The Boston Terrier has been dubbed "The American Gentlemanan", due to both his coat markings resembling a tuxedo and his polite and gentle personality. He is claimed to be the first truly American purebred. He is also the first American breed to be registered with the American Kennel Club.
The Boston Terriers is the state dog of Massachusetts since 1979. The Mayor who officially named it the state dog, Edward King, had owned a Boston Terrier named Skippy when he was young.
Boston University's official mascot since 1992 is Rhett, the Boston Terrier. His name comes from Rhett Butler, main character of the novel and film "Gone with the Wind", because of the love affair between Rhett and Scarlett O'Hara; scarlet is the primary color of Boston University.
The most decorated World War I war dog was Sergeant Stubby, most likely a mix between a Boston Terrier and a Pit Bull. Sergeant Stubby is the only dog to receive a promotion to Sergeant through his combat activities. When he returned to the US after the war, he was one of the first mascots of Georgetown University; Bulldogs were later adopted as the official breed of the Georgetown Hoyas.
In the early "Wizard of Oz" books, the canine character Toto is drawn as a Cairn Terrier, though some claim he is a Yorkshire Terrier. In some of the later books, though, Toto is drawn as a Boston Terrier, but there is no good explanation regarding the change.
Students at Radcliffe College gave Helen Keller a Boston Terrier named Phiz.
Rose McGowan, one of the actresses of the popular TV show "Charmed" is a self-proclaimed lover of Boston Terriers; she owns two, named Fester and Bug. She also campaigns for animals rights, working especially close with Boston Terrier rescue centers and organizations. She is one of the biggest donators to the Boston Terrier Rescue Net.
The American punk rock band NOFX featured a Boston Terrier on the cover of their album entitled "13 Stitches".
Bandit the Biker Dog is a Boston Terrier who lives in California with his owner and who loves to go surfing.
Though the Boston is called a terrier, he is not a true terrier, as he was not bred to hunt rats or other small vermin. He was originally bred to be a fighting dog, while subsequent breeding efforts focused on making him a companion dog. He does have terrier blood in him, as the original Boston stock originated from the mix of a Bulldog and an English White Terrier.
Though Boston Terriers are not yappy dogs and don't bark a lot, they do make a lot of noise. Their breathing sounds are sometimes quite irritating and some people find their flatulence highly offensive!
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