The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Boston Terrier

BOSTON TERRIER, a breed of dogs, resembling bull-dogs without their eccentricities, which originated in Boston about 1870, and soon became popular for its admirable qualities as a companion. This terrier has a shapely bull-dog-like head, and the straight legs and active manners of the old bull-terrier. Those truly bred always have a white muzzle, a white blaze on the face and on the chest and feet, with a fine coat, short and bright, and a deep broad chest. Light-class ones weigh from 15 to 23 pounds, and the heavy from 23 to 30 pounds. The breed arose from a cross between Robert C. Hooper's &ldquo;Judge&rdquo; (a dog three-quarters English bull and one-quarter white terrier, which was a rich dark brindle with a white flare on his face), and Burnett's &ldquo;Gyp,&rdquo; a pure white bitch low on the legs and stockily built, not unlike the old-fashioned bull-terrier. The product was Wells' &ldquo;Eph.&rdquo; He was born in Boston about 1870 and was bred to Tobin's &ldquo;Kate,&rdquo; an old-fashioned bull-terrier, and the result, Barnard's &ldquo;Tom,&rdquo; may

be said to be the first of the real new breed, for he developed the typical screw tail of the present Boston terrier. This dog has a most affectionate disposition, is well knit in build and is stylish.