Country of origin: USA

FCI Classification, the 9th group
Companions and Toy dogs

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Boston Terrier is a lively, highly intelligent, smooth coated, short-headed, compactly built, short-tailed, well balanced dog, brindle, seal or black in color and evenly marked with white.

The body is rather short and well knit, the limbs strong and neatly turned, the tail is short and no feature is so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned.  The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and activity, with style of high order; carriage easy and graceful.  A proportionate combination of “Color and White Markings” is a particularly distinctive feature of a representative specimen.

Important proportions – The length of legs must be in balance with the length of body which gives Boston Terrier its striking square appearance.  The Boston Terrier is a sturdy dog and must not appear to be either spindly or coarse.  The bone and muscle must be in proportion as well as an enhancement to the dog’s weight and structure.
Behaving/ Temperament – Boston Terrier is a friendly and lively dog.  The breed has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier and incomparable companion.

HEAD
Skull – The skull is short, flat on top, free from wrinkles, cheeks flat, brow abrupt and the stop well defined.  The ideal Boston Terrier expression is alert and kind, indicating a high degree of intelligence.
Stop – well bolded

FACE
Muzzle –  is short, square, wide and deep and in proportion to the skull.  It is free from wrinkles, shorter in length than in width or depth; not exceeding in length approximately one-third of the length of the skull.  The muzzle from the stop to end of the nose is parallel to the top of the skull.
Jaw – is broad and square with short regular teeth.
Mouth – of good depth, but not pendulous, completely covering the teeth when the mouth is closed.
Teeth – short and regular. The bite is even or sufficiently undershot to square the muzzle.
Cheeks – flat.
Eyes – The eyes are wide apart, large and round and dark in color.  The eyes are set square in the skull and the outside corners are on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front.
Expression – alert, kind and pleasant. It indicates a high degree of intelligence.
Ears – small, carried erect, either natural or cropped to conform to the shape of the head and situated as near to the corners of the skull as possible.
Neck – The length of neck must display an image of balance to the total dog.  It is slightly arched, carring the head gracefully and setting neatly into the shoulders.

BODY
The body should appear short. Flat upper line.
Back – is just short enough to square the body. The topline is level.
Hips – curves to the set-on of the tail.
Chest – deep with good width, ribs well sprung and carried well to the loins.
Tail – is set on low, short, fine and tapering, straight or screw and must not be carried above the horizontal. (Note: The preferred tail does not exceed in length more than one-quarter the distance from setting on to hock).

During the evaluation, importance in relation to other characteristics should be given to the harmony of material, expression, color and white markings.

The body with clear contours and short backs, combined with the special characteristics of a square head and jaw, and a combination of colors and markings, result in a very likable and charming breed of American origin – the Boston Terrier.

In a comparison of specimens of each sex, the only evident difference is a slight refinement in the bitch’s conformation.

LIMBS
Forequarters
Shoulders – are sloping and well laid back, which allows for the Boston Terrier’s stylish movement.
Elbows –  stand neither in nor out.
Forelegs – are set moderately wide apart and on a line with the upper tip of the shoulder blades.  The forelegs are straight in bone with short, strong pasterns.
Paws – The dewclaws may be removed. The feet are small, round and compact, turned neither in nor out, with well arched toes and short nails.
Hindquarters
Thighs – strong and well muscled, bent at the stifles and set true.
Knees – well angled.
Hocks –  are short to the feet, turning neither in nor out, and well defined hock joined
Feet – are small and compact with short nails.
Gait – The gait of the Boston Terrier is that of a sure footed, straight gaited dog, forelegs and hind legs moving straight ahead in line with perfect rhythm, each step indicating grace and power.

Coat
The coat is short, smooth, bright and fine in texture.
Colour – Brindle, seal, or black with white markings.  Brindle is prefered ONLY if all other qualities are equal. (Note:  SEAL DEFINED.  Seal appears black except it has a red cast when viewed in sun or bright light.)
Required markings –  White muzzle band, white blaze between eyes, white forechest.
Desired markings –  White muzzle band, even white blaze between the eyes and over the head, white collar, white forechest, white on part or whole of foreleg and hind legs below the hock. (Note: A representative specimen should not be penalized for not possessing “Desired Markings”.)

Weight
Weight is classified in three groups:
to 6,8 kg (15 pounds)
from 6,8 kg to 9 kg (15 – 20 pounds)
from 9 kg to 11,35 kg max (20 – 25 pounds max)
Note – Males should have two normally formed testicles settled down in a scrotum.

LIMBS
Forequarters
Shoulders – are sloping and well laid back, which allows for the Boston Terrier’s stylish movement.
Elbows –  stand neither in nor out.
Forelegs – are set moderately wide apart and on a line with the upper tip of the shoulder blades.  The forelegs are straight in bone with short, strong pasterns.
Paws – The dewclaws may be removed. The feet are small, round and compact, turned neither in nor out, with well arched toes and short nails.
Hindquarters
Thighs – strong and well muscled, bent at the stifles and set true.
Knees – well angled.
Hocks –  are short to the feet, turning neither in nor out, and well defined hock joined
Feet – are small and compact with short nails.
Gait – The gait of the Boston Terrier is that of a sure footed, straight gaited dog, forelegs and hind legs moving straight ahead in line with perfect rhythm, each step indicating grace and power.

Coat
The coat is short, smooth, bright and fine in texture.
Colour – Brindle, seal, or black with white markings.  Brindle is prefered ONLY if all other qualities are equal. (Note:  SEAL DEFINED.  Seal appears black except it has a red cast when viewed in sun or bright light.)
Required markings –  White muzzle band, white blaze between eyes, white forechest.
Desired markings –  White muzzle band, even white blaze between the eyes and over the head, white collar, white forechest, white on part or whole of foreleg and hind legs below the hock. (Note: A representative specimen should not be penalized for not possessing “Desired Markings”.)

Weight
Weight is classified in three groups:
to 6,8 kg (15 pounds)
from 6,8 kg to 9 kg (15 – 20 pounds)
from 9 kg to 11,35 kg max (20 – 25 pounds max)
Note – Males should have two normally formed testicles settled down in a scrotum.

Faults – Each exception of the characteristics mentioned above should be considered as a fault. Penalties must be in a proprotion with proper variance degree: Blocky or chunky in appearance, Dudley nose, Eyes showing too much white or haw, Size of ears out of proportion to the size of the head, Docked tail, Legs lacking in substance and splay feet. No rolling, paddling, or weaving, when gaited.
Serious faults –
Crossed teeth
Any showing of the tongue or teeth when the mouth is closed.
Roach back, sway back, slab-sided.
Shallow chest.
Any crossing movement, either front or rear.

Disqualifications
Aggressive or fearfull dog. Meat colour or brown muzzle.
Eyes blue in color or any trace of blue. Dudley nose. Docked tail.
Solid black, solid brindle, or solid seal without required white markings.
Gray or liver colors