Official Standard of the Boston Terrier
General Appearance: The Boston Terrier is a lively, highly intelligent, smooth coated, short-headed, compactly built, short-tailed, well balanced dog, brindle, seal or black in color and evenly marked with white. The head is in proportion to the size of the dog and the expression indicates a high degree of intelligence.
The body is rather short and well knit, the limbs strong and neatly turned, the tail is short and no feature is so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned. The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and activity, with style of a high order; carriage easy and graceful. A proportionate combination of "Color and White Markings" is a particularly distinctive feature of a representative specimen.
"Balance, Expression, Color and White Markings" should be given particular consideration in determining the relative value of General Appearance to other points.
Size, Proportion, Substance: Weight is divided by classes as follows: Under 15 pounds; 15 pounds and under 20 pounds; 20 pounds and not to exceed 25 pounds. The length of leg must balance with the length of body to give the Boston Terrier its striking square appearance. The Boston Terrier is a sturdy dog and must not appear to be either spindly or coarse. The bone and muscle must be in proportion as well as an enhancement to the dog's weight and structure. Fault - Blocky or chunky in appearance. Influence of Sex. In a comparison of specimens of each sex, the only evident difference is a slight refinement in the bitch's conformation.
Head: The skull is square, flat on top, free from wrinkles, cheeks flat, brow abrupt and the stop well defined. The ideal Boston Terrier expression is alert and kind, indicating a high degree of intelligence. This is a most important characteristic of the breed. The eyes are wide apart, large and round and dark in color. The eyes are set square in the skull and the outside corners are on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front.Disqualify - Eyes blue in color or any trace of blue. The ears are small, carried erect, either natural or cropped to conform to the shape of the head and situated as near to the corners of the skull as possible. The muzzle is short, square, wide and deep and in proportion to the skull. It is free from wrinkles, shorter in length than in width or depth; not exceeding in length approximately one-third of the length of the skull. The muzzle from stop to end of the nose is parallel to the top of the skull. The nose is black and wide, with a well defined line between the nostrils. Disqualify - Dudley nose. The jaw is broad and square with short regular teeth. The bite is even or sufficiently undershot to square the muzzle. The chops are of good depth, but not pendulous, completely covering the teeth when the mouth is closed. Serious Fault - Wry mouth. Head Faults - Eyes showing too much white or haw. Pinched or wide nostrils. Size of ears out of proportion to the size of the head. Serious Head Faults - Any showing of the tongue or teeth when the mouth is closed.
Neck, Topline and Body: The length of neck must display an image of balance to the total dog. It is slightly arched, carrying the head gracefully and setting neatly into the shoulders. The back is just short enough to square the body. The topline is level and the rump curves slightly to the set-on of the tail. The chest is deep with good width, ribs well sprung and carried well back to the loins. The body should appear short. The tail is set on low, short, fine and tapering, straight or screw and must not be carried above the horizontal. (Note: The preferred tail does not exceed in length more than one-quarter the distance from set-on to hock.) Disqualify - Docked tail. Body Faults - Gaily carried tail.Serious Body Faults - Roach back, sway back, slab-sided.
Forequarters: The shoulders are sloping and well laid back, which allows for the Boston Terrier's stylish movement. The elbows stand neither in nor out. The forelegs are set moderately wide apart and on a line with the upper tip of the shoulder blades. The forelegs are straight in bone with short, strong pasterns. The dewclaws may be removed. The feet are small, round and compact, turned neither in nor out, with well arched toes and short nails. Faults - Legs lacking in substance; splay feet.
Hindquarters: The thighs are strong and well muscled, bent at the stifles and set true. The hocks are short to the feet, turning neither in nor out, with a well defined hock joint. The feet are small and compact with short nails. Fault - Straight in stifle.
Gait: The gait of the Boston Terrier is that of a sure-footed, straight gaited dog, forelegs and hind legs moving straight ahead in line with perfect rhythm, each step indicating grace and power. Gait Faults - There will be no rolling, paddling, or weaving, when gaited. Hackney gait. Serious Gait Faults - Any crossing movement, either front or rear.
Coat: The coat is short, smooth, bright and fine in texture.
Color and Markings: Brindle, seal, or black with white markings. Brindle is preferred only if all other qualities are equal. (Note: Seal Defined. Seal appears black except it has a red cast when viewed in the sun or bright light.) Disqualify - Solid black, solid brindle or solid seal without required white markings. Any color not described in the standard. Required Markings: White muzzle band, white blaze between the eyes, white forechest. Desired Markings:
White muzzle band, even white blaze between the eyes and over the head, white collar, white forechest, white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs below the hocks. (Note: A representative specimen should not be penalized for not possessing "Desired Markings.") A dog with a preponderance of white on the head or body must possess sufficient merit otherwise to counteract its deficiencies.
Temperament: The Boston Terrier is a friendly and lively dog. The breed has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier an incomparable companion.
Summary:
The clean-cut short backed body of the Boston Terrier coupled with the unique characteristics of his square head and jaw, and his striking markings have resulted in a most dapper and charming American original: The Boston Terrier.

First the experiences THE GOOD, BAD AND MESSY

 THERE ARE SOME SOLID REASONS TO HAVE A DOGGIE DOOR. HERE IS ONE.

"This product saves having to get up and down all the time when the weather is nice for letting the girls outside, especially since I've had 3 failed back surgeries and up down is not always comfortable for me so it saves us all in ease of use! Thank you again!"

BUT THERE ARE SOME AWFUL REASONS WHY NOT TO INSTALL A DOGGIE DOOR.

"We had left the house for a family outing. While gone one of our Bostons figured out how to slide the dog door, open enough to get out. Our other Boston went out behind her, and must have caused the door to fall back down. They were trapped outside in the heat. One of them died in my arms and we fought to get the other one cooled off, but she did not make it. The only reason the door was down was so the old man could not get out when nobody was home. I tried to keep him from doing just what he did. He being the smart Boston he always a troublemaker. Our hearts are broken.."
"I use to have a large doggy door when I lived in San Diego. The neighborhood kids could get in that one and I had some stuff stolen. They all knew my dogs, so it was very easy for them to get in. Do I have a doggy door now--NO. I would get the neighborhood cat coming in too, which I didn't care, he was a sweet cat and my dogs didn't bother him. "

"The thing is even with an alarm system, if someone was to break into our house, they are going to get in if you have the alarm on or not. I am sure they have all figured out how to get in. Some kids crawled into my mom's house thru a doggy door big enough for a sheltie. So it wasn't all that big. They didn't steal anything, but they played on the computer and watched TV, very weird. They had to scale a big block wall. She moved here and does she have a doggy door-NO. "
"I rather go outside with my dogs. This way I can monitor them. You would hate to think if someone got into your backyard and stole your little Yorkie."
"That depends. We had a doggie door that was huge, and we might as well have left the door open. If I forgot my keys, I would just crawl through the door. There are certain dog doors that you can purchase that only open when the dog is in front of it. It has a "remote" that you can attach to their collars. This also keeps other small animals, such as raccoons, out of your house."
" If you had a doggy door around here you would also have a house full of raccoons, field mice, possibly a fox or two and maybe even a coyote. Oh and I forgot the skunks, how could I forget the skunks."

MOST OF THE COMMENTS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE SEEN ARE BASED ON THE ORIGINAL "STANDARD DOG DOOR"

"The standard dog door does not provide any safety for your home. It will allow anyone to enter your home with a small window to access. "
"I'd be afraid of someone using it to break into my home. Bent coat hangers and other crook type equipment can work wonders on inside door locks."
"My aunt once had a coon come in, some snakes, frogs. After she got rid of the cat door no more problem."
" My parents have always had cat/dog doors. In their current house, they have had several bouts with raccoons. Our last dog was blamed for eating all the food until we caught the raccoon in the act. The raccoons in our area aren't afraid of dogs or people either. Another time, a raccoon apparently came in through the second dog/cat door (we had one to the outside and one to the garage) and attacked my brother's rabbit (which did survive the incident). When they move, my parent's probably won't put another dog/cat door in their new house. In the meantime, they have to close up the outer one every night to keep our critters in and the raccoons out."
" It depends on the dog, and where you live. For instance, I have toy breeds, which could easily be carried off by "birds of prey". There's also coyotes to worry about, as well as escape and theft. I don't feel comfortable with mine, unattended, and outside."
" I personally would never get one simply because, I don't allow my dogs to be outside unattended. especially when I'm not home, even with the fencing. Too many unknowns, and I just won't take the chance that something could happen."

THERE ARE AS MANY REASONS NOT TO HAVE ONE BUT THERE ARE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT MAKE IT  SOMETHING TO CONSIDER... If you are in a wheel chair, walker,or bed ridden I can see where this would almost be a necessity. Like all things there are some improvements to the  dog doors of today that you should be aware of..

 
THE FIX
1. You can now Install a motion detector above the door where the doggie door is installed. You can purchase a sensor that buzzes or makes a sound every time something comes near the door, or one that flashes a special light. In both instances, the alert will keep you conscious of your dog's comings and goings, and also warn you of any threats entering the house.
2. When your pet can let himself out, you don’t have to worry about getting home in time to let him out. And say goodbye to waking up in the middle of the night to your pet whining and begging to go out!
3. No more scratching and whining at the door.
4. Giving your dog access to the yard reduces accidents and helps prevent long-term health problems, such as bladder infections and UTIs, from “holding it” for too long.
5. Clean up fewer “accidents”
6. Lock your non-electronic doggie door at night and when you are away with a deadbolt lock. Purchase a doggie door kit that comes with a sliding plate that can be locked into place with a deadbolt lock once it has been lowered over the door frame.
7. The new generation of doors have lots of electronics like programmable locking, pet tracking, opens only for pets with identification tags, back up power, some have audible alert signals, Wireless connection for remote programming from a computer or Smartphone.
 

NOTE FROM BTN:  Now I think nothing beats being outside in the yard when your dogs are outside.  I have never let the dogs outside without human supervision.  We have had coyotes roaming in the fields behind us.  We have also had a case of a neighbor's dog jumping into yards and killing small dogs.  So for that reason alone I would never let a dog outside without me right there.

So what do you think? We would enjoy reading your comments on this subject.

Recently there were some questions about  Struvite Crystals in a dogs bladder. I have never heard of this, have you? I wonder how common this is?  What are Struvite Crystals? How are they treated?

How are they diagnosed?

THE QUESTION?
" I'm asking for info/suggestions about struvite crystals in the urine because they were found yesterday in my Boston's routine check up. He's about 3 years old, no observable problems, exam was good, blood and stool samples still out. Eats a commercial raw diet (Bravo). Gets a pre/probiotic in his food, gets an egg 1-2 x wkly, odds and ends of other things like yogurt, green tripe, bully sticks, training treats, banana stuffed Kongs. Vet suggested I get him to drink more daily (easy to mix water with his raw food) and in talking about what the commercial struvite diets do that my current diet isn't, she suggested adding even more protein to his diet (raw is high in protein compared to most kibbles). He's trim, muscular, good coat, clear eyes.  In addition to water, I added a tsp of unsweetened cranberry juice to his b'fast. But I'm not sure if acidifying his food actually matters once the digestive juices have gone to work ??? "

 Our friends on social media responded to this recent question with this:

 E M S commented "just like humans, cranberry pills can help with bladder issues in dogs. Also, she could try feeding a raw diet or at least a grain-free, high quality kibble - I like Canidae and Origen kibble. "
Another Social Media friend add more  "Have the crystals been sent out to see exactly what type they are? She may end up needing I've antibiotics."
Oh so there are different kinds too!
Confirmed by another friend J. Seago "They have to find out the kind of crystals and then can have food adjusted."
L A Wiggins added to our knowledge "Dalmations are prone to a certain crystal, Auburn University,(Alabama) is a great place for 1st, 2nd or 3rd opinion and treatment. There are many diets out there that alter the pH of the urine (different crystals thrive in different pH).
C. S. added another place to take a dog."So is Texas A & M or Davis"
K B L "Ann is right-..my best friend is a vet and helped us with our Boston- rule out stone and UTI, identify the crystal type, change pH mostly through diet and/or cranberry (that acidifies urine)."
V. G. "... when my bt developed crystals my vet put her on uroeze. Keeps from having to have a special diet. There is also a product called berry balance which helps with urinary issues."
Another Concerned friend responded CR "...I'm trying to avoid the stone/crystal special foods as most of them (all probably) compromise nutrition to varying degrees. However, if what I'm currently feeding promotes crystals for him, then I do indeed have to change his diet! Such a quandary. Even the vet was surprised to see crystals in a raw fed dog and suggested adding more liquid, maybe more protein, and rechecking in 2-3 months. "
Chris wrote: "Change his diet, stop using tap water, water left out for 24 hours or filtered is best also this will change his ph. Struvite crystals lead to bladder or kidney stones. Cranberries, juice or dried berries will help remove them and dogs love them. What food is he eating? Try wetting the dry food with a bit of water and cranberry juice."
The concerned dog owner responded "...Chris, thank you! He's been eating raw (which usually doesn't lead to struvite crystals). Bravo frozen brand, ground. Variety of protein sources. Could try switching him to something like Evo (grain free) if the extra water and cranberry don't reverse this. pH in recent urinalysis was 8. A year ago was 7. Started adding extra water (about 1/4-1/3 cup) plus 1/4 tsp unsweetened cranberry juice daily. Am still looking for unsweetened dried berries. Maybe whole foods will have them.
Question 1: Think I should add more cranberry juice than 1/4 teaspoon/day? Can't imagine asking him to drink more water than an extra 1/4 to 1/3 cup a day since raw food is already liquid filled.
Planning to do another urinalysis in 2 months.
Question 2: IF there were stones and this approach is dissolving them, would I expect to see crystals and elevated pH continuing til they are all dissolved?  Will switch to filtered water or tap water that sits for 24 hours before serving, that's easy. "
C.R brought up this also. " Going to think about this...am wondering if maybe the urine sample sat around at room temp long enough at the vet's for the crystals to form. I caught the sample in their parking lot on the way in so it didn't sit around with me...but before I do too much intervention, I think I may have them recheck. Raw...no UTIs...probably the crystals are real but if they aren't, then if I do too much cranberry and other changes, I could push his system into creating the other kind of crystals.
C.C. responds " I've never heard of raw causing crystals at all. In fact it's the most highly recommended food to change to if you find crystals. Unless there is something in the processing that uses highly treated tap or other water that is just odd. It could be just your tap water.
I'd give him more than a 1/4 cup of unsweetened juice daily but not so much that he won't drink. Usually they love the juice. Unsweetened berries can be found at most markets and would add more of the juice to his diet. Frozen berries are an option. If you can't find the unsweetened dry berries there are capsules with organic unsweetened cranberries you can open and add the powder to his food or just give him the capsules in cream cheese or whatever you put pills in. The juice comes in an organic unsweetened concentrate which would give him more cranberry than the juice. Depending on weight I'd give him a tablespoon of the concentrate daily. I should have added to the last note that the best way I know to fix ph issues is Corral Calcium. I give 1000mgs a day to any with urinary issues and my seniors (who tend to have ph issues) 1000mgs (which usually has 400 to 500mgs of Corral Calcium and the rest other vitamins, a day will straighten his ph pdq. It varies in price but a good human brand is available at Sam's or other big box stores.

 
SO WHAT IS THE CAUSES?

Struvite crystals can form in your dog’s bladder or kidneys after he suffers a urinary tract infection caused by one of two types of bacteria. If left untreated, struvite crystals can form stones that can make it impossible for your dog to urinate, which can become a life-threatening condition.

Struvite crystals form in your dog’s urinary system after he contracts an infection caused by staphylococcus or proteus bacteria. These bacteria cause magnesium, ammonia and phosphates in your dog’s urine to come together to form crystals. As the crystals grow, they can develop into stones, or they can remain as sandy crystals that can irritate your dog’s bladder and urinary tract.
The bacteria can also make your dog’s urine more alkaline, which creates a better environment for crystal growth. Alkaline urine (urine with a pH level above 7.0) causes the crystals to solidify out of urine, while acidic urine (urine with a pH level below 7.0) retards crystal formation.¹

What Breeds are more likely to get them?

While bladder stones are somewhat common in dogs, urate stones constitute only about 5% of all bladder stones diagnosed. Breeds most commonly diagnosed with urate bladder stones include Dalmatians, English bulldogs, and Black Russian terriers.

Preventing the crystals or the stones that they develop into.

 1. Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh, clean water to drink in order to prevent struvite crystals. One of the main causes of struvite crystals in dogs is dehydration. Don't give your dog tap water because it is contaminated with many harmful chemicals. Give your dog filtered water because it is chemical-free and can assist your dog in flushing out harmful bacteria and toxins and decreasing inflammation.
2. Avoid giving your dog commercial food, full of artificial ingredients such as colorings and preservatives that are harmful to your dog's health. Avoid commercial dog food is that it is packed with carbohydrate-rich grains. Eating too many grains can alter the pH level of your dog's urine and make your dog more susceptible to forming struvite crystals.3. One of the biggest steps in preventing struvite crystals that you must take is to make sure your dog gets enough exercise. Exercise helps to maintain your dog's overall good health and is also helpful in stress relief. Take your dog out on a walk at least twice a day.4. Make sure your dog always has a place to urinate. By taking him out on frequent walks you can be sure that he has plenty of opportunities to urinate. You should also designate an area inside the home as a place for him to urinate if you are outside of the home for long periods. If he holds his urine in for too long he can get struvite crystals more easily.

5. If your dog is prone to struvite crystals you may want to talk to your vet about a special diet. If you are like me interested in making dog food at home then you may want to try these recipes.

What is filtered water ? how is this different than tap water?
Water filters remove more dangerous contaminants than any other purification method, and they are uniquely designed to work with municipally treated water. The water they produce is not subject to phthalate contamination, and they are able to remove cryptosporidium from drinking water, a feat that neither municipal water treatment plants nor bottled water companies have yet managed. Also, drinking filtered water is a much more economical practice than drinking bottled water. The pure water product of a water filter costs very little more than untreated tap water. Furthermore, because water filters use no more energy than is already required to propel water through a home’s plumbing system, they circumvent several of the environmental problems of the bottled water industry. ²

Beef and Rice Diet
1/2 pound very lean beef (raw or lightly cooked)
1 egg, large hard boiled
2 cups brown rice, long grained, cooked
1 tablespoon nutritional or brewers yeast (available at health food stores)
1/2 teaspoon Sea Calcium
1 scoop Green Power (a Organic commercial supplement from Natural Canine see below for list of ingredients )
1 teaspoon Flax Oil
Supports the caloric needs of a 30 pound dog - 40.7 grams protein, 22 grams fat - about 800 calories

Oxalate Stone Diet
 Black-Eyed Peas and Potato Diet
1 cup black-eyed peas, canned (organic and no added sodium)
2 cups potato, cooked with skin (may be boiled, steamed or baked - cut into small pieces- leave skin on)
1 teaspoon Flax oil
1/2 teaspoon sea calcium
1 scoop Green Power herbal
Pinch of sea salt (sodium chloride)
Provides 598 kcals, 19.4 grams protein, 14.6 grams fat, calcium at 61%, phos at 98%, sodium at 34%, vit D at 70% Supports the caloric needs of a 15-18 pound dog.

NOTE: BTN  is not familiar with this company or the supplemental product, suggested in the recipe above, we share this for informational purposes only.

Ingredients
Org Alfalfa Leaf Juice Powder 24.30%
 Org Wheat Grass Whole Leaf 13.31%
 Org Oat Grass Whole Leaf 13.32%
 Org Barley Grass Whole Leaf 13.32%
 Org Spirulina 6.64%
 Org Chlorella 6.64%
 Org Dulse 5.60%
 Org Parsley 3.50%
 Org Spinach 3.50%
 Org Kale 3.50%
 Org Dandelion Leaf 3.36%
 Org Broccoli 2.00%
 Org Cilantro 1.00%¹

¹Natural Canine

 ²allaboutwater.org