 7.5 and 10 kilograms. A male Boston terrier should not weigh any more than twelve and a half kilograms. Its coat is smooth, and it comes in black or seal color combined with white symmetrically over its nose, its forehead and its chest as well as its legs. This is a very strong and compact looking dog. If you are considering getting one make sure it doesn't look thin or square or chubby. Its head is a registered trademark of the dog; its skull is square, flat on the top and its cheeks are flat without wrinkles and it has abrupt looking eyebrows. Its eyes should look separate from each other and they should look black, not blue. It has a short and square nose, which is wide. Its nose should be black, not spotted though. Its chin is square and the way its mouth should close evenly. Avoid getting ones that have pronounced pragmatisms. The torso should look kind of short and its tail should be inserted under its legs and is straight or curled, never cut though. Its shoulders should be inclined and well inclined back, and its legs should be strong looking.

Ideal owner:
The Boston terrier is an excellent choice if you have children in your home. It is considered to be a gentleman (in the dog way) and is relaxed and responsible. It's very clean and does not have the typical dog smell to it, which is an advantage and this aspect makes it very easy to be around and take care of. Most owners have no problem at all with the size of this dog and they use it as a lap dog even though it's not a lap dog. The Boston terrier is very calm in the house and very well educated and is an excellent guard dog. Although they are very peaceful dogs, they do know how to defend themselves. Its eyes are somewhat prominent so the owner will need to make sure to keep an eye that it does not play too roughly to avoid lesions from occurring on its eyes.

Growth:
Due to the variety of sizes of the breed, the size of the puppies also varies when they are born. Boston terrier puppies grow with certain differences and although most of them grow little by little, there are others that grow very quickly and can look kind of uneven and ugly looking temporarily. It generally reaches its adult size at the age of one year, although the males continue to develop with more substance. Nipping the ears and the tail is optional in this breed but it is not encouraged. Nipping the ears should only be done if the ears are exceptionally big, round or stick up too much (there are some regulations about this in different countries and it is not allowed in some, so you will need to find out before having it done). Breeders do not usually nip the ears until the puppy is around six months old. Make sure to train this dog and teach it to socialize, especially in the case of the males so as to avoid it from being rough and getting into fights with other dogs. Training is suggested starting from a young age.

General health:
Although the potential health problems that a Boston terrier can have may scare some people, the truth is that it is a very resistant dog and has a long life span. Boston terriers are prone to a lot of hereditary and congenital problems, which include heart problems, deafness y juvenile cataracts. There have also been cases seen of these dogs having hydrocephalies, which is liquid in the brain. There are also reported cases of puppies becoming very swollen and deformed, as well as being unable to stand up. Improper mouth closure, straight hocks, eye problems, improper vertebrae growth, malignant and benign tumors, and cysts can also come about. Some Boston terriers do not react well to anesthesia. Due to the shape of its nose, some Boston terriers are prone to suffering from sinusitis and sunstrokes. The amount of care this dog needs is minimal and enough exercise, such as daily walks is needed as well as training. The life span of the Boston terrier is around twelve to fifteen years.