"I never really owned animals before, but since I've got these two weird dogs. Do you know what Boston Terriers are? They're like bug eyed, black and white, they kind of look like me, black and white with bug eyes. My dog snorts so ever since I've had her I snort when I laugh."

Rose got Bug 9 years ago, she recalls:

"I didn't even know I wanted a Boston. But Bug's little feet had fallen through the metal cage floor, she was standing in her pee, and she'd been marked down twice." She knew that in "pet store world" that was a very bad sign. "There was no way I could look at her sad eyes and leave her there."

Six months later she went back and bought Fester.

"I was looking at it as a very high-priced form of rescue." Fester was scrawny, underweight, and obviously too young to be away from his mother. "He tried to nurse off of my arm." Not cute and fat like Bug, he was sickly, had an eye infection, and had a piece of metal in his stomach. "He was a wretch." She couldn't leave him in those miserable conditions either.

Ever since Rose found Bug and Fester in such harsh conditions she has been an activisit for the Boston Terrier Rescue Net.

Roseanne: "Animals in peril. That's your karmic button?"
Rose: "No. Just lately I think ever since I got dogs. I never really owned animals before, but since I've got these two weird dogs. Do you know what Boston Terriers are? They're like bug eyed, black and white, they kind of look like me, black and white with bug eyes. My dog snorts so ever since I've had her I snort when I laugh."
Roseanne: "So you're becoming your dog."
Rose: "I'm becoming my dog."
Roseanne: "Do you what to snort for us like the dog does?"
Rose: I usually do it when I laugh, [she pretends to laugh and snort] and I'm like in a four star restaurant. I'm like, 'Sorry.'"

The Boston Terrier is playful, very affectionate and likes to be part of the family. Very popular in the United States, due above all to its excellent character. They generally get along well with non-canine pets. Some males are dominant and may fight with other dogs. Though bred at first for use in dog fights, today's Boston Terrier has been bred to have less aggressive tendencies. It is gentle, alert, very intelligent, and well-mannered. Enthusiastic and occasionally rambunctious, this breed has a sense of humor. They are very sensitive to the tone of one's voice. This breed likes to learn and therefore is not difficult to train. Their intelligence ensures they pick things up quickly. At times they can be somewhat willful. Some owners have reported that their dogs are good watchdogs barking only when necessary, while other owners have reported their female Boston Terriers do not bark at the door at all. Most reliable with children, especially good with elderly people and very friendly with strangers.

History of the Terrier
The Boston Terrier breed originated around 1870, when Robert C. Hooper of Boston purchased a dog known as Hooper's Judge, a cross between an English Bulldog and an English White Terrier.

Judge weighed over 30 pounds (13.5 kg.) he was bred down in size with a smaller female and one of those male pups was bred to yet a smaller female. Their offspring interbred with one or more French Bulldogs, providing the foundation for the Boston Terrier. Bred down in size from pit-fighting dogs of the bull and terrier types, the Boston Terrier originally weighed up to 44 pounds (20 kg.) (Olde Boston Bulldogge). Their weight classifications were once divided into lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight.

The breed was first shown in Boston in 1870. By 1889 the breed had become sufficiently popular in Boston that fanciers formed the American Bull Terrier Club, but this proposed name for the breed was not well received by the Bull Terrier Fanciers. The breed's nickname, roundheads, was similarly inappropriate. Shortly after, the breed was named the Boston Terrier after its birthplace.

In 1893, the American Kennel Club (AKC) admitted the Boston Terrier breed and gave the club membership status, making it the first American breed to be recognized. It is one of a small number of breeds to have originated in the United States.

In the early years, the color and markings were not very important, but by the 1900s the breed's distinctive markings and color were written into the standard, becoming an essential feature. Terrier only in name, the Boston Terrier has lost most of their ruthless desire for mayhem, preferring the company of humans, although some males will still challenge other dogs if they feel their territory is being invaded.

Appearance
Boston Terriers are typically small, compactly built, well proportioned, dogs with erect ears, short tails, and a short muzzle that should be free of wrinkles. Boston terriers can weigh from 10 to 25 lb, typically in the vicinity of 15 lb. The breed is known for its gentle, alert, and intelligent expression. Boston Terriers usually stand 15-17 inches at the withers.

The Boston Terrier is characteristically marked with white in proportion to either black, brindle, seal, or a combination of the three. Seal is a color specifically used to describe Boston Terriers and is defined as a black color with red highlights when viewed in the sun or bright light. Ideally white should cover its chest, muzzle, band around the neck, half way up the forelegs, up to the hocks on the rear legs, and a white blaze between but not touching the eyes. In show dogs, symmetrical markings are preferred. Due to the Boston Terrier's markings resembling formal wear, in addition to its refined and pleasant personality, the breed is commonly referred to as the "American Gentleman."

Confusions among the "Pit Bull / Terrier" Breeds
The three “pit bull” breeds all have nearly identical standards, with only the acceptable sizes and colors varying. Also, the AST and the APBT have the same heritage. Many people still consider them to be simply different types of the same breed. Dogs registered with the UKC as an APBT are often dual registered with the AKC as an AST. Adding to the muddle is the fact that many people refer to any dog of these breeds, as well as American Bulldogs and sometimes Bull Terriers, as “pit bulls.”