What Is The Boston Terrier Club Of America?


The Boston Terrier Club Of America is the first dog breed club ever for the “All-American” dog breed, the Boston Terrier.

They are a member of the American Kennel Club and are a parent club to around 25 affiliate Boston Terrier clubs throughout the nation. 

Boston Terrier Club of America

The Boston Terrier Club of America works tirelessly to help the Boston Terrier breed to continue growing and evolving in a positive way.

All while improving breeding practices and working on their many other mission projects.

The Boston Terrier Club of America

The official club of the Boston Terrier.

What Does The Boston Terrier Club Of America Do?

What doesn’t this Boston Terrier centric organization do? 

From helping breeders, judges, pet owners, and those of us with Boston Terriers in competitions or shows, this organization is very busy!

A Boston Terrier in a dog show.

Above all else, the BTCA works to educate everyone who has an adorable American Gentleman dog of their own. 

They seek to continue improving the Boston Terrier breed through quality breeding practices, educating owners on health issues and best practices with their dog, and keeping an extensive history of this beautiful breed.

Why Was The Boston Terrier Club of America Founded?

The Boston Terrier Club Of America was founded in 1891, making it one of the first dog breed clubs ever in the United States. The club is dedicated to promoting quality breeding practices for Boston Terriers. 

They aim to inspire their members and breeders to abide by the breed standards. 

The breed standards are a breakdown of the Boston Terrier breed ideal. Since the Boston Terrier Club is a part of the American Kennel Club, they are the authority on the Boston Terrier breed standards. 

Their breed standards cover the general appearance of the dog, temperament, size, head shape, coat, legs, the coloring of the dog, and more!

These breed standards promote quality breeding, and are used in shows and competitions in judging, and define the Boston Terrier breed. 

The Boston Terrier Club Of America passionately works to educate the public, judges, pet owners, and breeders on these breed standards of Boston Terriers.

A Boston Terrier being judged at a dog show.

What Is The Boston Terrier Club of America’s Mission?

The Boston Terrier Club Of America has many missions. They’ve broken their tasks into a five-part constitution on the following points, which I’ve summarized below:

The Boston Terrier Club Of American Constitution Summary

I

Promoting quality breeding of purebred Boston Terriers to bring out their best, natural qualities.

II

Organizing and aiding other affiliated Boston Terrier Clubs that meet the American Kennel Club requirements.

III

Making the American Kennel Club approved Boston Terrier breed standards the only recognized breed standards for Boston Terriers and the only ones they are judged on.

IV

Working on behalf of the breed’s best interests and helping the breed reach its fullest potential. They encourage the best and fairest conduct at competitions, dog shows, and obedience trials. 

V

Putting together specialty shows, matches, and obedience trials following the American Kennel Club’s rules to celebrate this fantastic dog breed.

Their mission affects every Boston Terrier lover and anyone who works with this incredible breed. 

To accomplish their mission, their website goes into excellent, detailed education on breed standards, Boston Terrier health, finding a Boston Terrier through a reliable, ethical breeder, and much more!

How do I find out my dog's bloodline or pedigree?
Bella the Boston Terrier.

How Does The Boston Terrier Club of America Promote The Betterment Of Boston Terriers?

The Boston Terrier Club Of America is passionate about the betterment of Boston Terriers in many ways. 

One of their primary methods of doing this is addressing health issues within the Boston Terrier breed.

In the mid-1990s, a Time Magazine article was published on the rising number of genetic disease problems in purebred dogs. 

The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation was set up to address this, and in 1999 the BTCA set up its own health committee to specifically address Boston Terrier health problems. 

The BTCA health committee still runs to this day. It posts regular updates on new health developments, asks for volunteers for clinical studies, aids in fundraising efforts, offers a health certification program, and gives Boston Terrier owners many resources to best care for their beloved Boston Terrier. 

You can find their regular health committee news here, along with many useful Boston Terrier health resources here

helping boston terrier breeders

How Does The Boston Terrier Club Of America Help Breeders?

The Boston Terrier Club of America’s motto about adding a Boston Terrier to your family is, “It’s one of the few times in your life that you will be able to choose a member of your own family.”

Because of this belief, they have many resources to help you find a reputable breeder, along with a guide on good practices to look for when seeking a breeder. 

These include asking for three generations of pedigree to look for good health, what to expect from the breeder, questions to ask them, and what they should be asking you. 

If your breeder isn’t asking many questions about you, your family, and home. Then they might not be as thorough as you’d like for someone handling a future family member.

The BTCA provides many resources about the general temperament of a Boston Terrier and whether they might be a good fit for your lifestyle

Although they think (and we do as well!) that Boston Terriers are the greatest dog breed ever, they may not be the right fit for everyone. 

They strongly recommend doing your homework and finding a reputable breeder before even considering adoption to prevent dogs from unnecessarily ending up in some sort of rescue situation.

How Do I Become A Boston Terrier Club of America Member?

Being a member of the Boston Terrier Club Of America means adhering to a strict code of ethics and following the constitution and bylaws of the club. 

Their code of ethics heavily focuses on proper, safe breeding that is beneficial to the breed as a whole and the individual dog’s health. 

They are very strict about breeding with any dogs associated with puppy mills, puppy brokers, litter lot sales, or other commercial groups, and never selling to any of these establishments either.

Keeping meticulous records and being thorough about vetting potential adopters are other vital points that you must agree to when becoming a member. 

Two members of the BTCA must agree to sponsor you and write a paragraph on why you’d be an asset to the club.

What does it cost to join? 

There is also a small fee ranging from $40-$62.50, depending on your method of payment. 

What is one benefit of joining?

One of the membership benefits is being eligible to have your website listed on their members’ pages for a small fee.

This gives you more exposure to potential Boston Terrier buyers, who are likely very serious about owning a Boston Terrier and caring for it properly. 

Are there shows members can compete in?

There are also a variety of member-only shows and events that you can apply to enter your Boston Terrier into when you’re a member.

There are a myriad number of awards that you can earn as part of being a BTCA member, such as the sportsmanship award or booth decorating contest award. 

The camaraderie among BTCA members is a huge plus too. What could be better than celebrating this incredible breed with fellow Boston Terrier lovers?

Boston Terriers in the International Dog Show.

National Speciality Dog Show

The Boston Terrier Club Of America hosts many shows and activities. Still, the cream of the crop is their National Speciality Dog Show. 

This annual show happens in April or May. It includes many varieties of dog competitions, as well as the prestigious Boston Terrier Of The Year award. 

The Boston Terrier Of The Year Award is awarded to the Boston Terrier that best represents the breed and has made the most significant contribution to breed recognition. 

Breeders can also nominate their Boston Terrier litters for futurity at the time of conception. The futurity nominations promote excellent breeding standards and advancing the Boston Terrier breed’s quality. 

These dog shows and awards are an incredible way to show off an astonishing breed by bringing together many Boston Terrier lovers and using the approved breed standards in the judging.

Final Thoughts…

The Boston Terrier Club Of America is a fantastic resource for anyone considering a Boston Terrier, anyone who is lucky enough to already have one, or anyone who works with Boston Terriers. 

Between their membership, the many resources on their website, and the history they have with the Boston Terrier breed, the BTCA is your one-stop Boston Terrier portal! 

Join The Boston Terrier Community!

Join thousands of Boston Terrier Owners in the Boston Terrier Society Facebook Group. 

In the group, we share photos, thoughts, and stories. As well as have contests with prizes and more!

boston terrier community

This is a fun and friendly group. Feel free to pose any question you have about your Boston Terrier.

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Donnie Gardner

Donnie Gardner is the owner of the Boston Terrier Society. He has been raising Bella the Boston since 2010. He resides in Kansas with his wife, daughter, and Bella. His favorite activities are hanging out with family, traveling, running (but has bad knees), and reading non-fiction books.

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