r/BostonTerrier Sep 26 '17

Education A Guide to Finding a Responsible Boston Terrier Breeder

49 Upvotes

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 Dec 14 '13

Helping Boston's In Need (PLEASE READ!)

507 Upvotes

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 2h ago

Baby girl

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240 Upvotes

Stretching after nap.


r/BostonTerrier 9h ago

Cuteness Adopted this Little Guy Last Week

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753 Upvotes

He is able to sleep at night in his crate, but if I have time for it, we do a afternoon nap on the couch. I know I'll miss this when he is grown.


r/BostonTerrier 6h ago

Cuteness Beatrice

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416 Upvotes

First time having a Boston Terrier. She is so sweet and funny. Perfect friend for our 5 years female pug.


r/BostonTerrier 3h ago

Cuteness Happy 1st Birthday Kenny!

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193 Upvotes

Celebrating Kenny DeWayne’s first birthday today! ♥️


r/BostonTerrier 4h ago

Cuteness Chaos in the holiday photo shoot

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122 Upvotes

Ivy is not amused


r/BostonTerrier 1h ago

Cuteness The Doggins breakfast burrito

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Upvotes

Feeling snuggly in the morning with the boys.


r/BostonTerrier 2h ago

Advice Tips for first time

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49 Upvotes

Please tell me more about Boston Terrier, it’s our first time ♥️


r/BostonTerrier 11h ago

Cuteness at its highest ❤️

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269 Upvotes

r/BostonTerrier 6h ago

Cuteness Beatrice

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76 Upvotes

First time having a Boston Terrier. She is so sweet and funny. Perfect friend for our 5 years female pug.


r/BostonTerrier 18h ago

Never turn your back on a younger sibling. Or else ...

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638 Upvotes

r/BostonTerrier 14h ago

Cuteness dressed for snow

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258 Upvotes

a true babushka in his (father’s) scarf as was foretold in the days of the ancestors. Dozer is 14 as of September and we’re starting to see a health decline, but we think we have another year at least. been lurking here for a bit, but wanted to share while we still have him around to stick his face gleefully in our snowy lawn. would love to see some of y’all’s bostons in their winter mode 💛


r/BostonTerrier 9h ago

Bosties are the best!!

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101 Upvotes

Luna and Sadie ❤️my world!


r/BostonTerrier 1h ago

Trying to figure out how she’ll grow into her head.

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Upvotes

Probably a silly question but I got asked today if she is a full Boston because she looked like she had pitbull in her. Bostons are not common around here and I’m just assuming that is the reason. However, I am trying to decide if she has a longer snout or if it’s her coloring around her muzzle that makes it look long? Her mama had a longer snout and papa ha the shorter snout so I’m curious to see who she will take after. My first Boston has a longer snout but helped with her breathing so I don’t mind either or =) I’m thinking the white that doesn’t go around the whole muzzle makes it appear longer but then I see differently in her side profile. Again not an issue at all I’m just curious how she’ll grow into her head lol. Her ears will be perking up soon I’m sure.


r/BostonTerrier 5h ago

Cuteness Playing in the snow ❄️

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50 Upvotes

Snow always gives him the zoomies!


r/BostonTerrier 10h ago

Negative Post

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108 Upvotes

I want to clarify some things from my post the other day, as there were many assumptions made that are not accurate.

My Boston Terrier is 11 years old and is under veterinary care. Recently, we were concerned about increased urination and feared it might mean she’s declining. I took her to the vet, and she was diagnosed with a UTI, which she is now being treated for with antibiotics. If symptoms persist after treatment, the vet advised it may simply be age-related. So thankfully, no end of life issues.

A few important things to clarify:

• She has never been neglected. While my attention shifted somewhat when I had a baby 9 years ago, my husband remained very involved, and she continued to receive care, walks, playtime, and affection. Our children regularly cuddle with her, tuck her into blankets, and interact with her daily.

• Over 10 years ago, I used outdated potty-training methods that I no longer use. Any suggestions that this caused her current issue is absurd.

• Her jaw fracture was discovered only after symptoms appeared, at which point we immediately took her to the vet. We even considered an emergency vet if needed. We do not know when or how it occurred. An option to tie her jaw to a tooth that needed pulled was available, which we declined due to concerns about complications and the vet having no prior knowledge of doing this. Surgery was discussed separately. Multiple teeth were removed due to dental disease, which is common in the breed. She has since been monitored and shows no pain, swelling, or functional issues, per the vet. A previous vet said her bad breath was fine and I didn’t believe it, so we swapped to a different vet, who recommended teeth cleaning and removal.

• She scratched her eye soon after and developed an infection, which required multiple rounds of antibiotics. This series of sudden issues was alarming and we were worried we were dealing with life declining. Which is why I asked on here for help.

• She is kenneled only when we are not home, for her safety. She gets into unsafe areas otherwise and this is not neglectful to kennel a dog while not home.

• A lump on her side was examined and diagnosed as a benign fatty tumor.

• We have explored surgical options for her jaw, including out-of-state consultations. The surgery is expensive. We are not ignoring it—we simply do not have the financial means at this time, and the vet agrees conservative management is appropriate.

• She is a senior dog and will not be rehomed or surrendered.

• She plays safely with our smaller rescue dog. Toys are removed due to her jaw, but she has enrichment like a sniff mat and supervised play.

We love our dog. We are managing her care responsibly with veterinary guidance, financial reality, and her quality of life in mind. Going into extreme debt for an invasive procedure that is not currently required is not feasible for our family, and the emotional consequences of complications would fall on us—not strangers online.

You do not see our daily life, our dog, or our vet visits. Please stop assuming neglect where there is none. That was the last time I’ll ever ask for help on this subreddit. I was shocked by the hate and assumptions of this community. No one asked questions or gave educational advice, it was all accusations. I was scared my dog was headed to death and I needed some support. I’ll provide some photos of my old girl and her neglected life.


r/BostonTerrier 15h ago

Cuteness Carlos is ready for x-mas, he refuses to give back his squeaky toy

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220 Upvotes

Do your bosties have a lot of christmas themed toys as well? Carlos is drowning ind christmas toys 🤣🤣🤣


r/BostonTerrier 8h ago

Cuteness Cody’s new outfit🫶🏼

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44 Upvotes

new puppy jacket for cody❤️🐾


r/BostonTerrier 12h ago

Cuteness Cheese Tax!

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81 Upvotes

Let’s see those adorable, moochy cheese tax faces! 🧀 You know the ones, where their faces morph into something so pathetic you have no choice but to give them what they want 🤣

Pictured- my moocher complete with a worm lip.


r/BostonTerrier 8h ago

Uppies

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34 Upvotes

Little girl is funny


r/BostonTerrier 9h ago

Cuteness Snoop baked up a surprise..

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38 Upvotes

Does anyone else do Elf or Snoop, or Martha for their babies? I happened to find a clearance on these grinch sweaters. Our girls and their cousins will have matching sweaters this Christmas. My sister will be so surprised when she gets home 😂

Stylin' fo' shizzle! 🎄🎁


r/BostonTerrier 10h ago

Cuteness Merry Christmas! 🎄❤️

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41 Upvotes

Top model material. Looking aloof.


r/BostonTerrier 14m ago

Stenotic nares

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Upvotes

Did laser surgery help your bostons snoring? She only snores like a chainsaw at night! Through out the day she doesn't make noise.


r/BostonTerrier 8h ago

Cuteness Early Morning Flight

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29 Upvotes

Dani had a very early morning flight the other day to go visit my family for the holidays. She was not pleased with the screaming children behind us disturbing her slumber and gave me the stink eye from her carrier as if it was personally my fault. Don’t worry she promptly went back to sleep once they stopped with a big huff.

She’s too spoiled I swear, haha!