The Boston Terrier is a pure breed that was developed in the United States. In 1870, a breeder named Robert C. Hooper of Boston bought an Old English Bulldog and English White Terrier mix. He bred this dog with a small dog and bred their puppies with even smaller French Bulldogs. This became the basis for the Boston Terrier as we now know it. The name Terrier is actually a misnomer. Boston Terriers have very little Terrier in their ancestry and are more closely related to Bulldogs.
In 1893, the Boston Terrier gained membership in the American Kennel Club (AKC), a national organization that recognizes pure dog breeds. The Boston Terrier was the first U.S. breed entered in the AKC. A member of the non-sporting group, this breed is a companion dog. It is sturdy, compact, and muscular and small enough to be carried. Boston Terrier breeders will tell you that today's Boston Terrier is a much different character than its Bulldog ancestors, which were bred to fight bulls and each other.