This 'American Gentleman' was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. They are friendly and can be stubborn at times. The average life span of a Boston is around 11 to 13 years, though some can live up to around 18 years. They have a short nose, which can often cause breathing problems later in life, which is what leads to a low life expectancy. The Boston terrier breed originated around 1875, when Robert C. Hooper of Boston purchased from Edward Burnett a dog named Judge (known later as Hooper's Judge), which was of a bull and terrier type lineage. Hooper's Judge is directly related to the original bull and terrier breeds of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The American Kennel Club cites Hooper's Judge as the ancestor of all true modern Boston Terriers.