Bossi-Poo

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Bossi-Poo is a mix of the Boston Terrier and the Poodle, both pure breed dogs. The Boston Terrier, believed to be descended from bull and terrier types, originated from and first became popular in Boston, hence the name. It is not, strictly speaking, a terrier, however, as its physical attributes and personality are markedly different from a terrier's. It is a gentle and fun home companion, considered dashing in the way it carries itself, and generally friendly and sociable towards other dogs and people. There are fighting and out dogs in its bloodlines, but the Boston Terrier is more popular as a house pet or lap dog. The Poodle, originally a German gun dog and water retriever, is considered one of the most intelligent and versatile dogs today. Bred in at least three different sizes, the Poodle is known the world over as excelling in various fields, such as obedience, agility, tracking, herding, and conformation shows.

Color

The Bossi-Poo, if taking after the poodle, will come mostly in solid colors, more commonly white, black, brown, cream, apricot. A more Boston Terrier look will be a dark base, such as black or brown, with white markings mainly on the chest and paws.

Coat

The Bossi-Poo is possessed of a single coat. Depending on which parent gene expresses itself, the coat can either be tight and curly, or short, hard, and flat on the skin.

Personality

The Bossi-Poo is a fairly intelligent dog that can easily adapt to any environment or surrounding, as long as it is not separated from its owner for prolonged periods of time. Cheerful and comic, it is a dog that easily expresses its affection and extends a friendly paw towards other people. Other dogs, though, may be considered rivals for the owner's attention, and thus trigger jealous behavior. Children will find the Bossi-Poo a clever and tireless playmate, although care should be taken that rough play doesn't injure the dog. Adults will find the Bossi-Poo a charming, well-rounded, and utterly faithful companion.

Care

The coat will require weekly brushing, more if it is curly, as what little hair is shed gets trapped in surrounding hair and can build into mats. Bathing is only as needed, and extra measures, such as restricted outdoor activity or doggie sweaters, might be needed in cold weather, as the Bossi-Poo has only a single coat to protect it from extreme temperatures.

Training

Obedience training should ideally be started when young, to lay a foundation for other commands later on. The Bossi-Poo, sprightly and intelligent, will respond best to varied training routines that involve positive motivation. Stubbornness should be addressed firmly, but not harshly. Constant socialization will help lessen the Bossi-Poo's possessiveness and emotional dependency.

Activity

A small-to-medium dog, the BossiPoo will take well to apartment-living, as long as it has an hour or so of outdoor activity daily. This can be in the form of dog sports, long walks or jogs, or just games and tricks in a wide backyard.