Evening star., 1940-03-10

Unlike most breeds, which bo
direct proof of their origins, the
Boston terrier brags about Its youth
and vigor and can tell exactly what
its beginning was. It is a made
in-America" product. with all the
virtues that implies. Good ma
terial, careful planning, then mass
production are the history Of the
Boston. The result is a light, use
full, good-looking product, within
the financial scope Of any would
be purchaser, yet coming in luxury
model that satisfies the vanity of
the wealthier owner.
In 1873. or thereabouts, q man
named Hooper bought dog named
Judge from William O'Brien Of Bos-
ton. Judge was an ordinary enough
dog. a cross between a bull terrier
and a bull dog, weighing about 80
pounds, dark brindle in color with
white blaze. Edward Burnett of
Southboro, a suburb Of Boston, had
gyp (Which is an old term for
bitch), called Kate, a smallish bull
dog. Like many pet owners who
believe their own Towers the
smartest and most beautiful dogs
in the world, regardless of points,
these owners thought it would be
fun to have some of their dogs
progeny. And that was the very
beginning of the Boston terrier,
although much water was to pass
over the dam before it evolved and
was accepted as a distinct breed.
Foundation Of Breed.
One of the resultant litter was
Wells Eph. Eph was mated with
Tobin's Kate. a golden brtndle 20
pound bitch of the bulldog type.
These four dogs were the real foun-
dation Of the breed. Matings were
made from father to daughter and
mother to son to set what seemed
q desirable type. If the resulting
pups leaned too much toward the
bull terrier side of the family, re-
course was had to an infusion of
bulldog blood and vice versa. BY
1889 very distinct type of dog was
beginning to evolve. However, it
was known to only a limited group
of people, all resident in or near
Boston. At that time, about 80
fanciers organized to promote this
new breed of dogs, which as yet was
nameless. The new organization
called itself the American Bull Ter
rier Club and tried to get its pet
recognized by the American Kennel
Club as the American Bull Terrier,
whereupon, it promptly got itself
into the doghouse, not only Of the
American Kennel Club, but of the
white bull terrier breeders. Nobody,
it seemed, would have part or parcel
OF this new breed. The bull terrier
breeders could see no advantage
over their own favorites in this
strange hybrid. The American Ken
mel Club did not believe that dog
so recently evolved would breed true
to type, especially since its sponsors
did not agree among themselves just
what the true type should be. How
ever, In 1891, the American Bull Ter
rier's Club was formally admitted
to the roster Of member clubs of
the American Kennel Club-but the
American bull terrier was not ad-
mitted to registry in the stud book.
For two years the anamolous situa-
ton Of e member club sponsoring
an ineligible dog persisted in the
canine world.
In 1893, after much clever argu-
ing by such astute sponsors of the
breed as Power, Hook, Newman,
Goode, and particularly Frank
Richards, q writer on dogs and
horses, the breed was accepted. On
the motion of Secretary Vreden-
burgh, the name was changed from
American bull terrier to Boston ter
rier, which had previously been sug-
gested by H. w. Lacy in Field and
Stream: and as the Boston terrier,
the dog was admitted to registry in
the American Kennel Club Stud
Book. The name Of the parent club
was changed, of course, to the Bos-
ton Terrier Club.
Rapid strides in breeding and pop-
ularity were made by the Boston
terrier from the time Of its recog-
milton. The earliest standard Of the
breed called for three weight classi-
hcations, with an upper limit Of 28
pounds and q lower limit Of Is.
pounds. From the very beginning,
the smaller Bostons seemed to catch
the fancy Of the buying public, and
for . time . fourth classification
was added, toy Bostons. However,
the thinking breeders soon realized
this trend would inevitably destroy
the breed, due to its peculiar con-
formation, and the toy classification
was eliminated, but the weight
classes were revised downward, With
an upper limit Of IS pounds.
Fine Specimen.
Page Boy, . Boston terrier owned
BY Mr.. and Mrs. J. Il. Peak Of
Hyattsville, Il . flne specimen Of the
modern show type Of Boston terrier.
Less than Z years old, he has been
shown widely by Evan Ramsey, one
Of the leading Boston breeders and
handlers, and b very close to his|
championship. His wins include
winners dog at the Philadelplia
1oseun speciality shUw, winnsfs dog