OLDE BOSTON BULLDOGGE
The Boston Terrier was a breed created in 1863. It was created from various breeds which include English Bulldog, French Bulldog, American Pit Bull Terrier, White English Terrier and various "bull" and "terrier" types. The Boston Terrier Club of America was created in 1891 and the Boston Terrier was recognized by the AKC in 1893. It took about 30 years to get recognition but the breed was still being defined. Here's some early Boston Terriers...
Now the interesting thing is, according to this website, this was around the same time that the Olde Boston Bulldogge was created..
"So while the Boston Terrier were being refined, and eventually developed into a toy breed, the original Boston Bulldog, which was considered not refined enough because it had too much bulldog influence, continued to be bred separately."
What an interesting statement. And a false one. The Boston Terrier was not developed into a "toy breed". It is true that they were bred down in size. They originally weighed around 40lbs. The breed standard now allows between 10 to 25lbs. The Boston Terrier is not a "toy breed". It's not even in any of the Toy groups of any reputable kennel clubs. In the AKC, it's in the Non-Sporting group.
They also state that the Olde Boston Bulldogge continued to be bred separately. If that's so, why isn't there any documentation to support this? If this breed is as old as the Boston Terrier then why isn't it a recognized breed by any reputable registry? The history of the Boston Terrier was well kept. For example, here are pics of Boston Terriers throughout the years...
"So while the Boston Terrier were being refined, and eventually developed into a toy breed, the original Boston Bulldog, which was considered not refined enough because it had too much bulldog influence, continued to be bred separately."
What an interesting statement. And a false one. The Boston Terrier was not developed into a "toy breed". It is true that they were bred down in size. They originally weighed around 40lbs. The breed standard now allows between 10 to 25lbs. The Boston Terrier is not a "toy breed". It's not even in any of the Toy groups of any reputable kennel clubs. In the AKC, it's in the Non-Sporting group.
They also state that the Olde Boston Bulldogge continued to be bred separately. If that's so, why isn't there any documentation to support this? If this breed is as old as the Boston Terrier then why isn't it a recognized breed by any reputable registry? The history of the Boston Terrier was well kept. For example, here are pics of Boston Terriers throughout the years...
And these are supposed to be Olde Boston Bulldogges of yesteryear...
Doesn't it seem interesting that these dogs look like Boston Terriers in the breeds infancy? That's because they are Boston Terriers. The website reference claims that 2 different breeds were going on during the creation of the Boston Terrier. They claim there was a split. I have found this to be untrue simply because there is no documentation of this and the pictures they reference are those of early Boston Terriers whose history is very well documented.
Now there is a registry that registers Olde Boston Bulldogges. The International Olde English Bulldogge Association or the IOEBA. According to them, the Olde Boston Bulldogge history is this...
"The Olde Boston Bulldogge is the original Boston Bulldog. This breed is of the original type and form that is documented by many old historic photos. This breed was once known as the round-headed Bull and Terrier of the Boston area. The Olde Boston Bulldogge is the breed from which the Boston Terrier was developed, therefore the early history of the Olde Boston Bulldogge is the same as for the Boston Terrier.
The Olde Boston Bulldogge is a separate and distinct breed from today's Boston Terrier.
Much of the credit for preserving and re-establishing this rare breed should be given to the late Mr. Neil Rutan and his family."
Again, if this breed is a "separate and distinct breed" then why is it not a recognized breed? Why is it considered a "rare" breed if it's been around since the creation of the Boston Terrier? The interesting part is they reference a few pictures. They claim this dog is "Outstanding example of the original type of Olde Boston Bulldogge predating today's Boston Terrier." That's interesting considering that this dog is CH. Captain Kinsman. A champion Boston Terrier....
Now there is a registry that registers Olde Boston Bulldogges. The International Olde English Bulldogge Association or the IOEBA. According to them, the Olde Boston Bulldogge history is this...
"The Olde Boston Bulldogge is the original Boston Bulldog. This breed is of the original type and form that is documented by many old historic photos. This breed was once known as the round-headed Bull and Terrier of the Boston area. The Olde Boston Bulldogge is the breed from which the Boston Terrier was developed, therefore the early history of the Olde Boston Bulldogge is the same as for the Boston Terrier.
The Olde Boston Bulldogge is a separate and distinct breed from today's Boston Terrier.
Much of the credit for preserving and re-establishing this rare breed should be given to the late Mr. Neil Rutan and his family."
Again, if this breed is a "separate and distinct breed" then why is it not a recognized breed? Why is it considered a "rare" breed if it's been around since the creation of the Boston Terrier? The interesting part is they reference a few pictures. They claim this dog is "Outstanding example of the original type of Olde Boston Bulldogge predating today's Boston Terrier." That's interesting considering that this dog is CH. Captain Kinsman. A champion Boston Terrier....
Another picture referenced is of Helen Keller...
The IOEBA states "Helen Keller in the year 1904 and her Olde Boston Bulldogge". It's a fact that Helen Keller owned a variety of dogs. In fact, the first Akita brought into this country was owned by Helen Keller. However, there is much dispute over which breed of dog is shown in this picture. His name was Phiz and some people believe him to be either a Boston Terrier or an American Pit Bull Terrier. It's hard to tell...
These pictures were taken in the early 1900's. Helen went to college in Massachusetts and considering the Boston Terrier originated in Massachusetts, it's very well possible that Phiz is a Boston Terrier. One thing is for sure, Phiz is never referred to as an Olde Boston Bulldogge anywhere except on the IOEBA website.
Now let's move onto the breed standard. This is the general description of the Olde Boston Bulldogge...
"General Description : The perfect Olde Boston Bulldogge should be of small to medium height and size (not toy sized) with a round compact head and a solid, muscular and athletic body. The disposition should be outgoing, loyal, lively and intelligent. The temperament is to be very stable and trustworthy. Olde Boston Bulldogge are a healthy working dog without serious health problems. Unlike their Boston Terrier cousins males should be free breeders and females should be free whelpers. The Olde Boston Bulldogge should be devoid of all breathing problems. Most importantly the Olde Boston Bulldogge is still a working Bulldog and as the Bulldogges of Olde, function should come before form."
There are a few things in this that I'd like to address. The first one is...
"Olde Boston Bulldogge are a healthy working dog without serious health problems."
What type of work is the OBB supposed to do? I've often heard of OBB people claiming that the OBB still does the work that the Boston Terrier originally used to do. At the least, the Boston Terrier did vermin catching work. At the most, it was a small pit fighting dog. And considering what Boston Terrier history books have to say and what pictures have to show...
Now let's move onto the breed standard. This is the general description of the Olde Boston Bulldogge...
"General Description : The perfect Olde Boston Bulldogge should be of small to medium height and size (not toy sized) with a round compact head and a solid, muscular and athletic body. The disposition should be outgoing, loyal, lively and intelligent. The temperament is to be very stable and trustworthy. Olde Boston Bulldogge are a healthy working dog without serious health problems. Unlike their Boston Terrier cousins males should be free breeders and females should be free whelpers. The Olde Boston Bulldogge should be devoid of all breathing problems. Most importantly the Olde Boston Bulldogge is still a working Bulldog and as the Bulldogges of Olde, function should come before form."
There are a few things in this that I'd like to address. The first one is...
"Olde Boston Bulldogge are a healthy working dog without serious health problems."
What type of work is the OBB supposed to do? I've often heard of OBB people claiming that the OBB still does the work that the Boston Terrier originally used to do. At the least, the Boston Terrier did vermin catching work. At the most, it was a small pit fighting dog. And considering what Boston Terrier history books have to say and what pictures have to show...
These pictures, and several others like them, lead me to believe that the Boston Terrier was used for fighting more than vermin catching. The reason I believe so is that a lot of Boston Terriers photographed from yesteryear often show them wearing thick spiked collars. These collars were either worn by fighting dogs in order to protect their necks while engaged in a fight or they were worn by dogs hunting animals such as wolves, bears or lions. Since Boston Terriers originated in Massachusetts and were about 40 to 50lbs at the most during the breeds' infancy, I highly doubt they were wearing these collars for hunting. So what work does the OBB do? It can't be dog fighting since that's illegal. Let's move onto another issue...
"Unlike their Boston Terrier cousins males should be free breeders and females should be free whelpers."
Uh, Boston Terrier males aren't "free breeders"? Since when? That's a new one. Now I'll give them the free whelping part. A lot of Boston Terrier bitches do not free whelp. I won't say that they can't because a lot of responsible breeders will not risk a bitch and whelps lives in order to find out if she can free whelp. The reason for that is by the time you figure out she cannot free whelp, it can be too late. With that said, we're back to the working issue...
"Most importantly the Olde Boston Bulldogge is still a working Bulldog and as the Bulldogges of Olde, function should come before form."
Ok, I'm still confused as to what type of work the OBB is supposed to do. They mention "Bulldogges of Olde" which can be a reference to what the English Bulldog was bred for and that was bull baiting. Bull baiting was outlawed in 1835 in England well before the Boston Terrier was created.
There are also other issues I have with the IOEBA. The interesting part is that they emphasize that this is a working dog but guess what? Based on their events page, they don't have many shows and most of which are conformation shows. So what is the point in emphasizing and encouraging of breeding dogs to do what they were originally bred to do, whatever that is, when this registry really doesn't sponsor or hold working dog events as a way to prove that these dogs are indeed working dogs?
The biggest issue I have with the IOEBA is their FAQ regarding registration. Specifically these 2 things...
"My dog never was registered but is purebred can I register with IOEBA? Yes. When you fill out the IOEBA single registration application and place as much information that you have in correct place on application and include a photo of your dog."
And...
"Can I register my dog with the IOEBA if I don't know the parents? Yes, we know and understand that this information is often lost , misplaced or unavailable for various reasons beyond the control of the current owner. This doesn't mean that your dog is not a verifiable pure bred and the IOEBA believes that all verifiable pure bred dogs deserve the right to be registered. The IOEBA offers owners or breeders the opportunity to start over and begin a documented genealogical history of your pure bred dog that will be maintained in the IOEBA data base."
Ok, the only proof they require is a picture and your word that the dog is a purebreed whatever. That means if you find a dog off the street and he sorta looks like an Olde Boston Bulldogge then you can register with the IOEBA. Considering you would have no idea about this dogs pedigree or the health issues behind it, how can the IOEBA claim they are breeding for healthy dogs when they allow the registration of dogs without known pedigrees? While the breeder could utilize health testing on that particular dog, they have no idea if any of its' ancestors/relatives had/have health problems and the dogs past can and will affect the future. Now if the OBB is as old as the Boston Terrier, why would you need a registry like this? Is it because the Olde Boston Bulldogge really never existed and was nothing more than the Boston Terrier of yesteryear? You really can't say that the OBB was what the Boston Terrier was supposed to be. The Boston Terrier was created in 1863. That was 144 years ago. Compared to other breeds, it's considered a young breed. Take a look at these pics...
"Unlike their Boston Terrier cousins males should be free breeders and females should be free whelpers."
Uh, Boston Terrier males aren't "free breeders"? Since when? That's a new one. Now I'll give them the free whelping part. A lot of Boston Terrier bitches do not free whelp. I won't say that they can't because a lot of responsible breeders will not risk a bitch and whelps lives in order to find out if she can free whelp. The reason for that is by the time you figure out she cannot free whelp, it can be too late. With that said, we're back to the working issue...
"Most importantly the Olde Boston Bulldogge is still a working Bulldog and as the Bulldogges of Olde, function should come before form."
Ok, I'm still confused as to what type of work the OBB is supposed to do. They mention "Bulldogges of Olde" which can be a reference to what the English Bulldog was bred for and that was bull baiting. Bull baiting was outlawed in 1835 in England well before the Boston Terrier was created.
There are also other issues I have with the IOEBA. The interesting part is that they emphasize that this is a working dog but guess what? Based on their events page, they don't have many shows and most of which are conformation shows. So what is the point in emphasizing and encouraging of breeding dogs to do what they were originally bred to do, whatever that is, when this registry really doesn't sponsor or hold working dog events as a way to prove that these dogs are indeed working dogs?
The biggest issue I have with the IOEBA is their FAQ regarding registration. Specifically these 2 things...
"My dog never was registered but is purebred can I register with IOEBA? Yes. When you fill out the IOEBA single registration application and place as much information that you have in correct place on application and include a photo of your dog."
And...
"Can I register my dog with the IOEBA if I don't know the parents? Yes, we know and understand that this information is often lost , misplaced or unavailable for various reasons beyond the control of the current owner. This doesn't mean that your dog is not a verifiable pure bred and the IOEBA believes that all verifiable pure bred dogs deserve the right to be registered. The IOEBA offers owners or breeders the opportunity to start over and begin a documented genealogical history of your pure bred dog that will be maintained in the IOEBA data base."
Ok, the only proof they require is a picture and your word that the dog is a purebreed whatever. That means if you find a dog off the street and he sorta looks like an Olde Boston Bulldogge then you can register with the IOEBA. Considering you would have no idea about this dogs pedigree or the health issues behind it, how can the IOEBA claim they are breeding for healthy dogs when they allow the registration of dogs without known pedigrees? While the breeder could utilize health testing on that particular dog, they have no idea if any of its' ancestors/relatives had/have health problems and the dogs past can and will affect the future. Now if the OBB is as old as the Boston Terrier, why would you need a registry like this? Is it because the Olde Boston Bulldogge really never existed and was nothing more than the Boston Terrier of yesteryear? You really can't say that the OBB was what the Boston Terrier was supposed to be. The Boston Terrier was created in 1863. That was 144 years ago. Compared to other breeds, it's considered a young breed. Take a look at these pics...
These pictures were taken in the early 1900's.. 1910 at the latest. As you can see, these Boston Terriers look like those of today. So if it took between 37 to 47 years after the creation of the breed to get it the way it looks like still to this day, how can one say that this was not how Boston Terriers were supposed to look? 37 to 47 is a very short amount of time when it comes to dog breeding to set uniformity and if they managed to set it that quickly, it seems to me that the breeders and fanciers of yesteryear knew exactly what they wanted the Boston Terrier to be and they bred exactly for that.
Now let's flash forward to today. These are Boston Terriers...
These are Olde Boston Bulldogges...
As you can see, there is no uniformity in this breed yet this is a breed that's supposed to be as old as the Boston Terrier. You can see what I mean by typing "Olde Boston Bulldogge" in a search engine and check out various websites. One website to check out is located on here. They reference a person who is claimed to have "preserved" the Olde Boston Bulldogge but if you see what their breeding stock looks like, you'll probably ask yourself "preserve what?". I find that rather interesting that this kennel is credited with "preserving" and "re-establishing" the Olde Boston Bulldogge breed yet none of their dogs resemble each other. They sure don't look like the Boston Terriers of yesteryear so what exactly did they "preserve" or "re-establish"?
Anyways, to make a long story short is the Olde Boston Bulldogge a real breed? No. Not at this point. Some may be breeding true to type. It is not recognized by the AKC, CanadianKC, UKC, FCI or ARBA.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge the dog the Boston Terrier used to be? No.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge the dog the Boston Terrier was supposed to be? No.
Would the Olde Boston Bulldogge be a great working dog? That depends on your definition of work and if you're in need of a working dog, you might want to be sure the dog you get comes from stock that's proven to work not just because someone says they can.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge healthier than a Boston Terrier? That depends on the breeder and the dogs background. If the breeder is breeding unknown stock and is not utilizing health testing such as OFA, CERF, BAER and other things then they cannot say that the OBB is healthier than the Boston Terrier.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge a "rare" breed that's worth more than what a show quality Boston Terrier would cost? In my opinion, no.
Are you interested in an Olde Boston Bulldogge? If so, I highly suggest finding a RESPONSIBLE breeder of OBB's who is truly working to make it a real breed. I'm sure they're out there but even with purebreed dog breeders, a RESPONSIBLE breeder can be hard to find. You can find out how a breeder would go about doing that here. Or you can buy a bigger sized Boston Terrier from a responsible breeder. Trust me, they're out there.
In the end, don't believe the hype and make sure you do research before buying any breed of dog.
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Special thanks to Kelly from Brickhouse Bostons for allowing permission to use King Arthur's picture.
Special thanks to Pamela from Chrimaso Bostons for allowing permission to use Butler's picture.
Special thanks to Wired Kennel for allowing permission to use Wired's GR CH Kodiak of RBB's picture.(Sadly, Kodiak crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge in February 2010)
All other pictures come from my own personal pictures, The Boston Terrier and All About It, IOEBA, Bulldog Information and Got Pets Online.
BostonBulldogs · Olde Boston Bulldogs of the 21st Century- This is a Yahoo Group devoted to the OBB.
Olde Boston Bulldogge-(A website devoted to the OBB. It's still a work in progress so be sure to check back often)
*** It has come to my attention that some of the Olde Boston Bulldogge pictures do belong to those other than the websites listed above. Unfortunately, some of the websites did not list the owners which is why I gave credit to those websites. If you know who owns the dogs posted, or if you are the owner, please let me know and I will either give you credit and link your website or I can remove the picture. Thanks!!
Anyways, to make a long story short is the Olde Boston Bulldogge a real breed? No. Not at this point. Some may be breeding true to type. It is not recognized by the AKC, CanadianKC, UKC, FCI or ARBA.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge the dog the Boston Terrier used to be? No.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge the dog the Boston Terrier was supposed to be? No.
Would the Olde Boston Bulldogge be a great working dog? That depends on your definition of work and if you're in need of a working dog, you might want to be sure the dog you get comes from stock that's proven to work not just because someone says they can.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge healthier than a Boston Terrier? That depends on the breeder and the dogs background. If the breeder is breeding unknown stock and is not utilizing health testing such as OFA, CERF, BAER and other things then they cannot say that the OBB is healthier than the Boston Terrier.
Is the Olde Boston Bulldogge a "rare" breed that's worth more than what a show quality Boston Terrier would cost? In my opinion, no.
Are you interested in an Olde Boston Bulldogge? If so, I highly suggest finding a RESPONSIBLE breeder of OBB's who is truly working to make it a real breed. I'm sure they're out there but even with purebreed dog breeders, a RESPONSIBLE breeder can be hard to find. You can find out how a breeder would go about doing that here. Or you can buy a bigger sized Boston Terrier from a responsible breeder. Trust me, they're out there.
In the end, don't believe the hype and make sure you do research before buying any breed of dog.
~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~*~
Special thanks to Kelly from Brickhouse Bostons for allowing permission to use King Arthur's picture.
Special thanks to Pamela from Chrimaso Bostons for allowing permission to use Butler's picture.
Special thanks to Wired Kennel for allowing permission to use Wired's GR CH Kodiak of RBB's picture.(Sadly, Kodiak crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge in February 2010)
All other pictures come from my own personal pictures, The Boston Terrier and All About It, IOEBA, Bulldog Information and Got Pets Online.
BostonBulldogs · Olde Boston Bulldogs of the 21st Century- This is a Yahoo Group devoted to the OBB.
Olde Boston Bulldogge-(A website devoted to the OBB. It's still a work in progress so be sure to check back often)
*** It has come to my attention that some of the Olde Boston Bulldogge pictures do belong to those other than the websites listed above. Unfortunately, some of the websites did not list the owners which is why I gave credit to those websites. If you know who owns the dogs posted, or if you are the owner, please let me know and I will either give you credit and link your website or I can remove the picture. Thanks!!