What Colors And Patterns Does A Boston Terrier Come In?

Boston Terriers are the perfect dog if you want a calm companion that will be super loyal and affectionate. They are also very beautiful dogs and have a cool nickname, “The American Gentleman”, from their classic black and white tuxedo appearance.

Apart from the Tuxedo Boston Terrier, Boston Terriers also come in various colors like red, seal and white. Boston Terriers also manifest in the mesmerizing merle and brindle coat patterns, as well as different hair characteristics like those of the short haired and long haired Boston Terriers.

9. Merle Boston Terriers

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Merle Boston Terriers are beautiful dogs and are known for their mottled, pale markings over the black, red, or seal part of the dog’s bicolor coat.

The spots are irregular in size and distribution and can occur on the torso, limbs, or the face.

The merle pattern is as a result of the merle gene which also affects the development of the dog’s eyes and ears and could result in blindness or deafness.

8. Brindle Boston Terriers

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Brindle Boston Terriers have stripe markings that appear on the darker part of the coat. The black stripes appear over different shades of brown from tan-like light shades to red.

The stripes are most prominent and easiest to discern over the torso and limbs. When they appear on dark fur on the face, you may not see the stripes as distinct lines but more as dark spots.

Brindle Boston Terriers are usually bicolor with pure white fur covering some of the chest, muzzle, and the band between the dog’s eyes.

7. Black Boston Terriers

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Black is not considered a standard or acceptable coat color in Boston Terriers according to American Kennel Club breed standards for the dog breed.

These incredibly rare dogs have black coats without a single spot in any other color. Despite the fact that they do not qualify as a standard variation of this particular dog breed, it can be argued that Black Boston Terriers are the most beautiful and unique of the entire bunch.

6. Black & White Boston Terriers

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Black and white is the most classic color combination in the Boston Terrier dog breed.

The specific distribution of the colors follows a pretty predictable pattern with most black and white Boston Terriers. This is characterized by a mostly black coat with white markings on the forechest, muzzle, and as a white band between the eyes.

This combination of colors with the specific pattern of markings is what gives the Boston Terrier dog breed their “American Gentleman” nickname as the coat looks like a tuxedo.

5. Seal & White Boston Terriers

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Seal and White Boston Terriers are often misclassified as black and white. This is because in low light conditions, the dark parts of their coat appear completely black.

The only way to appreciate the seal part of the seal and white Boston Terrier is in the sunlight. Here, what appears like black fur will reveal its brownish-red hues which separate it from black and white Boston Terrier.

The distribution of the white fur is pretty much the same as with most bicolor Boston Terriers with the white fur being mainly on the chest and face.

4. Red & White Boston Terriers

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Red and White Boston Terriers are the more intense version of seal and white varieties. The darker part of the coat is a rich reddish shade of brown which can be appreciated both in low light and bright light.

The white part of the coat covers the least area. These markings can be found on the muzzle, between the eyes, and on the chest area.

In general, red and white Boston Terriers are quite rare and may be more expensive than their black and white or brindle counterparts.

3. Albino Boston Terrier

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Albino Boston Terriers are an all-white variety of the dog breed that get their striking coat from a genetic mutation that causes Albinism.

This gene hinders production of melanin which in addition to giving the dog white fur also results in other striking features like a pink nose and blue eyes.

While albino Boston Terriers are super cute, they are often plagued with health issues including recurrent skin burns and irritation as well as a high risk of developing skin cancers.

2. Long Haired Boston Terriers

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Long-haired Boston Terriers actually have more of medium-length hair compared to other long-haired dog breeds. However, the fur on this variety of Boston Terriers is significantly longer than what you would find on your regular short-haired variety.

The long hair gene in Boston Terriers is not only rare but also happens to be recessive. This means that you need two of the already hard to find long-haired Boston Terriers to produce puppies with long coats.

1. Short Haired Boston Terriers

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Short-haired Boston Terriers are the most commonly found variety in terms of coat length. Their fur is short and close to the body giving them a neat and easy-to-manage coat.

The short fur on Boston Terriers is as a result of dominant genetics. This means that only one parent needs to have a short coat for the puppies to inherit the same trait.

The fur itself is straight and fine to the touch.



Are Blue Eyed Boston Terriers Healthy? Blue-eyed Boston Terriers are usually unhealthy. This is because the genes responsible for such eye colors are associated with multiple health issues. These genes include mutations responsible for albinism and merle markings. Both of these genes are associated with health issues affecting the skin, eyes, and ears of the dog.

What Is A Haggerty Spot On A Boston Terrier? A Haggerty Spot is a dark spot on the forehead of a Boston Terrier. Its position sometimes earns this unique marking the term “angel’s kiss”. The spot can either be redblack, or seal depending on the rest of the Boston Terrier’s coat. It appears on the forehead as an interruption of the white band marking between the eyes on most Boston Terriers.

Are Boston Terriers Born With Tails? Boston Terriers are actually born with tails despite popular beliefs that they are born without one. The reason why their tails are so naturally short without docking is the fact that Boston Terriers have a naturally occurring gene mutation that causes the tail to be incredibly short.

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Pete Decker