BoShih

The Boston Terrier is known as the “American Gentleman.” This nickname is attributed to the fact that the Boston was bred exclusively in America. In fact, he was bred in Boston, Massachusetts in the late 1800s. A Bostonian named Robert C. Hooper owned a dog named Judge; Judge’s exact origins are not known. Some people say Hooper imported Judge  from England or that Hooper purchased Judge from an acquaintance in Boston. Whatever the case, we do know that Judge is the ancestor that Boston Terriers can safely say is their own. Judge was bred only once to a white dog (she weighed about twenty pounds) named Kate. Amazingly, one puppy came from this union, Well’s Eph. Eph was widely bred due to some respected characteristics he possessed. Eph was bred to a female known as Tobin’s Kate, and it is thought that one of their offspring was later mated with a French Bulldog, and this is the lineage from which the modern day Boston came. At one time the Boston was called the American Terrier or the Boston Bulldog. Silent film star Pola Negri owned a Boston that she took everywhere. In 1976, the Boston Terrier was named the Bicentennial dog of the United States. Today, Rhett the Boston Terrier is the mascot for Boston University. He is truly an American dog. The Shih Tzu has roots in China, where he is depicted in artwork as far back as the 16th century. Some experts believe he is related to the Lhasa Apso, and perhaps is a descendant of the royal breed. The Chinese valued the Shih Tzu as a royal dog, and for many years, the Chinese refused to export the dog out of their country. In the 1930s, a pair was exported to England and from there made their way to America. The BoShih is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club, the Designer Breed Registry, the  Designer Dogs Kennel Club, the Dog Registry of America, and the International Designer Canine Registry.