Nicknamed the American Gentleman, the Boston Terrier comes from a mixed heritage that first began in the urban stewpot that is Boston, Mass. He descends from a dog named Judge, who was probably a cross between aBulldogand the now-extinct white English Terrier.
The little dogs with the round heads and screw tails were first known as Round Heads, Bullet Heads orBull Terriers, but in 1889 they officially took the name Boston Terrier. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1893.
Today, the Boston ranks 20thamong the breeds registered by the American Kennel Club, down just a bit from 18thin 2000. His all-around charm ensures that his popularity holds steady.