Boston Terrier

Apartment-sized, until the weather turns

Boston Terriers are compact, clownish dogs of 12 to 25 pounds and about 15 to 17 inches, usually good with children and other dogs, and fine in an apartment that stays cool. Lifespan is about 11 to 13 years. Exercise on the stats table is moderate, 30 to 60 minutes, and the useful version is a morning walk plus a game on the rug. Noon fetch in July is how a short muzzle gets into trouble.

Brachycephalic airway disease is milder than in a Bulldog and still real. Watch for gagging, exercise that ends in a minute, and sleep that keeps interrupting itself. Wrinkles and the tail fold need a wipe and a dry. Extra weight narrows the airway further. Many litters arrive by cesarean because the skull does not fit the birth canal. That is a reason to buy a pet and leave breeding to people with a surgical plan and eye clearances.

Eyes and knees

Cataracts can show up young and cloud the pupil. Cherry eye is a prolapsed tear gland that looks like a red lump at the inner corner. Corneal ulcers follow any scratch to a prominent eye. Patellas luxate and produce a hop. Hemivertebrae, misshapen spinal bones, are worth knowing about if a puppy's gait looks wrong. Some Bostons are deaf; a dog that sleeps through a clap needs a BAER test, not a louder clap.

Ordinary yearly costs often fall around $1,450 to $2,800. Shedding is modest. Trainability is good if you keep sessions short and upbeat. VCA's pet library covers brachycephalic syndrome and heatstroke. Labored breathing uses the checker immediately. A hopping hind leg uses the limping page.

Boston Terrier questions

Can Boston Terriers handle summer runs?

Poorly. Noisy breathing, a short nose, and a dark coat make heatstroke a realistic afternoon. Walk them in cool air. A snore at rest can be normal; a new struggle to inhale is not.

Why are so many Boston puppies born by cesarean?

The head is large for the pelvis. A pet Boston should not be bred on the theory that one litter will be easy. Whelping often becomes surgery.

What eye problems do Bostons get?

Juvenile cataracts, corneal ulcers, and cherry eye. Squinting is a same-day visit. A breeder should be able to talk about eye exams, not only the tuxedo markings.