Breed Versus

Boston Terrier

Short coat, quiet, flat-friendly — one of the milder flat-faced breeds.

Boston Terrier
Terrier Seated (Boston Public Library) — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Townsend, F. B. (Frances B.), 1863-1916 (artist); L. Prang & Co. (publisher)

About the Boston Terrier

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.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Key facts

Origin
United States
Weight
5–11 kg
Height
23–38 cm
Lifespan
11–15 years
Est. monthly cost
$58 (≈ $696 per year)
Purchase price
$1,600–$2,800 from a breeder

Where the monthly cost comes from

Routine care for a Boston Terrier averages about $58 a month, or roughly $696 a year. That figure is summed from the measured US line items below — food is scaled to this breed's body weight and grooming to its coat — not quoted from any single clinic or breeder.

Estimated monthly breakdown for a Boston Terrier
CategoryPer month
Food (scaled to 8 kg)$137.20
Treats$60.00
Routine veterinary care (adjusted for this breed's known issues)$347.55
Medications (flea, tick, heartworm)$101.85
Grooming (1/5 coat requirement)$0.00
Toys$37.00
Licence$15.00
Total$58

Pet insurance is not in that total. The average US accident-and-illness premium is $676 a year for a dog, but most pets are not insured, so adding it to every breed would overstate what a typical owner pays.

If you insure, board and budget for emergencies

Owners who carry insurance, leave the pet boarded when travelling and set money aside for emergencies land near $160 a month — about $1,925 a year. This is a modelled budget, not a survey result:

ItemPer year
Routine care, as itemised above$696
Pet insurance (NAPHIA average premium)$676
Boarding (10 days at $25/day)$250
Emergency fund (one ~$900 event every 3 years)$300
Fully-loaded total$1,925

Boarding rate from MarketWatch ($25/day). Emergency allowance modelled on Rover's finding that a typical emergency visit starts near $300 and reaches $4,000 with diagnostics and an overnight stay. The number of boarded days and the once-in-three-years emergency frequency are our own planning assumptions, stated here so you can substitute your own.

Includes routine vet visits, food, grooming and supplies. Excludes emergencies, training, boarding and the purchase price above. Method and sources: data sources.

Temperament and care profile

Grooming needed 1/5how much brushing and trimming
Shedding 2/5how much hair ends up in your home
Energy 3/5how much daily exercise
Trainability 4/5
Apartment fit 5/5
Good with kids 4/5
Vocalisation 1/5

Health issues to watch

  • Brachycephalic syndrome
  • Protruding eyes
  • Patellar luxation

How it compares

Pick a second breed to see a side-by-side breakdown of cost, size, shedding and lifestyle fit.