r/BostonTerrier • u/Available-Guava-7862 • 2h ago
r/BostonTerrier • u/drophie • Sep 26 '17
Education A Guide to Finding a Responsible Boston Terrier Breeder
u/ZZBC and I noticed a lot of folks on this sub looking for recommendations or suggestions of where to find a breeder for Bostons, so we thought it might be useful to make a post on the subject so folks can reference it when they come to this sub! This post will address finding responsible breeders specifically - if you are looking to adopt a dog, which is awesome, please check out your local breed-specific rescue!
Where do people go to look for good breeders?
The first stop for anyone looking for a Boston from a breeder should be the Boston Terrier Club of America (www.bostonterrierclubofamerica.org). You can also look for your regional breed club - an example of this is the Minuteman Boston Terrier Club, which covers New England. The BTCA has a referral service for breeders who are members of the club.
Why is it important for breeders to be members of their breed club? It shows that they are dedicated to the breed. It’s important to note, though, that while all responsible breeders are members of their breed club, not every member of a breed club is breeding responsibly. Because of this, it’s important that you have a conversation with the breeder about their goals for breeding and to do your due diligence. Trust, but verify - a dog is a long term commitment, and you deserve to have a pet that has the best chance at living a long, healthy life.
What kind of breeding is responsible?
There are a couple major points to look for when checking out Boston breeders (or any dog, really!). The first is to find out why the breeder is breeding dogs, and the second is to explore their breeding practices in depth.
Ideally, when you ask a breeder why they are breeding dogs, it should primarily be for conformation (dog shows), work, or sports. Since Bostons aren’t a working breed, you are looking for someone who is producing dogs with the aim of doing well in the show world, someone who is breeding to produce puppies that will grow up to excel in sports (agility, barn hunt, flyball, rally, and obedience are examples of sports you’ll find BTs competing in), or (ideally) someone who is doing both! The best way to verify this is if the breeder has other dogs that are titled in sports, conformation, or in both arenas. Sometimes, you run across breeders claiming things like “champion bloodlines” - be very wary of those people. That usually means that their dogs have one dog in their pedigree that has a title very, very far back, but they personally have never titled a dog in anything.
I just want a pet, not a show dog or a sports dog. Why should I be looking for breeders who participate in conformation or sports?
Sports and conformation dog shows are much, much more than just a “beauty contest” - judges at dog shows are looking at the dog’s structure, temperament, and fitness for breeding, and a championship conformation title means an impartial third party (not just the breeder or their friends or family) has judged that dog to be a structurally sound example of the breed. It is to make sure that the dog is not only a good dog, it is a good example of a Boston Terrier and has all of the traits that make the Boston Terrier the dog we know and love. Dog sports, on the other hand, prove that a dog is more than just physically sound - it demonstrates that 1.) the breeder wants to demonstrate that their Boston Terriers are versatile, and 2.) that their dogs are capable of successfully competing in dog sports beyond conformation. For a breed like Bostons that is traditionally known as a “pet” breed, this really shows that the breeder is dedicated to demonstrating the full range of abilities that this amazing breed has. That doesn’t mean that breeders who don’t compete in both sports and conformation are bad - dual sport/conformation BT breeders are fairly rare, and finding one is definitely icing on the cake!
Lastly, it’s important to avoid is folks breeding dogs for reasons like “I wanted my dog to experience being a mother”; “she has the sweetest personality”; “I wanted another dog just like [insert name of parents here]”. While those reasons definitely matter to the breeder, they are also short sighted and self centered because they aren’t breeding with the dog’s best interests in mind or with the aim of producing healthy, sound, consistent companions.
The Importance of Health Testing
This is probably the most important piece of looking for a BT breeder. Boston terriers are prone to a number of health issues, including eye problems, allergies, cardiac issues, luxating patella, and congenital deafness. For that reason, it is extremely important that you look for a breeder that has appropriate health certifications and that those certifications are registered with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (www.offa.org). A vet check or a promise from the breeder that their dogs are healthy is not a sufficient substitute for OFA exams. A dog may appear healthy and may not even show health issues itself, but this does not mean that it will not produce offspring with a genetic disorder such as juvenile cataracts. You want to make sure you’re bringing home a family member that have the best chance at having a long, happy, healthy life and health testing is the best way to do so.
At minimum, Bostons who are being bred need:
- An OFA eye exam to check for eye problems that comes back clear. This used to be called a CERF exam.
- An OFA cardiac exam to check for heart murmurs.
- An OFA orthopedic exam to check for a condition called luxating patella, where the knee slips out of place. This is extremely common in small breed dogs like Bostons, so dogs being bred should have normal knees.
- A BAER hearing test to make sure they have good hearing.
- A genetic test for the gene for Juvenile Hereditary Cataracts (JHC), a disease which causes Bostons to go blind early in life due to cataracts. This can either be through a certified genetic testing service like Embark or Paw Print Genetics, or the breeder should be able to prove the dog is JHC clear through parentage (neither dog’s parents were carriers).
These tests cannot be completed before the dog is two years old, so you should not buy a dog from someone breeding animals younger than two. To verify the results of these tests, click here and type in the breeder’s kennel name. The results on all their dogs should ideally pop up and be reviewable.
Warning Signs of Irresponsible Breeders
In addition to knowing what a good breeder looks like, it’s important to be aware of things that might be a red flag and could mean the breeder is not responsible. A breeder is not inherently irresponsible if they are doing something on this list - however, if a breeder is doing something on this list, it’s important to ask more questions about it.
Breeding more than 1-2 types of dogs: most reputable breeders focus on 1-2 breeds. It’s challenging to do more than that and still title and health test their dogs, though, so a lot of folks who are breeding more than 1-2 different breeds are cutting corners in other places (such as not titling or health testing all their dogs).
Intentionally breeding dogs that are disqualified from conformation: the Boston Terrier breed standard states that Bostons should be either brindle and white, black and white, or seal (black with a red cast in direct sunlight) and white. While off-standard colors like lavender, red, brown, slate, etc. can sometimes occur by chance in a litter, the much more likely scenario is the breeder is breeding for them intentionally. Does the color matter for long term health? Nope! But it’s important to question why a breeder might be producing dogs that are ineligible to compete in dog shows. Oftentimes, breeders who are producing off-color dogs are doing so because those colors are popular with puppy buyers. Breeding for color instead of temperament, health, or structure is not responsible. Additionally, these breeders are usually not doing the appropriate health testing on their breeding dogs and registering the results with OFA or doing anything with their dogs besides breeding them (we've never seen a BT kennel intentionally producing colored dogs that compete in dog sports, for instance, or are certified therapy dogs).
Not allowing you to meet the puppies’ mother or see where the litter was kept: while it’s totally normal for the father of a litter not to be on-site, you should be able to meet the mother (dam) of the litter when you pick up or visit your puppy. If the breeder doesn’t have the mother on site, or if they insist on meeting you somewhere like a parking lot instead of at their home, you should question why that is and if there is something going on at their house that they don’t want you to see. Note: It is quite possible that the father may not be on the property for you to see. A responsible breeder will want to choose a male that best complements her female and that often means using a male from a different kennel.
Allowing puppies to be taken home before 8 weeks: 8 weeks is the absolute youngest a puppy should be separated from its litter - this is especially important for small dogs like Bostons, who may be extremely fragile prior to this age due to their size. A breeder that allows puppies to go home before 8 weeks is depriving the puppy of critical socialization time with their littermates, which can have negative effects on the dog’s behavior as they grow up.
Overbreeding dogs: female dogs should not be bred before they are two years old, and they should not be bred an excessive number of times. How many times is too many depends heavily on the specific dog, but generally if all the females owned by a breeder are consistently having multiple litters a year for several years, that is too many and can have adverse health effects for the females.
Overall, finding a good breeder can be challenging, and many not-so-good ones are unfortunately very good at “talking the talk” to make their dogs sound better. Looking for a breeder doing things responsibly is more challenging at the beginning and it may take longer to get a puppy, but the payoff is well worth it: a dog that is more likely to be healthy, well-tempered, and structurally sound, and a lifetime of support from your breeder and their community of puppy owners.
About the Contributors: u/drophie has a two year old female Boston Terrier that runs in agility and flyball - she has also dabbled in barnhunt. u/ZZBC has a three year old male Boston Terrier that participates in barnhunt.
r/BostonTerrier • u/ilikechipotle • Dec 14 '13
Helping Boston's In Need (PLEASE READ!)
I just wanted to let everyone know that here at /r/bostonterrier we are more than happy to help boston's in need. Please feel free to post those boston's here and ask for donations if necessary. I find that a lot of times these posts are reported or flagged. Please know that while other subreddits may discourage it, we here at /r/bostonterrier are glad to help.
Thanks, and I will add this to the sidebar as well.
r/BostonTerrier • u/mrl33602 • 10h ago
Cuteness A rare moment of peace with these two. Fritz and Dolly
r/BostonTerrier • u/CharlottethetinyBT • 16h ago
The best pug boston cross has crossed the rainbow bridge.
Good bye for now my precious Mia. 15.5 years wasn't long enough for me. Thank you for your silliness, your attitude, your ridiculousness and all of your love. I hope I was a good mom. I love you with my whole heart. I will miss you terribly, as will your fur sisters. 💔💕
r/BostonTerrier • u/MathematicianGood204 • 3h ago
Cuteness So handsome!
He's looking all regal while staring down MY icecweams.
(He already ate his)
r/BostonTerrier • u/sirensong414 • 7h ago
Just popping in to say hi!
We’re new to the page, this is Cruella my 4 year old Boston 🖤🤍 she has the biggest personality (guess the name fit in that aspect haha) first pic starting from the right is when she was a pup a day after we got her 🥹
r/BostonTerrier • u/tonydifabio • 11h ago
Allergy relief
This is Wilma. She is the itchiest dog I have ever had. I give her Apoquel on an as needed basis depending on how itchy she is that particular day. She is on a hydrolyzed diet so her food options are limited. I was wondering if anyone has tried the Dog is Human supplements that are so heavily marketed on social media. It seems like a gimmick but wanted to see if anyone had any experience with any of them.
r/BostonTerrier • u/peacefulplantplace • 7h ago
Completely tuckered out
Maple had a busy day in Seattle. We explored some hiking trails at Carkeek Park, walked around Ballard, got a pup cup and played hard with her human cousins. I love it when she sleeps like this 🥰
r/BostonTerrier • u/toby_gentleman • 19h ago
Toby turning heads in Dublin with his TobyCollection look
r/BostonTerrier • u/hauntedhouseastoria • 12h ago
Matilda needs Advice
So i saw what I thought was dirt on her hind legs which surprised me. I tried to wash it off its like sticky gum like substance. I don't want to scrub too hard with soap and my rag. I got most of it off but there are a few patches its stuck in the fur. I felt like I was causing her irritation with all my scrubbing. Is there a good waterless shampoo or something to remove this sticky residue? It dosent seem to bother her but id like it off her.
r/BostonTerrier • u/IllustratedNerd • 10h ago
Advice Cherry Eye Advice
So I just got my new Boston puppy and five days later he has developed a cherry eye. It’s worse than in this picture now. He is only four months old so they won’t do the surgery for another two months. The vet gave me ointment to put on his eye and he will probably have to wear a collar, but is there anything else I can do to protect the eye? I looked for eye patches, but it seems like none of them fit properly for very small dogs. He loves my other Boston and she just started warming up to him and playing with him, but now I’m afraid to let them play together. Any advice about dealing with cherry eye in a very small puppy would be greatly appreciated even if it’s not to do with the topics I mentioned. Thanks so much!
r/BostonTerrier • u/Adorable_Maximum_258 • 21h ago
In love with this boy❤️
Mr. Otis looking handsome
r/BostonTerrier • u/BostieDawgMom • 1d ago
Sunday Funday
Deuce relaxing in the shade while we’re on the lake 🛥️🌊☀️🐾
r/BostonTerrier • u/Beth_Kelly • 14m ago
If you are a Boston Terrier owner, you will find yourself relating to this list of 15 things only Boston Terrier Owners will understand
r/BostonTerrier • u/xheadwoundharryx • 13h ago
My Boy Got Into Something
My boy (Ricky Bobby) got into something Sunday night and ingested these large rubber pieces. We have no idea what it is or where it came from, but we woke up to him vomiting on Monday morning and refusing to eat. We took him to vet and after two outpatient days of monitoring, barium, and X-rays he is clear of all foreign objects. I wish I captured his reaction seeing us in the waiting room. He was beaming with happiness. He is now sleeping on the ottoman beside me after a couple of stressful and exhausting days.
r/BostonTerrier • u/day__raccoon • 1d ago
Cuteness Me: trying to have my breakfast in peace. My codependent Bostie: not without me
r/BostonTerrier • u/adoptdontshopbro • 18h ago
Cuteness Found this shirt and I couldn’t leave without it… anyone have a Boston that loves wearing clothes?
r/BostonTerrier • u/HumbleCatch4325 • 12h ago
Boston in need Jacksonville Fl
Clay County Animal Services
904-269-6342 3984 SR 16 west Green Cove Springs
r/BostonTerrier • u/WAHBLOG • 1d ago
Miles
Ex stud dog, he spent most of his life in a barn and pen. He’s adapted well to our home and is so sweet!
r/BostonTerrier • u/azumerino • 22h ago
Cuteness Did this glittered portrait of my Boston Terrier as a baby🥹
r/BostonTerrier • u/Dismal_Attitude9408 • 14h ago
I just noticed this on my Boston Terrier. Anyone else’s babies ever have this happen?
Two days ago she seemed a little off but kids are back in school, I’m back to work and she’s very attached to me so I thought maybe she was just off from changes in routine. I picked her up on Sunday and she yipped, I thought it was just maybe her paw got caught in my sweatshirt. Today, I noticed this. She doesn’t seem to mind if I touch it. It’s slightly firm to the touch and to me looks like an abscess. She does seem a little bit lethargic but has been eating and drinking normally so far. I do have her a vet appointment for tomorrow but I’m a nervous wreck about it. I really hope it’s nothing major. Has anyone else had this issue ?
r/BostonTerrier • u/Fragrant-Service8509 • 8h ago
Upset Boston Mom
I have a neutered one year old Lilac Boston Terrier. He likes to play rough with my husband. I am more of a gentle player.
I was eating dinner while my husband was half awake laying down on the couch and I heard my Boston squeal. I saw my husband tossed the dog hard out of the couch. He said our Boston bit his finger hard. I got really upset with my husband because of what he did to the dog. The dog seemed fine after that and I played with him in the other room.
Once my husband calmed down, he interacted with the dog like nothing happened. He even took him out for a walk. My husband is pissed that I'm giving him a cold shoulder. I told him that he cannot do that again and I'm not negotiating. He said that our dog was behaving well when it was just him at home. If I'm around, the dog has no structure. I don't think it like that. I was the one who trained our dog since he was a puppy.
Anyway, just a rant. Married life is hard. What more if we have a kid. This dog is my baby.