BOSTON TERRIERS WERE BRED TO FIGHT.
Like their English Bulldogs relatives, early Boston Terriers were bred for pit fighting, and were much larger and heavier than they are today, weighing up to 44 pounds. (Modern Boston Terriers typically weigh about half that much.) As dog fighting fell out of fashion and legality, the breed morphed into the smaller companion animal we know today.
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THE BOSTON TERRIER IS THE STATE DOG OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Not every state in the U.S. has an official dog. Perhaps that's because only a few recognized breeds were developed in America. As the first state to claim itself as the birthplace of an original breed, it's no wonder Massachusetts named the Boston Terrier its official state dog in 1979. We're just surprised it took them so long to do it.
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THE BOSTON TERRIER IS NICKNAMED "THE AMERICAN GENTLEMAN."
The Boston Terrier's size and shape aren't its only attributes that have changed since its early years. As pit fighters, early Boston Terriers were tough and ferocious, a far cry from today's sweet-natured, cheerful version of the breed. The Boston Terrier's temperament is so pleasant now that the breed has earned the nickname "The American Gentleman." The characteristic black-and-white Boston Terrier coats that look like permanent tuxedos may have had something to do with it too.
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BOSTON TERRIERS ARE OFTEN CONFUSED WITH FRENCH BULLDOGS.
Sharing common ancestors, Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs bear enough of a resemblance that the uninitiated sometimes have troubledistinguishing between a Boston Terrier and a black-and-white French Bulldog. Boston Terriers are typically a bit taller and lighter than the shorter, thicker French Bulldog. Also, Boston Terriers have pointed ears, as opposed to the round-eared French Bulldog.
Top: Boston Terrier. Bottom: French Bulldog.
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MOST BOSTON TERRIER PUPPIES ARE DELIVERED VIA C-SECTION.
One of the physical traits that Boston Terriers inherited from their English Bulldog forebears is a head size that's proportionally larger for their body size than average. As a result, Boston Terrier heads are too big for natural birth to be possible. In almost all cases, Boston Terrier puppies must be delivered via C-section to ensure their safety and that of their mothers.
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TWO U.S. PRESIDENTS OWNED BOSTON TERRIERS.
Two American presidents owned Boston Terriers, although not during their presidential terms in either case. Gerald Ford's boyhood dogs were Boston Terriers named Fleck and Spot. Warren G. Harding had a Boston Terrier named Hub whom he described as, "a grateful and devoted dog, with a dozen lovable attributes." Hub died in 1913.
Pictured: Young Gerald Ford with either Fleck or Spot.
Image via Gerald R. Ford Library
