| SLEEPING BEAUTIES These four babies are VERY attached to each other as they have all grown up with one another. Here they are experiencing one of their routine napping times. Pictured are (from left to right) Kyias a blue and white, Pocket a chocolate and white, Shawnees a chocolate and white, and Shakhari a cream and white. They are all AKC registered and are NOT FOR SALE. Please inquire about upcoming litters including these beautiful colors. |
The Colored Boston Terrier History
Researched, Compiled and Written by Krystin Johansen
The Boston Terrier has the distinction of not only being one of a few breeds native to the United States, but it was actually the first breed
proudly created and refined in America; Boston, Massachusetts to be precise. Bostons are known to have many nicknames, but are
perhaps most well known as the American Gentleman for good reason.
Through the years opinions changed, and what was once seen as fact by early breeders, has been disproved and changed to mere opinion
now and new "facts" stand in there place. Opinions are known to gradually become viewed as "facts" over time; therefore it is necessary to
verify that they are indeed accurate. It is important to study the history of this breed because there are several versions as to how it
originated. Many people were of great influence in this breeds foundation. The below article reflects a compilation of my research on the
Boston Terrier from 1870 to present day. Whether they remain fact or have been resorted to opinion it is very important to take the
words of our breed’s founding fathers under consideration. The information researched for the writing of this article has come from first
hand experience, websites, organizations, and many manuscripts and books dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. All information
in this article is documented and if you would like to know specifically where the information was found, please contact me.
Origin
The Boston Terrier's exact origin is in question. Depending on what you read or who you talk to, many different story lines exist. The
history varies in certain aspects according to which story you follow. One thing is certain; it took several different breeds to create the
Boston Terrier as we know it today. There are many who believe that the following breeds were primary in perfecting the Boston look:
English Bulldog; White English Terrier; Bull Terrier; French Bulldog. The foundation dogs were often of unknown pedigree or breed origin,
so who is to say that there were not other breeds than those listed that were intermingled to help influence the look of the breed? We do
know that the creation of the breed started in the United States around 1865 with dogs imported from England. The dogs that were
imported are said to be both purebred and crosses of different breeds. One very famous dog in Boston Terrier history was Hooper's Judge.
Judge was said to be a cross between an English Bulldog and a White English Terrier. He was a dark brindle with white patches of color on
his face. Judge weighed over 30lbs as an adult, as many early Boston Terriers were larger types. There have been accounts of Bostons
weighing as little as 6lbs; however those were few and far between. Judge, most notably, was bred with a smaller female to reduce size.
The offspring from that litter were again bred to smaller mates and eventually to French Bulldogs to maintain type. If a female exhibited
bully type characteristics then a terrier type male was used, and conversely, if she exhibited characteristics to closely resembling a terrier,
then a more bully male was used. In present days you may still see Bostons that exhibit some of the original characteristics of the
foundation lines.
Early influential dogs that helped to create Bostons were Gyp, Well's Eph, Tobin's Kate, and Barnard's Tom. Edward Burnett owned Gyp.
She was of unknown pedigree and said to look very much like a Bulldog. Gyp was mated with Hooper's Judge. Well's Eph came out of this
mating. He was a dark brindle dog with even white markings, weighing 28lbs and resembled his dam. Eph was bred to Tobin's Kate.
Tobin's Kate was another dog of unknown pedigree. She was a rich golden brindle, and weighed all of about 20lbs. Out of this mating came
Barnard's Tom. He came to be owned by J.P. Barnard, and Tom has been recognized as a highlight of the Boston Terrier breed. Other dogs
also influential in the early forming of the breed were those known as O'Brien's Ben, the Jack Reed dog, and the Perry dog. These dogs
were all of unknown pedigree and were said to have been imported from England as great attributes for the formation of the breed.
O'Brien's Ben was a white and brindle dog. The Jack Reed dog was a red brindle with more of a rough coat weighing 12lbs. The Perry dog
is believed to be from Scotland who found his way to England before coming to America. He is said to have weighed only 6lbs and was blue
and white in color.
Early Days
When numbers increased and the breeders were wanting to exhibit the dogs they worked so hard for, the Boston Terrier was first shown
in 1870 as the "Roundhead" Bull Terrier. Shows were formed and classes were held for "Round-headed Bull and Terriers-any color". At
this time color, markings, and pattern were immaterial to judges as uniformity of type was not consistent and any dog exhibiting true type
was looked upon highly. If an all- white/splash marked dog was seen to be more sound conformationally than a brindle and white dog, the
white/splash dog was awarded the championship. The Bull Terrier Club did not take a liking to the use of its name since the Boston was
not in fact a true Bull Terrier. In 1891, the name was changed to Boston Terrier and the Boston Terrier Club of America (BTCA) was
formed. In 1893 the breed was accepted by the AKC and the very first Boston Terrier was registered. The majority of articles {read}
declare that Hook's Punch, who was a descendant of Hooper's Judge, was the first Boston Terrier registered. By 1915 the Boston breed
was extremely popular throughout the United States. It had become the number one breed in AKC registrations and this fashion
continued for several years.
Many great Bostons and breeders have come and gone in the 100 years since the breed has been in existence. Each one has left a
significant mark on the breed. Along the way it has been refined and stabilized as the affectionate, audacious little dog we love.
General Appearance
There are three weight classifications for Bostons: under 15lbs; between 15lbs and 20lbs; between 20-25lbs *never to exceed 25lbs.
They should be well proportioned in relation to size and weight. The Boston should always maintain a square appearance. Typically
females appear slightly more refined than males. The head should also be square. The top of the head should be flat and not have that of a
dome shape. The cheeks should be flat and not bulgy. The stop should be well defined, thus making it strikingly clear. A stop is where the
muzzle connects between the eyes. The ears are to be small and always erect whether cropped or natural. The jaw is to be broad, square,
and slightly undershot to square the muzzle. The muzzle is short, square, wide and deep. There should be no wrinkles on the muzzle and it
should not exceed 1/3 of the length of the skull.
Health
Overall, Boston Terriers are really quite a vigorous, sturdy breed. However, every breed has it's imperfections and genetic defects and
the Bostons do have some that are inherent to the breed. Some defects may be visible and some are not. For the most part, it is
uncommon for breeders to speak of their breed's problems, however, as a honest, reputable breeder of Boston Terriers, Cypress Farm
personally feels obligated to give you such information, as the potential Boston Terrier owner, so that you are well informed as to
everything about the breed, including the potentially not-so-rosy aspects.
The Boston Terrier is a brachycephalic, short nose, breed. All brachycephalic breeds have dogs within them that suffer from stenotic
snares (pinched nostrils) and elongated soft palates (excessive soft tissue in the back of the throat). Depending on the severity, a typically
inexpensive surgery may be required. Some, but not all have these conditions. Also due to their short noses they do not acclimate to hot
weather very well. They should never be left outside permanently, especially with insufficient shading or lack of water. They do very well
as apartment dogs as long as they are exercised frequently as they love to play. Because of this short nose the eyes are often susceptible
to injury. There have been stories of dewclaws being lodged in the eye during normal play causing permanent blindness or having to have
the eye removed, so we have our puppies dewclaws removed at a young age.
Hereditary "Juvenile" cataracts are in the Boston gene pool, but are not a common occurrence. There is a test for the gene for these
cataracts in England. It is giving breeders a tremendous advantage to help eradicate it slowly from the breed. Hopefully the test will be
available in the States at every local vet for better, faster eradication. Make sure your veterinarian examines your Bostons eyes at regular
appointments. Depending on your area, having an Ophthalmologist, particularly CERF certified, exam your dog’s eyes is ideal. This needs
to be done yearly. Unfortunately for many breeders, there is no CERF certified Ophthalmologist within a reasonable distance, nor are
there shows nearby offering eye clinics. This makes it difficult to have ones dogs tested. We at Cypress Farms are in such a location.
Currently, we have our veterinarian examine their eyes regularly until an ophthalmologist is available.
One of the initial breeds that created the Boston Terrier was the English White Terrier. This Terrier is known for it's deafness and is said
to be the reason why the English White Terrier is now extinct. Because of this the Boston Terrier is known to have some occurrences of
deafness within the breed. There are tests you can perform to evaluate your dog's hearing. However, It is possible that your puppy can be
unilaterally deaf. This means that he/she is able to hear out of one ear and not out of the other. There are ways to check this yourself;
however they are not always accurate. An accurate test is the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response or the BAER. It can be done from 35
days of age. In order for the results to be accepted by the OFA for BAER certification the test must be performed by a Veterinary
Neurologist, BAER experienced vet, or audiologists. Not all veterinarians are able to test for this due to lack of experience or lack of the
machine necessary to conduct the test. This test only has to be done once in a lifetime to procure an OFA certification. The dog must pass
with bilateral hearing. This test is not needed, as all vets can check to the best of their ability to assist you in determining whether or not
the BAER test is needed. It is a benefit to have the test done, but again is not required.
Addressing the often asked question of "Do Bostons of non-traditional coloring have more health problems than Bostons of traditional
coloring?" To my knowledge, through much research and interviews with Bulldog specialist Veterinarians, Bostons of non-traditional color
do not have any more health problems than Bostons of traditional coloring. It has been said that because of specific Boston's coloring they
have increased eye problems, skin problems, and are more prone to allergies. Cypress Farm has never experienced any of these problems,
even with our traditionally colored Bostons. This is not to say that colored Bostons are free of all disorders or problems. This is just to say
overall research implies that non-traditional Bostons Terriers have no more problems than traditional colored Bostons. Often times dogs
of other breeds that are the color blue have disorders of their skin and coat. Some such names you may recognize are Black Hair Follicle
Dysplasia, Color Dilution Alopecia or Blue Dog Syndrome. Again, to my knowledge, I have never heard or found of a blue and white Boston
Terrier experiencing any of these disorders. Cypress Farm is very interested in any Boston Terriers of color that specifically exhibit any
problems/disorders that are not regularly occurring in the Boston Terrier breed. If you would like to contact us please do so in helping
with our research of the colored Boston Terrier. If you would like to do so anonymously that is fine.
Color
The above information is pertinent to the breed, but is an overview of the content that many Boston sites possess. We have finally
reached the subject most everyone is interested in learning about when visiting our site: color! There are many negative web sites about
Bostons of non-traditional coloring (the term non-traditional refers to colors other than black, brindle, or seal), but none of these web sites
offer any insight to the world of the colored Boston Terrier. They disregard them as being solely "mutts and impure". Some even go so far
as to call breeders of these non-traditional colors "unscrupulous backyard breeders". That certainly does not cover ALL breeders of
colored Bostons!
As I begin, please understand that Cypress Farm does breed original Bostons of non-traditional color and we are very proud to declare
that. Cypress Farm in no way breeds exclusively for color or profit. We breed for temperament, health, quality and type with square head
and stature, flat muzzles, etc, and adhere to the breed standard-excluding the COLOR requirement only. We do not feel that just because
our dogs are not the traditional black, seal, or brindle colors that they are in any way mediocre to those mentioned colors. There is much
controversy surrounding the color issue of the Boston Terrier. This controversy is nothing new and was around even in the early days. As
breeding commenced in 1865, there were numerous shades that became present in the Boston Terrier breed. One would venture to say
that the Boston could come in any color that the dogs used to create it were, and they did. These non-traditional colors that are maligned
today are actually some of the original colors of the foundation bloodlines of Boston Terriers.
There are all types of non-traditional colors listed in old standards and even in original writings of foundation breeders of Boston Terriers.
Each individual color had its own purpose. However, the ONLY color/pattern of Boston that was highly desirable, and was the only
originally accepted color, was brindle, in particular mahogany brindle or seal brindle. The prevailing shades also included a light golden
brindle. When breeding Bostons, one was to breed for the brindle pattern. All other colors were considered undesirable. Some of these
undesirable colors included white, gray, buckskin (fawn), golden (cream), liver, mouse, yellow, steel brindle, red brindle, and black. Yes,
black was once an undesirable color. In fact, this now so accepted common color, was once despised, appalled and looked down upon
immensely. Several old books recall the color black and white as being "highly undesirable", more so than the other non-traditional colors.
With the exception of black, the reason the other non-traditional colors were not eradicated was for the purpose of continuing being able to
produce high quality mahogany/seal brindle Bostons.
Some would say by continuously breeding mahogany/seal brindle to mahogany/seal brindle this would keep all other colors at bay and
create the much desired brindle color. This could not be more inaccurate. By doing this, the breeders out bred the brindle and began
creating the black and white Bostons. These black and whites were so undesirable the breeders needed a way to reverse the affects they
had created. To do so they needed Bostons of non-traditional colors to continue the proper color of seal brindle. In the book The Boston
Terrier and All About It, Edward Axtell describes the proper methods of introducing a non-traditional colored Boston to the line to keep
from producing black and continue that much demanded mahogany/seal brindle. One method is if black was produced a mating with a
golden colored dog or a red brindle would help to reverse the black color and return the beautiful seal brindle coat. The foundation
breeders knew that occasionally, matings between certain traditional colored dogs would produce dogs of non-traditional color. It was
understood that this could happen. Some dogs possess more of these non-traditional colors in their pedigrees than others, and when two of
these dogs are mated together the outcome of these foundation colors being produced, even in present days, is much greater.
One may ask themselves why breeders would stop producing these non-traditional colors if they needed them? The answer is that they
never stopped producing them. With the few non-traditional colors, and because of the dominance of the black color, it became
increasingly harder to remove this color and in doing so made black a permanent part of the Boston Terrier. It was not until June of 1934,
over 40 years after the induction of the Boston Terrier to the AKC, that black was finally allowed into the Boston Terrier standard.
In present times these non-traditional colors have began making a comeback despite the continued insinuations from traditional colored
ONLY Boston Terrier breeders that Bostons of color are impure mutts. Color is not the only determining factor of a dog's purity for any
breed so why should it be for a Boston? Given the above information one is supplied with of historical accounts, it is incredibly hard to
believe that purity would be questioned simply due to color. The word mutt is defined as an inferior dog or one of mixed breed.
Theoretically, almost every dog that we know of is a mutt by this definition. Most all breeds, as we know them today, have been bred from
mixtures of other breeds. This is done to create a dog that serves a purpose, as it was done so long ago with the Boston Terrier. Some
breeds incorporate so many different breeds into their lines that it is undetermined which were used to create it. As per Webster's
Dictionary, the word mutt originated in 1901. The Boston Terrier was being refined by the breed's founders around that time. They were
working incredibly hard at refining the breed in many ways, including COLOR. I am confident in my opinion that no one would dare call a
Boston Terrier a mutt in 1901 given it's reputation, with color alone as the reason, nor would they declare the numerous breeders with
such high reputations as being unscrupulous backyard breeders for producing dogs of this color. However, that was in 1901 and over 100
years later the non-traditional colors have still not become BTCA recognized colors.
Any way you look at it, there are only five colors recognized by the Boston Terrier Club of America (BTCA). They are black/white,
black/brindle/white, brindle/white, seal/white, and seal/brindle/white. Seal is often confused with red by many people, including
unknowledgeable breeders which is incredibly disheartening. AKC recognizes all colors of Boston Terriers, but only the above five are
recognized by the BTCA, therefore the AKC only allows those five colors to be shown in conformation shows. The non-traditional colors are
allowed to participate in AKC agility, obedience, etc. Please see our Colors Explained Page for more information on the differences between
all colors affiliated with the Boston Terrier. Cypress Farm is working in conjunction with the All-Color Boston Terrier Club, the All-Color
Boston Terrier Registry, and numerous affiliates to help in creating stud books for the Bostons of non-traditional coloring. We plan to help
as long as we have to, while doing all the research possible to help in getting the colored Boston Terriers recognized to participate in AKC
conformation show classes.
The color controversy is best summed by Vincent G. Perry, a noted judge of his time, in his book from 1928 The Boston Terrier, in
Chapter 23, page 120,
"It is absolutely necessary to have both light and dark brindle dogs unless we desire to breed a race of dogs so monotonous in color and so alike that a man
might hesitate to own one for fear of confusing him with his neighbor's dog. A few years ago a brightly painted motor car was almost an oddity; the blacks and
dark blues, and dark greens swarmed the highways. Someone somewhere must have realized how monotonous these colors were and lo--1928 finds us with
more gaily colored cars--light blues, browns, reds, and every combination of the gay colors imaginable. As it has proven in cars, so it can prove in Boston
Terriers; mix up the brindles a bit, and put a new interest in the breed!"
We fully agree with Mr. Perry. His passion for the Boston Terrier still rings true today.
Let's mix up the colors of Boston Terriers a bit and put a new interest in the breed! Below you will find a form for all feedback. Please let
us know what you think about the above information. We are prepared for any negative feedback that we receive. Again, we are proud to
breed Boston Terriers of color. It is possible that feedback to the site and this page in particular will be posted. Let us know what you
think. Any viewpoints and correction recommendations for this article are appreciated.
Researched, Compiled and Written by Krystin Johansen
The Boston Terrier has the distinction of not only being one of a few breeds native to the United States, but it was actually the first breed
proudly created and refined in America; Boston, Massachusetts to be precise. Bostons are known to have many nicknames, but are
perhaps most well known as the American Gentleman for good reason.
Through the years opinions changed, and what was once seen as fact by early breeders, has been disproved and changed to mere opinion
now and new "facts" stand in there place. Opinions are known to gradually become viewed as "facts" over time; therefore it is necessary to
verify that they are indeed accurate. It is important to study the history of this breed because there are several versions as to how it
originated. Many people were of great influence in this breeds foundation. The below article reflects a compilation of my research on the
Boston Terrier from 1870 to present day. Whether they remain fact or have been resorted to opinion it is very important to take the
words of our breed’s founding fathers under consideration. The information researched for the writing of this article has come from first
hand experience, websites, organizations, and many manuscripts and books dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. All information
in this article is documented and if you would like to know specifically where the information was found, please contact me.
Origin
The Boston Terrier's exact origin is in question. Depending on what you read or who you talk to, many different story lines exist. The
history varies in certain aspects according to which story you follow. One thing is certain; it took several different breeds to create the
Boston Terrier as we know it today. There are many who believe that the following breeds were primary in perfecting the Boston look:
English Bulldog; White English Terrier; Bull Terrier; French Bulldog. The foundation dogs were often of unknown pedigree or breed origin,
so who is to say that there were not other breeds than those listed that were intermingled to help influence the look of the breed? We do
know that the creation of the breed started in the United States around 1865 with dogs imported from England. The dogs that were
imported are said to be both purebred and crosses of different breeds. One very famous dog in Boston Terrier history was Hooper's Judge.
Judge was said to be a cross between an English Bulldog and a White English Terrier. He was a dark brindle with white patches of color on
his face. Judge weighed over 30lbs as an adult, as many early Boston Terriers were larger types. There have been accounts of Bostons
weighing as little as 6lbs; however those were few and far between. Judge, most notably, was bred with a smaller female to reduce size.
The offspring from that litter were again bred to smaller mates and eventually to French Bulldogs to maintain type. If a female exhibited
bully type characteristics then a terrier type male was used, and conversely, if she exhibited characteristics to closely resembling a terrier,
then a more bully male was used. In present days you may still see Bostons that exhibit some of the original characteristics of the
foundation lines.
Early influential dogs that helped to create Bostons were Gyp, Well's Eph, Tobin's Kate, and Barnard's Tom. Edward Burnett owned Gyp.
She was of unknown pedigree and said to look very much like a Bulldog. Gyp was mated with Hooper's Judge. Well's Eph came out of this
mating. He was a dark brindle dog with even white markings, weighing 28lbs and resembled his dam. Eph was bred to Tobin's Kate.
Tobin's Kate was another dog of unknown pedigree. She was a rich golden brindle, and weighed all of about 20lbs. Out of this mating came
Barnard's Tom. He came to be owned by J.P. Barnard, and Tom has been recognized as a highlight of the Boston Terrier breed. Other dogs
also influential in the early forming of the breed were those known as O'Brien's Ben, the Jack Reed dog, and the Perry dog. These dogs
were all of unknown pedigree and were said to have been imported from England as great attributes for the formation of the breed.
O'Brien's Ben was a white and brindle dog. The Jack Reed dog was a red brindle with more of a rough coat weighing 12lbs. The Perry dog
is believed to be from Scotland who found his way to England before coming to America. He is said to have weighed only 6lbs and was blue
and white in color.
Early Days
When numbers increased and the breeders were wanting to exhibit the dogs they worked so hard for, the Boston Terrier was first shown
in 1870 as the "Roundhead" Bull Terrier. Shows were formed and classes were held for "Round-headed Bull and Terriers-any color". At
this time color, markings, and pattern were immaterial to judges as uniformity of type was not consistent and any dog exhibiting true type
was looked upon highly. If an all- white/splash marked dog was seen to be more sound conformationally than a brindle and white dog, the
white/splash dog was awarded the championship. The Bull Terrier Club did not take a liking to the use of its name since the Boston was
not in fact a true Bull Terrier. In 1891, the name was changed to Boston Terrier and the Boston Terrier Club of America (BTCA) was
formed. In 1893 the breed was accepted by the AKC and the very first Boston Terrier was registered. The majority of articles {read}
declare that Hook's Punch, who was a descendant of Hooper's Judge, was the first Boston Terrier registered. By 1915 the Boston breed
was extremely popular throughout the United States. It had become the number one breed in AKC registrations and this fashion
continued for several years.
Many great Bostons and breeders have come and gone in the 100 years since the breed has been in existence. Each one has left a
significant mark on the breed. Along the way it has been refined and stabilized as the affectionate, audacious little dog we love.
General Appearance
There are three weight classifications for Bostons: under 15lbs; between 15lbs and 20lbs; between 20-25lbs *never to exceed 25lbs.
They should be well proportioned in relation to size and weight. The Boston should always maintain a square appearance. Typically
females appear slightly more refined than males. The head should also be square. The top of the head should be flat and not have that of a
dome shape. The cheeks should be flat and not bulgy. The stop should be well defined, thus making it strikingly clear. A stop is where the
muzzle connects between the eyes. The ears are to be small and always erect whether cropped or natural. The jaw is to be broad, square,
and slightly undershot to square the muzzle. The muzzle is short, square, wide and deep. There should be no wrinkles on the muzzle and it
should not exceed 1/3 of the length of the skull.
Health
Overall, Boston Terriers are really quite a vigorous, sturdy breed. However, every breed has it's imperfections and genetic defects and
the Bostons do have some that are inherent to the breed. Some defects may be visible and some are not. For the most part, it is
uncommon for breeders to speak of their breed's problems, however, as a honest, reputable breeder of Boston Terriers, Cypress Farm
personally feels obligated to give you such information, as the potential Boston Terrier owner, so that you are well informed as to
everything about the breed, including the potentially not-so-rosy aspects.
The Boston Terrier is a brachycephalic, short nose, breed. All brachycephalic breeds have dogs within them that suffer from stenotic
snares (pinched nostrils) and elongated soft palates (excessive soft tissue in the back of the throat). Depending on the severity, a typically
inexpensive surgery may be required. Some, but not all have these conditions. Also due to their short noses they do not acclimate to hot
weather very well. They should never be left outside permanently, especially with insufficient shading or lack of water. They do very well
as apartment dogs as long as they are exercised frequently as they love to play. Because of this short nose the eyes are often susceptible
to injury. There have been stories of dewclaws being lodged in the eye during normal play causing permanent blindness or having to have
the eye removed, so we have our puppies dewclaws removed at a young age.
Hereditary "Juvenile" cataracts are in the Boston gene pool, but are not a common occurrence. There is a test for the gene for these
cataracts in England. It is giving breeders a tremendous advantage to help eradicate it slowly from the breed. Hopefully the test will be
available in the States at every local vet for better, faster eradication. Make sure your veterinarian examines your Bostons eyes at regular
appointments. Depending on your area, having an Ophthalmologist, particularly CERF certified, exam your dog’s eyes is ideal. This needs
to be done yearly. Unfortunately for many breeders, there is no CERF certified Ophthalmologist within a reasonable distance, nor are
there shows nearby offering eye clinics. This makes it difficult to have ones dogs tested. We at Cypress Farms are in such a location.
Currently, we have our veterinarian examine their eyes regularly until an ophthalmologist is available.
One of the initial breeds that created the Boston Terrier was the English White Terrier. This Terrier is known for it's deafness and is said
to be the reason why the English White Terrier is now extinct. Because of this the Boston Terrier is known to have some occurrences of
deafness within the breed. There are tests you can perform to evaluate your dog's hearing. However, It is possible that your puppy can be
unilaterally deaf. This means that he/she is able to hear out of one ear and not out of the other. There are ways to check this yourself;
however they are not always accurate. An accurate test is the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response or the BAER. It can be done from 35
days of age. In order for the results to be accepted by the OFA for BAER certification the test must be performed by a Veterinary
Neurologist, BAER experienced vet, or audiologists. Not all veterinarians are able to test for this due to lack of experience or lack of the
machine necessary to conduct the test. This test only has to be done once in a lifetime to procure an OFA certification. The dog must pass
with bilateral hearing. This test is not needed, as all vets can check to the best of their ability to assist you in determining whether or not
the BAER test is needed. It is a benefit to have the test done, but again is not required.
Addressing the often asked question of "Do Bostons of non-traditional coloring have more health problems than Bostons of traditional
coloring?" To my knowledge, through much research and interviews with Bulldog specialist Veterinarians, Bostons of non-traditional color
do not have any more health problems than Bostons of traditional coloring. It has been said that because of specific Boston's coloring they
have increased eye problems, skin problems, and are more prone to allergies. Cypress Farm has never experienced any of these problems,
even with our traditionally colored Bostons. This is not to say that colored Bostons are free of all disorders or problems. This is just to say
overall research implies that non-traditional Bostons Terriers have no more problems than traditional colored Bostons. Often times dogs
of other breeds that are the color blue have disorders of their skin and coat. Some such names you may recognize are Black Hair Follicle
Dysplasia, Color Dilution Alopecia or Blue Dog Syndrome. Again, to my knowledge, I have never heard or found of a blue and white Boston
Terrier experiencing any of these disorders. Cypress Farm is very interested in any Boston Terriers of color that specifically exhibit any
problems/disorders that are not regularly occurring in the Boston Terrier breed. If you would like to contact us please do so in helping
with our research of the colored Boston Terrier. If you would like to do so anonymously that is fine.
Color
The above information is pertinent to the breed, but is an overview of the content that many Boston sites possess. We have finally
reached the subject most everyone is interested in learning about when visiting our site: color! There are many negative web sites about
Bostons of non-traditional coloring (the term non-traditional refers to colors other than black, brindle, or seal), but none of these web sites
offer any insight to the world of the colored Boston Terrier. They disregard them as being solely "mutts and impure". Some even go so far
as to call breeders of these non-traditional colors "unscrupulous backyard breeders". That certainly does not cover ALL breeders of
colored Bostons!
As I begin, please understand that Cypress Farm does breed original Bostons of non-traditional color and we are very proud to declare
that. Cypress Farm in no way breeds exclusively for color or profit. We breed for temperament, health, quality and type with square head
and stature, flat muzzles, etc, and adhere to the breed standard-excluding the COLOR requirement only. We do not feel that just because
our dogs are not the traditional black, seal, or brindle colors that they are in any way mediocre to those mentioned colors. There is much
controversy surrounding the color issue of the Boston Terrier. This controversy is nothing new and was around even in the early days. As
breeding commenced in 1865, there were numerous shades that became present in the Boston Terrier breed. One would venture to say
that the Boston could come in any color that the dogs used to create it were, and they did. These non-traditional colors that are maligned
today are actually some of the original colors of the foundation bloodlines of Boston Terriers.
There are all types of non-traditional colors listed in old standards and even in original writings of foundation breeders of Boston Terriers.
Each individual color had its own purpose. However, the ONLY color/pattern of Boston that was highly desirable, and was the only
originally accepted color, was brindle, in particular mahogany brindle or seal brindle. The prevailing shades also included a light golden
brindle. When breeding Bostons, one was to breed for the brindle pattern. All other colors were considered undesirable. Some of these
undesirable colors included white, gray, buckskin (fawn), golden (cream), liver, mouse, yellow, steel brindle, red brindle, and black. Yes,
black was once an undesirable color. In fact, this now so accepted common color, was once despised, appalled and looked down upon
immensely. Several old books recall the color black and white as being "highly undesirable", more so than the other non-traditional colors.
With the exception of black, the reason the other non-traditional colors were not eradicated was for the purpose of continuing being able to
produce high quality mahogany/seal brindle Bostons.
Some would say by continuously breeding mahogany/seal brindle to mahogany/seal brindle this would keep all other colors at bay and
create the much desired brindle color. This could not be more inaccurate. By doing this, the breeders out bred the brindle and began
creating the black and white Bostons. These black and whites were so undesirable the breeders needed a way to reverse the affects they
had created. To do so they needed Bostons of non-traditional colors to continue the proper color of seal brindle. In the book The Boston
Terrier and All About It, Edward Axtell describes the proper methods of introducing a non-traditional colored Boston to the line to keep
from producing black and continue that much demanded mahogany/seal brindle. One method is if black was produced a mating with a
golden colored dog or a red brindle would help to reverse the black color and return the beautiful seal brindle coat. The foundation
breeders knew that occasionally, matings between certain traditional colored dogs would produce dogs of non-traditional color. It was
understood that this could happen. Some dogs possess more of these non-traditional colors in their pedigrees than others, and when two of
these dogs are mated together the outcome of these foundation colors being produced, even in present days, is much greater.
One may ask themselves why breeders would stop producing these non-traditional colors if they needed them? The answer is that they
never stopped producing them. With the few non-traditional colors, and because of the dominance of the black color, it became
increasingly harder to remove this color and in doing so made black a permanent part of the Boston Terrier. It was not until June of 1934,
over 40 years after the induction of the Boston Terrier to the AKC, that black was finally allowed into the Boston Terrier standard.
In present times these non-traditional colors have began making a comeback despite the continued insinuations from traditional colored
ONLY Boston Terrier breeders that Bostons of color are impure mutts. Color is not the only determining factor of a dog's purity for any
breed so why should it be for a Boston? Given the above information one is supplied with of historical accounts, it is incredibly hard to
believe that purity would be questioned simply due to color. The word mutt is defined as an inferior dog or one of mixed breed.
Theoretically, almost every dog that we know of is a mutt by this definition. Most all breeds, as we know them today, have been bred from
mixtures of other breeds. This is done to create a dog that serves a purpose, as it was done so long ago with the Boston Terrier. Some
breeds incorporate so many different breeds into their lines that it is undetermined which were used to create it. As per Webster's
Dictionary, the word mutt originated in 1901. The Boston Terrier was being refined by the breed's founders around that time. They were
working incredibly hard at refining the breed in many ways, including COLOR. I am confident in my opinion that no one would dare call a
Boston Terrier a mutt in 1901 given it's reputation, with color alone as the reason, nor would they declare the numerous breeders with
such high reputations as being unscrupulous backyard breeders for producing dogs of this color. However, that was in 1901 and over 100
years later the non-traditional colors have still not become BTCA recognized colors.
Any way you look at it, there are only five colors recognized by the Boston Terrier Club of America (BTCA). They are black/white,
black/brindle/white, brindle/white, seal/white, and seal/brindle/white. Seal is often confused with red by many people, including
unknowledgeable breeders which is incredibly disheartening. AKC recognizes all colors of Boston Terriers, but only the above five are
recognized by the BTCA, therefore the AKC only allows those five colors to be shown in conformation shows. The non-traditional colors are
allowed to participate in AKC agility, obedience, etc. Please see our Colors Explained Page for more information on the differences between
all colors affiliated with the Boston Terrier. Cypress Farm is working in conjunction with the All-Color Boston Terrier Club, the All-Color
Boston Terrier Registry, and numerous affiliates to help in creating stud books for the Bostons of non-traditional coloring. We plan to help
as long as we have to, while doing all the research possible to help in getting the colored Boston Terriers recognized to participate in AKC
conformation show classes.
The color controversy is best summed by Vincent G. Perry, a noted judge of his time, in his book from 1928 The Boston Terrier, in
Chapter 23, page 120,
"It is absolutely necessary to have both light and dark brindle dogs unless we desire to breed a race of dogs so monotonous in color and so alike that a man
might hesitate to own one for fear of confusing him with his neighbor's dog. A few years ago a brightly painted motor car was almost an oddity; the blacks and
dark blues, and dark greens swarmed the highways. Someone somewhere must have realized how monotonous these colors were and lo--1928 finds us with
more gaily colored cars--light blues, browns, reds, and every combination of the gay colors imaginable. As it has proven in cars, so it can prove in Boston
Terriers; mix up the brindles a bit, and put a new interest in the breed!"
We fully agree with Mr. Perry. His passion for the Boston Terrier still rings true today.
Let's mix up the colors of Boston Terriers a bit and put a new interest in the breed! Below you will find a form for all feedback. Please let
us know what you think about the above information. We are prepared for any negative feedback that we receive. Again, we are proud to
breed Boston Terriers of color. It is possible that feedback to the site and this page in particular will be posted. Let us know what you
think. Any viewpoints and correction recommendations for this article are appreciated.
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| Cypress Farm Kennel Boston Terriers |
| All of our Boston Terriers are double registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Canine Association (UCA). |
