disqualified colors
These are colors that are disqualified from the BTCA/AKC Standard - These colors are not meant to be used in breeding or showing. They make fine pets but ethical breeders do not breed for these colors on purpose. They are often bred for profit due to fads.
Disqualified (fad) Colors
BLUE
Also referred to as "Mouse" and "Grey". This is a dilute of black - all of the black hairs and skin are diluted from black to a blue hue.
Coat appears grey or blue, referred to as "mouse" in the early years of the breed. It can range from light to dark grey, sometimes so dark it appears standard. However the nose color and eyes usually give away the true color of the dog. The nose is "self colored" or blue, to match the coat. The eyes usually range from a greenish-brown (caused by the yellow tone mixed with brown) to amber colored. Neither the pigment of the skin, nor the eye color has ever met the standard, not even the first standard in 1893.
Diluted colors are known in some breeds to cause Color Dilution Alopecia, which is the onset of a thin dry coat of poor quality. The progression is gradual, so while a breeder may brag about thick coated puppies, adults may still suffer from CDA. To date there is not testing to prove this issue in the Boston Terrier, just reported experiences from owners of blue Bostons and rescues that observe it on their intakes. CDA is one reason many feel it is unethical to breed dilute to dilute as this can increase chances of CDA
The brindle version of this color is simply the black or seal striping pattern being diluted by the dilution gene. It does NOT fall into the brindle category accepted by the Boston Terrier Club Of America / AKC Standard.
Below is a link to additional information. This website has the most accurate and comprehensive explanation of dog coat colors available.
LIVER & LIVER BRINDLE
This is not to be confused with "Seal". All hairs and pigment on a Liver dog is a reddish or brownish hue. Often referred to as "red", "chocolate" or "brown".
The liver color has been referred to as "red", "chocolate", and "brown" by fad color marketers depending upon the shade of red. This color is not to be confused with actual genetically "red" dogs in a breed such as an Irish Setter, where the nose/pigment is still black. Liver, like blue, also has a "self-colored" nose that matches the coat. The nose and all other pigment is liver and the eyes are typically amber or brownish-amber. Neither the pigment of the skin, nor the eye color has ever met the standard.
The brindle version of this color is simply a liver striping over a lighter background It does NOT fall into the brindle category accepted by the Boston Terrier Club Of America / AKC Standard.
Below is a link to additional information. This website has the most accurate and comprehensive explanation of dog coat colors available.
ISABELLA & ISABELLA BRINDLE
Isabella is a dilute of Liver, just as Blue is a dilute of Black.
Just as black is diluted to blue by the dilution gene, a liver colored dog can be lightened to an Isabella shade. This if often referred to by color marketers as "lilac" or "champagne", however it is known most commonly in canine coat color terms as Isabella.
Diluted colors are known in some breeds to cause Color Dilution Alopecia, which is the onset of a thin dry coat of poor quality. The progression is gradual, so while a breeder may brag about thick coated puppies, adults may still suffer from CDA later on. To date there is no testing to prove this issue in the Boston Terrier, just reported experiences from owners of blue Bostons and rescues that observe it on their intakes. CDA is one reason many feel it is unethical to breed dilute to dilute as this can increase chances of CDA
The brindle version of this color does NOT fall into the brindle category accepted by the Boston Terrier Club Of America / AKC Standard.
Below is a link to additional information. This website has the most accurate and comprehensive explanation of dog coat colors available.
CREAM
This is a light colored yellowish coat.
Cream is also referred to commonly in canine coat color terms as a form of "recessive red". It can range from almost white, to yellow, to a light red. Fad color marketers have also referred to the color as "honey".
They have black pigment but often have, what is referred to as, a "winter nose". This is a flesh colored nose often also referred to as a "dudley nose" which is also a disqualification in the standard.
The first one in history didn't appear until the year 1900 and was referred to as "yellow", which we presume meant "cream". It is possible it was a light fawn, which was also referred to as "buckskin", but for the purpose of this site, we will assume it is the first appearance of anything resembling cream in the history of the breed. There is rumor of French Bulldog being crossed with Bostons in the early years, which may explain the appearance of this color.
Cream does not come in brindle or with a mask (the patterns are canceled out by the cream coloring), though some backgrounds can be so light it appears cream. Below is a link to more information on the recessive red coloring.
FAWN
Fawn is a red or "fawn" colored coat, often accompanied by a Black Mask
Fawn was often referred to in the early years of the breed as "Buckskin". This was the most common color among the disqualified colors at the start of the breed. Fawn can be found with a black mask, or maskless, but the black pigment makes it the only disqualified color found in the early years of the breed that met the requirement of dark eyes, black nose and black pigment. It's possible this is why it was more common to see them registered and bred than the other colors, which were limited.
Fawn in recent years has been altered further to include diluted pigment, giving way to light eyes, blue masks, and diluted pigment, washing out what would have been their only standard color feature.
A maskless fawn can closely resemble a dark cream, however cream does not have dark (black) hairs or hair that is tipped in black but a fawn does, even if just a few hairs. Regardless, both are not standard colors
Below is a link to additional information. This website has the most accurate and comprehensive explanation of dog coat colors available.
TRI-COLOR
Tri Color or Tan Pointed, consisting of a solid color, white markings, and tan markings at the eyebrows, lower legs, and cheeks.
Tri-Color is a black and white dog with tan points, or the dog can be a diluted shade such as blue or isabella with tan points also. Regardless, this is not a Boston Terrier color. There were no black and tan or tri-colored Bostons in the first years of the breed, and there is no mention of any playing a part in the development of the breed. It has also repeatedly been listed as a disqualifying color in past written standards.
The emergence of tri-color has happened in recent years, with breeders openinly admitting mixing breeds to get this color. Much like merle, it is one of the newest fad colors, but these are not purebred Boston Terriers. Even if AKC registered, these dogs are the result of mixing.
Below is a link to additional information. This website has the most accurate and comprehensive explanation of dog coat colors available.
MERLE
Characterized by the splotched irregular pattern, merle is the undeniable product of mixed breeds.
Merle is a dominant coat pattern, meaning that one parent must be merle in order to manifest as a coat pattern. It is only found in certain breeds, one of which is NOT the Boston Terrier. This, in genetic terms, means it's impossible for a merle Boston Terrier to be purebred.
The coloring is a very patchy, irregular pattern of diluted and often spotty or patching looking shades throughout the coat. The most common is blue or liver.
The merle gene can cause a host of health issues if bred improperly, especially doubling up on two merles ina breeding. This link tells about the basics of the merle coloring. For additional reading on the topic, including hidden and cryptic merles, there are additional links within the site. For the purpose of this page however, it's important to note that it is genetically impossible for a Bosotn Terrier to be naturally merle without mixing breeds and being dishonest in the registration of the offspring.
What about the "Blue Perry Dog"?
Blue is assumed to have come into the breed from the blue and white import referred to as the "blue Perry dog". This was not a "Boston Terrier" but an entirely different breed rumored to be a "Blue Paul Terrier" imported from Scotland. Denlinger states he was described as "blue and white color with a long straight tail" and also, "It is difficult to imagine anything more foreign to the breed in formation as it was known then and, certainly, to the Boston Terrier as it is known now. It is safe to guess that he was little used, and that the breed would have progressed more rapidly if he had been excluded entirely from its formation." (ref; Wm. Denlinger 1955 - The Complete Boston)
Example of the "Blue Paul Terrier" breed from Scotland. Also known as the "Scottish Bull Terrier, the "Blue Pole Bulldog" and "Blue Poll" or "Blue Pole". They were similar to the Boston due to also being a Bulldog & Bull Terrier mix.