Boston terrier in art: the story behind the American gentleman

Part 1

Why the Boston terrier became a popular subject

You can trace the breed's story back to a dog named Judge, who is reputed to have been brought over from England, and his descendant Eph, who was bred with Tobin's Kate. By 1891 these dogs had been renamed the Boston Terrier, after the city where they had been developed, and the American Kennel Club accepted the breed in 1893. That recognition in 1893 came in between the Borzoi, recognized in 1891, and the Field Spaniel, recognized in 1894. The Boston terrier was not developed for a specific purpose, which is part of why it ended up in the catch-all Non-Sporting Group.

The nickname American gentleman comes from the breed's black-and-white coat, which looks like a tuxedo, paired with its mannerly temperament. If you own a Boston terrier, you have probably heard someone comment on how dressed up your dog looks even on an ordinary walk.

Part 2

Early twentieth-century popularity

Boston terriers ranked first or second among all AKC breeds from 1905 to 1935, taking the top spot outright in 1915. Airedales briefly overtook them two years later, but Boston terriers returned to the top spot in 1929 and held it for seven years. The American Kennel Club registered more than ten thousand Boston terriers a year throughout the 1930s. Registrations peaked at over eleven thousand in 1926, and the breed overtook German shepherds as the most popular AKC breed in 1929.

A fast-growing fancy

Boston terrier breeders formed clubs rapidly once the breed caught on, and specialty shows regularly drew more than a hundred entries, sometimes exceeding five hundred. One of the breed's most influential bloodlines, Mosholu Boston Terriers, began in the Bronx when an early fancier named Madeline McGlone acquired her first Boston terrier in 1903. Within a decade of her start, prices for well-bred Boston terriers climbed from hundreds to thousands of dollars, reflecting how quickly demand grew.

Part 3

Appearances in advertising, movies, and everyday life

As the breed's popularity grew, Boston terriers began turning up in advertisements and movies, and owners took them along to baseball games, a favorite American pastime at the time. The author and educator Helen Keller owned a Boston terrier named Sir Thomas, who reportedly joined her at lectures while she attended Radcliffe College. President Gerald Ford later kept a Boston terrier named Fleck.

Part 4

What the tuxedo coat means for the breed's look

The Boston terrier's coat is smooth and short, usually black and white, though it can also appear as brindle, seal, or blue. A square head, short wide muzzle, and large round eyes are notable features of the face. The AKC breed standard also divides Boston terriers into three weight classes, from dogs under fifteen pounds up to twenty-five pounds. If you share your life with a Boston terrier, you already know how quickly that look catches a stranger's eye.

• Black and white
• Seal
• Brindle and white
• Brown and white

Part 5

Boston terriers in modern life

The breed's ranking has shifted since its early twentieth-century peak, but it has remained among the top 25 AKC breeds. It ranked eighteenth among AKC breeds in 2003 and twenty-third a decade later. The Boston terrier is still placed in the AKC's Non-Sporting Group, alongside a mix of breeds that do not fit neatly into any single category. Whatever group your dog is filed under, its tuxedo look and even temperament are likely part of why people still notice it on the street. Boston terriers are still known for that tuxedo coat today. That consistency is part of why the Boston terrier keeps turning up as an easy, recognizable face in everyday images of dogs in America.