Boston Terrier Complete Profile

Key Facts:

Size: Small - medium
Height: 37- 42cm (15 - 17inches)
Weight: Wide variation. But usually 8 kg (18 lb).
Life Span: 15 years
Grooming: Simple
Exercise: Undemanding
Feeding: Undemanding
Temperament: Determined & even-tempered
Country of Origin: England/United States
AKC Group: Non-Sporting
Other Names: Boston Bull

Temperament:
The Boston Terrier is even-tempered, intelligent, gentle and lively. Boston Terriers are playful and affectionate with their owners. They are good with children who can appreciate their clown-like antics. Boston Terriers are intelligent and quick to learn, making obedience training easy and straighforward. The Boston Terrier is strong-willed and boisterous, but they make a thoroughly good-natured family dog.

Grooming:
Grooming is minimal with the Boston Terrier. Occasionally run a brush or smooth glove over the coat and keep the ears clean and claws trimmed. The facial creases may need some attention from time to time with a special lotion for this area.

Exercise:
Exercise for Boston Terriers is undemanding. They have no desire for long walks, but do like to go with their owner/family everywhere. They enjoy playing.

History:
Boston Terriers evolved from cross-breeding in America between Bulldogs and Bull Terriers. They were once known as the American Bull Terrier. Their name was changed to Boston Terrier in order to seperate them from the already established Bull Terrier. The name 'Boston Terrier' was in honour of the city where their breed type was first developed. The progenitors of this breed weighed as much as 27kg (60lb), while today one sees the Boston Terrier around 6.8kg with a limit of up to 11.4kg.

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Intelligent expression, confident graceful gait and well built.
Colour: Preferably brindle with white on designated parts of the body. Black and white is allowable.
Coat: Short, shiny, fine and smooth in texture.
Tail: Set low, short, tapering and is either straight or screw-shape.
Ears: Small, erect and fine. Can sometimes be cropped.
Body: Sloping shoulders, broad chest, prominent ribs, short back and muscular, short loin.

Additional Comments:

There are associated problems with Boston Terriers including inherited eye conditions and their eyes are more prone to injuries. However these difficulties are now less of a problem than in the past. Boston Terriers also tend to snore loudly and have regular flatulence.
Sometimes natural births of this breed are impossible, due to the large head size of the puppies. Therefore caesarian sections are quite common for delivery Boston Terriers.

Related Information of Interest:

3 Simple Steps For A Healthier Dog
We all want what is best for our pet. Yet sometimes because of your hectic schedules, we tend to put our dog’s care at the bottom of the list or it just becomes a habit of chores we perform every day without giving it much thought. We stumble out of bed in the morning, let the dog out, fill the water bowl, dump some food in the dish and go on with our daily routine. Let’s face it this can get very boring for you and especially for your dog.

In order to maintain your dog’s health there are really only three simple steps you need to follow:
1.A good diet
2.Plenty of fresh water
3.Exercise

A good diet is essential to your dog’s health. Be careful what you buy! Read the ingredients label not just the name of the dog food. An all natural dog food is what you should be looking for, not one that contains filler and by-products. Remember you get what you pay for. Although an all natural dog food may be more expensive, studies have shown that your dog will in almost all cases eat more of the “bargain brand” than the all natural, nutritious dog food. The “bargain brands” will pass through your dog more quickly because they do not contain as much of the daily nutrients your dog requires. This leads to your dog being hungrier more often and thereby eating more. Your dog will retain more of the nutrients contained in the all natural food which means they will be less hungry, have healthier coats, more energy and better overall health.

Give your dog plenty of fresh water. Change it as often as you can. A good rule to follow is that every time you get yourself something to drink, add new water to your dog’s bowl.

Exercise your dog daily. This is good for you also. Take long walks, throw a ball or stick around the backyard or park. Remember your dog’s cardiovascular system, heart and muscles need exercise just like yours.

About the Author

Jim De Fazio is the successful webmaster of www.natural-pet-supplies.com. A site that offers all natural food and supplies for your dog or cat.

6 Simple Tips To Help Potty Train Your Puppy
Potty training also known as toilet or house training is the art of teaching your puppy where you want him to relieve himself. Sound simple! Not exactly, at least to me and many dog owners out there. Potty training my puppy gives me the most problems and headaches when I start to house train my first puppy years ago.

It seems that my puppy is always either in the wrong place at the right time, or the right place at the wrong time! Nevertheless, over the years, after much experiments and reading up, I’ve manage to come out with 6 simple tips to help potty train your dog.

1. Try to feed your puppy on a regular schedule and remove his water supply before bed time. His potty timing would be more predictable and consistent.

2. Puppy usually instinctively wants to relieve itself after feeding, sleeping, playing and confinement. Bring him to your designated area for his potty business after such activities.

3. Do not let your puppy wander off without supervision, potty training aside, it is dangerous for a young puppy to wander around by itself. Confined it in an area where you can see to prevent accidents and reward desired behaviors.

4. Be vigilance and always be on the look out. When you see your puppy sniffing and running around in circles, bring him to your designated spot immediately.

5. Give a command to help your dog associate the potty action with. For example, “Do it now” or “Go Potty”.

6. When he is doing his potty business, praise and reward. Praise and reward again after he’s finished.

Following these tips should help you considerably in potty training your puppy.

About the Author

Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com – The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

7 Simple ways to safe Guard your dog this summer!
If you have a hard time in summer imagine how it must feel under a fur coat! here are some simple tips to help your dog beat the heat.

1) Bob The Hair:
If you have a shaggy dog like a pomeranian, Pekinese or any such variation then listen up. Your dog needs a hair cut. The hair should be cut with scissors and not shaved. Do not cut around the whiskers but you can carefully trim around the eyes.The less hair on your dog the cooler he will keep. If you have a short haired dog no need for a trim.

2) Play it cool: Food can be lighter and given before it gets hot in the morning and after it cools down in the evening.Depending on the dogs normal diet, reduce or entirely eliminate meat. Replace with soya, mashed or cooked with meat flavour. When a dog is panting give ice to lick.

3) walk on the mild side:
Walks should be taken early and then again after sundown. Don't encourage chasing, fetching games too much.

4) Cool it: If you enjoy airconditioning so does your dog.If you have a cooled space share it with your pooch.

5) No closed encounters: Never leave dogs in a completely closed space. If your dog is home, Leave on the fan. In a car, leave the window partially open.

6) Let it all hang out: Dogs sweat from their tongues so never tie or muzzle the mouth in the summer. Whilst giving medical treatment see if you can hold the head rather than tying the mouth. If you have to tie the mouth be sure to release as quickly as possible.

7) Do not bathe your dog more than once a month. Soap/ Cleansers strip their skin of natural oils and lead to skin irritation. when dirty you can simply towel dry with a damp towel.

About the Author

Venkata Ramana is a Dog Lover since childhood. Visit his www.dogs-now.com/go/Boxer Dog website and discover how you can make boxer dog the happiest, loving dog alive, Running healthily with you.

A Funny True Life Dog Story
This is the story of my dog called Shandy. He was my favourite pet and he was very lively, lots of fun and very obedient. His main passion in life was to be taken for a long walk, culminating with a big run out in his favourite park.

I would try to take him on this walk everyday, weather permitting. The park itself was about three miles away from our house. To reach the park we had to cross a number of busy roads, however he would never pull or misbehave. He knew where we were heading and seemingly did not want to rock the boat and risk been taken home before he reached his dream destination.

At the park itself I would throw a ball and he would chase it and fetch it back to me.

At this stage I was living at home with my parents, however aged twenty two, I decided to rent my own bungalow near the coast in Devon. This was nearly two hundred miles away from my parents in home in Birmingham. This obviously meant I was no longer in the position to take Shandy on his walk.

I spoke to my parent, who reassured me that they would continue to take him on the walks.

Two weeks after I had left, I had a phone call from my mother. She was panicking, stating that Shandy had managed to escape from the back garden and that she could not find him. She insisted that she had been looking for hours but that there had been no sign of him.

I was quite worried and thought about where he may have gone to. "Have you been taking him on his walks to the park everyday?" I asked. She replied: "Most days" I asked her to try at the park, telling her that he loves that park etc. "He would not be there, its miles away." She said. I again asked her to try there. Luckily he was there quite happily sniffing around, unaware of the panic he had caused.

About the Author

Stephen Hill has a couple of websites at www.lasik-laser-surgery.co.uk and at www.stutter-stuttering.com.