COLORED BOSTON TERRIER TRUTHS

tHE TRUTH ABOUT COLOR HISTORY, THE STANDARD, AND HOW COLOR FADS AFFECT THE BOSTON TERRIER

HISTORY

EXPLORE THE BOSTON TERRIER HISTORY, COLOR HISTORY, AND THE EARLY STANDARD

the early standard

Below was the first "official" AKC Boston Terrier Standard from 1893. (ref; Edward Axtell, 1910 - The Boston Terrier And All About It, Chapter 2) Though for a brief period, there wasn't a specific diqualification in the written standard for non-standard colors, Brindle was the preferred color, with dark eyes and dark pigment. Every standard has stated black pigment and dark eyes are required. Therefore, red (liver), blue (mouse), lilac, etc could never meet the standard, even from the very beginning. These colors could never have been in the original vision for the breed and were screened out of breeding programs over the years as a result.

BOSTON TERRIER STANDARD OF 1893

GENERAL APPEARANCE AND STYLE: The general appearance of the Boston Terrier is that of a smooth, short-coated, compactly-built dog of medium station. The head should indicate a high degree of intelligence and should be in proportion to the dog’s size; the body rather short and well-knit, the limbs strong and finely turned, no feature being so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned. The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and activity. Style of a high order, and carriage easy and graceful. SKULL: Broad and flat, without prominent cheeks, and forehead free from wrinkles.STOP: Well defined, but indenture not too deep. EYES: Wide apart, large and round, neither sunken nor too prominent, and in color dark and soft. The outside corner should be on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front. MUZZLE: Short, square, wide and deep, without wrinkles. Nose black and wide, with a well defined straight line between nostrils. The jaws broad and square, with short, regular teeth. The chops wide and deep, not pendulous, completely covering the teeth when mouth is closed. EARS: Small and thin, situated as near corners of skull as possible. NECK: Of fair length, without throatiness and slightly arched. BODY: Deep and broad of chest, well ribbed up. Back short, not roached. Loins and quarters strong. ELBOWS: Standing neither in nor out. FORELEGS: Wide apart, straight and well muscled. HINDLEGS: Straight, quite long from stifle to hock (which should turn neither in nor out), short and straight from hock to pasterns. Thighs well muscled. Hocks not too prominent. FEET: Small, nearly round, and turned neither in nor out. Toes compact and arched. TAIL: Set-on low, short, fine and tapering, devoid of fringe or coarse hair, and not carried above the horizontal. COLOR: Any color, brindle, evenly marked with white, strongly preferred. MARKINGS: White muzzle, blaze on face, collar, chest and feet. COAT: Fine in texture, short, bright and not too hard. WEIGHT: Lightweight class, 12 and not to exceed 17 pounds; middleweight class, 17 and not to exceed 22 pounds; heavyweight class, 22 and not to exceed 28 pounds. DISQUALIFICATIONS: Docked tail and any artificial means used to deceive the judge.

In 1914, the standard changed to state this about color:

COLOR: Brindle with white markings.DISQUALIFICATIONS: Solid black, black and tan, liver and mouse colors. Docked tail and any artificial means used to deceive the judge.
Note that the eyes are still described as dark and the nose is still described as black.
Though allowed during development when the gene pool was very small, "colored Bostons" were disqualified shortly after as the breed started to resemble the original vision. The nose and eye color of the liver or diluted colors would never have met the standard. Even the "winter nose" of the creams would not have met the standard.

How many "colored" bostons were there in the beginning?

How many colored Bostons were there in those early years of the Boston Terrier history? There is mention of a "blue Perry dog" described as an import that weighed only 6 lbs. (ref; J.V. Mott, 1906 - The Boston Terrier, Chapter 1) However, this dog was very early in breed development and does not show up in later registrations, nor are there any "blue" Boston Terriers registered during those early years after AKC acceptance as its own breed. The AKC stud books show these off-standard colors registered (below). Keep in mind, if a dog is not registered, it is not going to contribute to the Boston Terrier gene pool moving forward. So this is what we had for colored Bostons from 1893 to 1899:
1893 - 1899 Red/Liver 4Fawns 10Black/White 2White 7Red Brindle** 5 Silver Brindle** 1(ref; AKC Stud Books 1893-1899) **The Red Brindles listed above, could have been a standard brindle with black pigment and a bright red base, but they were included in the Red/Liver category "just in case". The numbers above are actually a generous break down of all colored Bostons registered at the start of the breed.
Notice there are NO BLUES, NO "LILAC", NO dogs described as any other type of dilute registered in those early years. The closest is one dog described as "silver brindle" which is what they often referred to as a very light based brindle that was almost a cream toned base with black stripes (see example). In Edward Axtell's book, silver brindles (or "steel brindles") were categorized with "tiger brindles" which is a very light background with black dramatic striping like a tiger.
Brindle was the original color of the Boston Terrier, and made up about 94% of all Boston Terriers registered from 1893 to 1899.
Champion Druid's Vixen - an example of the original ideal color and markings for the Boston Terrier. The original Boston, and most desired, was brindle color with even white markings.

how did the early founders feel about these disqualifed colors?

The colored Bostons were a brief piece of the Boston Terrier history at best. Over 90% of all registered Boston Terriers during that time were BRINDLE. Brindle was the original color of the Boston Terrier. Black wasn't even added to the list of acceptable colors until the 1930's and Seal was later clarified as slightly different than black decades later. In the revised standard in 1914, black was also listed among liver (red) and mouse (blue) as a disqualified color. (ref; Edward Axtell, 1910 - The Boston Terrier And All About It, Chapter 2)
According to Edward Axtell red/liver, mouse/blue and black were being disqualified as early as 1885. They were allowed for a short period, but again disqualified when the breed standard was next updated. "When we first commenced breeding Bostons in 1885, the prevailing shades were a rather light golden brindle (often a yellow), and mahogany brindles, and quite a considerable number had a great deal of white. Then three shades were disbarred, viz., black, mouse and liver, and although years after the Boston Terrier Club removed this embargo, they still remain very undesirable colors" (ref; Edward Axtell, 1910 - The Boston Terrier And All About It, Chapter 9) Edward Axtell goes into great detail in this same chapter about how to breed away from these undesirable colors. Some of the colors that were described as undesirable were White (the majority of the body), Black, Gray Brindle (described as a 'dead color'), Buckskin (fawn), Liver (red), Mouse (blue), Yellow (cream, described as "a very undesirable shade but easy to eliminate"). According to Edward Axtell, these colors were considered undesirable and slated for elimination from the breed from as far back as 1885.
**Example of what is commonly called a "Silver Brindle" as more commonly found in other breeds such as Greyhounds. It is a very light base coat with a black brindle pattern over the top. It is not a dilute blue brindle.

resources and suggested history reading

The Boston Terrier And All About it
By Edward Axtell - Copyright 1910
The Ideal Boston Terrier
By Josephine Z. Rhine - Copyright 1932

the dog book - vol.2 chXXXVIII pg521-534

By James Watson - 1905

The Boston Terrier

J.V. Mott - Copyright 1906
The Boston Terrier
By Vincent Perry - Copy right 1928
The Boston Terrier
By E.J. Rousuck - Copyright 1926
THE BOSTON TERRIER STANDARD
This is the complete Boston Terrier Standard as put forth by the parent club The Boston Terrier Club Of America and supported by The American Kennel Club.
BOSTON TERRIER HISTORY
Explore some interesting facts about the Boston, their start as the first American made breed, some common misconceptions, and the history of color in the breed.

ALLOWED COLORS

The Boston Terrier Standard is very clear about colors for the breed. There is some variation between the shades and amount of brindle but all require black pigment and this page shows you examples of those subtle variations.
DISQUALIFIED COLORS
Learn the facts about what coat colors are and are not accepted for the Boston Terrier, and how breeding these dogs affects the breed overall. Learn the difference between naturally occurring color and introduced color.

CORRECT EXPRESSION

Breed type and expression separates the Boston from many other breeds. Described as the "God Love It" expression by Vincent Perry, the deep dark eyes of the Boston are a hallmark of the breed.

DAMAGE TO THE BREED

This page discusses the long term effects of fad breeding and why breeders should not be ignoring the qualities required by the Boston Terrier Standard.
Additional Facts About The Boston Terrier and Its History

  • Can Boston Terriers Have Long Hair?

  • Are Merle Bostons Purebred?

  • Can Boston Terriers Have Long Tails?

  • Are Boston Terriers With Longer Noses Healthier?

  • Did Bostons Used To Be 40-50 Pounds?

  • Is There Anything Wrong With White Headed Bostons?

  • Are Boston Terriers With Blue Eyes Okay?

  • Were Boston Terriers Fighting dogs?

Were Bostons Fighting Dogs?
were the first bostons larger?
Can Bostons Have Long HAir?
what's wrong with "too much" white?
can bostons have long tails?
what's wrong with blue eyes?
are longer noses healthier?
can merle bostons be purebred?

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