Jack Russell Terrier vs Boston Terrier - Breed Comparison

Nicknamed the American Gentleman, the Boston Terrier is the result of crossing the British Bulldog with the white English Terrier. At first the Boston Terrier was bred to be a fighting dog, but since then, undesirable characteristics have been bred out and today the Boston Terrier is regarded as an indoor dog that doesn’t tolerate extreme weather conditions.

The breed emerged in the 1870s when Robert Hooper from Boston bought a dog thought to be a mix of a Terrier and Bull type lineage. A specialist breed club was formed in 1891 and in 1979 the commonwealth of Massachusetts named the Boston Terrier the Official State Dog. By the 20th century, the breed’s color and patterns were standard and an essential feature.

The popular Jack Russell Terrier was developed in Devonshire in the south of England in the late 1800's so as to hunt foxes.

Often believed to be the Parson Russell Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier was developed by Parson John Russell. This is where the dog gets his breed name from. Some people get the Jack Russell Terrier a little bit mixed up with the Parson Russell terrier, when it fact its actually a different breed, but sharing a common ancestry.

The Jack Russell Terrier is smaller than the Parson and bigger than the Russell Terrier. The breed became known in the U.S. by the 1930s and the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America wanted recognition by the American Kennel Club, which was granted in 2000.

The Boston Terrier is a lively, strong-willed breed with an alert expression and fairly large, erect ears. He is a small to medium sized dog and his square muzzle puts him among the Bull breeds. The dog is compact in build and varies quite significantly in size. Weight with the dog is actually divided into 3 categories – lightweight (under 6.8kg), middleweight (up to 9kg) and the heavyweights being between 9.1kg and up to 11.4kg. The Boston has a short head and a naturally short, low-set tail. The coat is short and smooth, and the colour can be brindle with white markings, brown and white or black and white.

It’s the energetic liveliness of the Boston Terrier that makes him such a lovable and popular pet. He has an affectionate, gentle nature that makes him a fantastic family pet and he gets on well with children and pets in the home. He can adapt to city or country life. One or two interesting facts of this breed are -

with his short nose, he is prone to drool and snore

he is prone to corneal ulcers because of his large, somewhat protruding eyes

with a small pelvis, the females often battle with the birthing process and may require a caesarean section.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog that weighs between 6 and 8kg and stands at between 25 – 38cm. The body length of the dog should be in proportion to the height.

He is essentially a white dog with orange or fawn colored patches. The coat is mostly smooth and short, but the coat can also be longer and rough or it can be broken which is a combination of rough and smooth. Regardless of coat type, they are dense, double coats which will require brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs. He may also be tri-colored such as being white with black and tan patches.

He has alert, bright dark brown eyes and ears which are somewhat erect and which flop over at the tips. The tail has always been traditionally docked, giving him an attractive, compact look about him but unfortunately the tail is often left long on the dog these days.

Temperament:

Your Jack Russell Terrier is a lively, tenacious, bold, fearless, feisty, cheeky, confident, independent, intelligent and full of life dog. He is super energetic and exuberant, spirited and full of personality.

There are some dog owners who are exhausted by him and would prefer a more quieter dog breed as their companion. Nonetheless he has some excellent characteristics such as being a totally devoted and loving dog.

It is why it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as it calms him down and makes him more obedient. He is very intelligent and training him will be easy.

The Boston Terrier is such a sweet little dog, but you can’t really say what your puppy’s personality will be as personality varies quite a bit between individual Boston’s. Remember that just like with a human child, your puppy will turn out with characteristics that can be attributed to the way he was raised. The Boston just loves his human family and he wants to be part of all your activities, even though he may gravitate towards one favorite family member.

Your Boston can be your Best Friend

Your Boston is a Terrier and that means he is full of life and will require being exercised by you. He can’t just be left outdoors day after day because this is one particular breed that can’t adapt to changing weather conditions. He likes being inside where the temperature is more even. Look after your Boston, because if you do, you’ll be rewarded by having one of the best friends you’ve ever had.

With loads of vibrant personality, the energetic Jack Russell Terrier has got so many wonderful characteristics to his name – devotion, intelligence, charming, lively, playful and he is an entertainer – you’ll always be laughing a him.

You do need to pay him attention – you can’t just plonk him in your backyard and forget about him. He wants your love and attention and ignoring him can lead to problem behavior such as obsessive barking.

Give your Jack Russell Terrier all the love and care he needs, and you’ll have an exceptional pet and friend.

Boston Terriers are generally healthy, feisty little dogs but it is always wise to know that you may well come across some health conditions that can affect your pet.

Eye Problems

Your Boston may well have to contend with cataracts, and in the dog world, this isn’t only an ailment for old dogs. Juvenile cataracts can develop in young puppies already. Cherry Eye is another eye problem with a prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. It is also an eye disease than can be found in young dog of less than a year old.

Deafness

Boston Terriers actually have a fairly high incidence of deafness in one or both ears. White Bostons tend to produce more puppies with deafness.

Brachycephalic Syndrome

The Boston Terrier is a brachycephalic dog and therefore more predisposed to Brachyphalic Syndrome where the dog battles to breathe because of too much soft tissue which forms in the airways.

To avoid many dog diseases with your Boston, buy your puppy from a reputable dog breeder who screens dogs used in a breeding program as this prevents puppies inheriting genetic disorders.

This particular dog breed has a reputation for being healthy and living to a good age such as 16 or 17 years of age. Of course he needs to be given proper care to reach such a good age.

Some common dog disorders you might want to be aware of are -

Eye disorders:

Lens luxation is actually a common hereditary disorder in these dogs, but even so, with good care, your dog isn’t likely to battle with it. What happens is that the lens in the eye becomes displaced. There are two types, with Posterior luxation being the lesser severe one.Treatment is available.

Musculoskeletal conditions:

Patellar luxation is an hereditary disorder affecting the knees of the dog. The kneecap slips off the groove where it sits and you may notice your dog running while holding his hind leg in the air. It can sometimes slip back in place and then you see your dog running in his usual way. It becomes more serious when it affects both legs.

Exercise

The Boston Terrier is a lively dog, and even though he doesn't have any extreme exercise requirements, he will still require you exercising him by taking him on walks, or having ball games with him. As an essentially indoor dog, he can even enjoy some quieter indoor games.

Feeding

You’ll be able to gauge how much your pet requires in terms of high quality food, but by the time he is an adult, he usually has one or two bowls of food a day. Size and age play an important role in determining his eating habits. Home made foods made up of rice, meat and vegetables are always welcome for your pet and these can be added into his top quality commercially produced dog food. For a healthy dog who is free of skin problems include some raw meat in the diet from time to time. Always make sure that there is a bowl of fresh, cool water which is available 24/7.

Grooming

With his short coat, the Boston Terrier isn’t a heavy shedder and is low maintenance in terms of keeping his coat groomed. Brush him at least twice a week to remove loose hairs and to also prevent flea and tick infestations. Brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week to ensure no plaque build-up which can damage the teeth. Never use human toothpaste, but invest in special toothpaste and -brush for dogs. If he is essentially an indoor dog, you may have to get the vet to trim his nails too.

Exercise:

The Jack Russell Terrier isn’t just a small dog that can be left to his own devices. He will need proper training and socialization early in life to make him obedient and better to get on with.

He may be a small dog, but he certainly won’t do in the city where he is cooped up in a place with a handkerchief of a garden. He needs lots of space to run and play. He wants his human family to join in with walks, hikes, ball games and swimming.

Diet:

You can buy excellent commercially manufactured dog food which caters for energetic small dog breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier.

Once you have selected the best one for your pet, with dry kibble being better in terms of dental health - you can also add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken. This is highly beneficial to all dog breeds. A little bit of raw meat can sometimes be added in too.

The bottom line is to to prevent your pet from eating foods high in preservatives, additives and fillers. Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.