Boston Terrier

Companion & toy

Small

Median 11.8 y

FCI group 9 · Companion and Toy Dogs · Derived from the adult weight midpoint (7 kg)

Median survival across 2,427 UK dogs (VetCompass, McMillan 2024) · half live 9–14 y

The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. It was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. The dogs are small and compact, with a short tail and erect ears.

Friendly

Bright

Amusing

Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · reference ranges from the Kintail breed dataset

Adult weight

Reference

Male

2.7–11.3 kg

Female

2.7–11.3 kg

The breed standard (FCI 140)

Spans 3 varieties

Varieties

Reference

Lightweight

Toy build

2.7–6.8 kg

FCI 140 / AKC: under 15 lb (6.8 kg); the standard publishes no minimum, so the floor is the breed's own published minimum; one range for both sexes

Middleweight

Small build

6.8–9 kg

FCI 140 / AKC: 15 lb and under 20 lb (6.8-9 kg); one range for both sexes

Heavyweight

Small build

9–11.3 kg

FCI 140 / AKC: 20 lb and not exceeding 25 lb (9-11.3 kg); one range for both sexes

FCI 140 divides this breed by weight. Pick the variety your dog is for a band that fits.

Weight for age

Stock data

Male

Female

Expected range

Expected range from the breed's own adult weight, kilograms. Growth reference: Salt et al. 2017, WALTHAM (6.5–9 kg band).

Heat cycles · females

Stock data

First heat

8–12 mo

typical

Interval

180 d

typical

Bleeding

~9 d

typical

Proestrus 9d

Estrus 9d

Diestrus 52d

Anestrus 110d

General figures for dogs, not for this breed — individual cycles vary widely.

Questions people ask

Adult males usually weigh 2.7–11.3 kg and females 2.7–11.3 kg. Most are close to their full size by around 17 months, though the last little bit of filling out takes longer. Growth reference: Salt et al. 2017, WALTHAM (6.5–9 kg band).

No Boston Terrier cycle figures are published here yet, so this is general guidance rather than a breed number: most females have a first season somewhere between six and fifteen months, and cycles then settle to roughly every 180 days. Smaller breeds tend to start earlier and larger ones later.

The median is 11.8 y. Median survival across 2,427 UK dogs (VetCompass, McMillan 2024) · half live 9–14 y. How the later years go comes down to weight, teeth, exercise and regular check-ups far more than to the breed.