Boston Lab

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20-45 lbs
13-15"
United States
Boston Terrier
Labrador Retriever

The Boston Lab combines the best traits from the Labrador Retriever and Boston Terrier. They are an average sized dog, smaller than the Labrador Retriever yet larger than the Boston Terrier. These dogs have a playful, happy personality and demonstrate affection and loyalty. They will listen intently to what you are saying, although they may not always obey! The Boston Lab is eager to please and will respond well to training, enjoying the attention and the chance to make you happy. They are active when young, joining in games and will be the first at the door waiting for you to walk them. The Boston Lab is good with children, joining in their games and demonstrate patience. They are inclined to want to be with the family at all times and get lonely if left alone too long. Boston Lab dogs are very active and easy to socialise.
purpose Purpose
Guard dog, companion dog
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
Boston Terrier and Labrador Retriever

Boston Lab Health

Average Size
Male Boston Lab size stats
Height: 13-17 inches Weight: 27-50 lbs
Female Boston Lab size stats
Height: 13-15 inches Weight: 20-45 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Intervertebral Disc Disease
  • Hip Dysplasia
Minor Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Ear Infections
Occasional Tests
  • X-Rays
  • Urinalysis
  • Full Blood Work
  • General Physical Examination

Boston Lab Breed History

The Boston Lab is a mixed breed dog or hybrid dog created by breeding the Boston Terrier to the Labrador Retriever. Boston Labs are very alert, intelligent and responsive dogs, known for their playful and loyal nature. Looking back into their parentage, the Boston Terrier was bred in the early 19th Century as fighting dogs. They were larger then and through time (once fighting the dogs was outlawed) they were bred to be small and more mellow in temperament. They are popular because of their tuxedo coat style and affectionate nature. They are small in stature and can weigh up to 25 pounds, and have a stocky, sturdy appearance. They are one of 10 American made breeds which are recognised by the American Kennel Club. The Labrador Retriever came from Canada to American and soon became one of the most popular breeds of dog. Their nature is superb; they are affectionate, easy to train, loyal, and very good with family members – even with the very young. The Labrador Retriever was bred initially as a retrieving dog for hunters. They have good judgement and are known for their ‘soft mouths’ which means that they retrieve prey without causing any injury. The combination of the two parent dogs created the Boston Lab which is a designer dog that is fast becoming as popular as its parent breed. The Boston Lab has a protective, loving nature, demonstrates patience, and is loyal and affectionate making it an ideal companion dog.

Boston Lab Breed Appearance

The Boston Lab is a miniature to medium sized dog. Their body is short and stocky and in good proportion to their heads. The breed has a longer muzzle than the Boston Terrier, with scissors or even bite. The ears can either be floppy like a Labradors or short and erect with a floppy tip like the Boston Terrier. A black nose and smiley face is a characteristic of this breed, and they can have a quizzical look when they raise their eyebrows. The eyes are golden to deep brown and very expressive.  The legs are straight and strong, with rounded paws. The Boston Lab has a medium sized tail held low to medium away from their body. Their velvety short silky fur coat that comes in many colors completes the picture of an attractive dog that has an equally attractive nature.
Eye Color Possibilities
brown Boston Lab eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Boston Lab nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
brown Boston Lab coat
Brown
black Boston Lab coat
Black
white Boston Lab coat
White
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Boston Lab straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Boston Lab Breed Maintenance

The Boston Lab is very easy to care for and is minimum maintenance for the owner. Once a week a quick brush with a firm bristle brush is all that is required, or maybe a loving rub down with a soft damp cloth will make the coat shine. These dogs love attention, so get them used to a ritual grooming each week where you brush them down, check their nails and clip if too long, and check inside the ears – a soft damp cloth wiped gently inside will remove any build-up of dirt and debris. While your dog is a puppy, get them used to their teeth being brushed, rewarding them for their good behaviour afterwards. This practice eliminates any grooming issues when they mature. Other requirements include a good walk each day, and some fun games where they can chase a ball until they tire of it (this rarely happens though) to burn off their energy.

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Brushes for Boston Lab
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Comb
Comb
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Boston Lab requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Boston Lab Temperament

The Boston Lab is described as a happy dog. They always seem to have enough energy for anything, and love to be part of family life and daily outings. They can get lonely if you ignore them and get into mischief. The Boston Lab considers himself part of your pack, and they like a strong but fair pack leader. Results are achieved through praise and rewards rather than strict, harsh methods. They learn quickly and respond well to kind words and tone of voice. Start their training at a young age as they tend to lose interest as they mature. Make sure they get used to socialising with kids, people, dogs and other pets while they are young. It will make life easier for you if they form friendly bonds early in life. These dogs are very playful but are just as attentive when you are relaxing or not well, they will listen to all your problems with attentive adoring eyes and ears.

Boston Lab Activity Requirements

This unique breed will do best with a regular daily exercise – a daily walk for an hour or so combined with games at home will keep the Boston Lab fit and healthy. They can live happily in an apartment if they are exercised each day and get to explore a little. They don’t like extremes in temperatures and do best in moderate climates. The Labrador Retriever side of their breed loves the water, so it is safe to assume the Boston Lab will enjoy splashing around in water especially in summer. Games that will amuse them for ages includes fetching the ball, tug of war, and hide and seek type games. The Boston Lab loves to please and is a true family dog. Ensure that he is included in family outings. Use a leash when out and about as the Boston Lab can practise ‘selective deafness’ if left free to explore.
Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
9 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
120 minutes
activity minutes

Similar Maintenance Breeds to Boston Lab

Similarly Sized Breeds to Boston Lab

Boston Lab Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$1.20 - $1.40
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$34.00 - $45.00
food bag monthly cost
author-img

Written by Kathleen Egger

Published: 10/23/2017, edited: 01/24/2022

Boston Lab Owner Experiences

Tarax
6 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Tarax is flat out amazing. I would urge any new owner to have their elbows looked at as these seem vulnerable to deformity. Tarax is smart as anything I've been around. Trainable beyond my expecations. Voice commands: Check. Whistle commands: check. Hand signals: check. And I am a terrible trainer. The Terrier heritage is Very strong in this one and she will track and pursue prey with laser focus, but has an incredibly soft mouth and will bring baby rabbits in the house and try to hide them in my bed. Truly hysterical. Never even consider walking without a leash. Affectionate but a fantastic watchdog. If I could clone her I'd be a millionaire. She is bigger at just under 50lbs and absurdly strong. Not one negative. Not one. But I would never contemplate this breed without a large fenced yard. Even with one she needed to walk, stalk, and track 3-5 miles a day until she was 5 years old. Now only about 2. Best decision I ever made was to say yes to this free dog.
3 years, 2 months ago
Jet
1 year
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Fetch
Hide & Seek
An amazing family dog full of energy
6 years, 9 months ago
Juniper
1 Year
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Amazing rescue dog from Georgia. Spunky and full of excitement and love. Still shy and does get anxious but working with her.
6 years, 8 months ago
Luna
9 Years
4 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walking
Tug-of-war
Fetch
Luna even at 9 years old still acts like a puppy. She is very affectionate. She has a tendency to chew on things that she shouldn't. She does not like to be left alone and is often trying to climb into bed or into my lap.
6 years, 8 months ago
Max
4 Years
3 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
We adopted Max about a month ago. He has come out of his shell a lot, as he was definitely scared of noises. He has energy that can be engaged when you are ready and is sweet as can be. Is great with our 9 year old daughter and the extended family as well.
6 years, 8 months ago
Ellie
10 Months
1 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
She has been the best dog I could ask for. Never barks unless someone walks into the house and she was not expecting it. Timid at first but a professional kiss giver when comfortable. She is so great that I do not mind the little shedding!
6 years, 6 months ago
Dutchess
5 Months
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
She and I made a quick connection when I first got her. We both love to chase after each other and play fetch. Also loves to help find things that are underground and dig it up.
6 years, 2 months ago
Sprite
1 Year
4 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Tug of War,
Nature walk
Frisbee
First Dog I've owned. Very affectionate, great guard dog, will stay at the entrance to my room and "guard me" anytime someone new enters my apartment. Does great with all ages and dogs of all sizes. Slightly Skiddish (brooms, boxes, anytime something falls) Plays Great with the Lab and Pit Mix that also live in my apartment. Keep them well exercised and they're great dogs.
6 years, 2 months ago
Gemma
3 Years
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Chase
Snuggles
Hike
Walk
Run
Such a sweet girl; loves being a part of the family. Skittish of strangers (we don't know anything prior to adopting her earlier this year) but warms up after gaining trust. She travels well and adapts quickly to new situations. She thinks she's a [30 lb] lap dog!
5 years, 10 months ago
Captain Jack
5 Months
3 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Training, walking, tug, running, ball
Very sweet natured and attentive. Eager to please and intelligent. Easy to train and fun to play with. Very fun personality!
5 years, 9 months ago
Shirley
3 Years
6 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walk
Tug-of-war
Nap
Chase
Fetch
Dog Parks
Shirley is a high-energy, bouncy, and playful girl who is almost scary smart and LOVES to give puppy kisses. She regularly has the "zoomies" but once she gets that out of her system, she is also a great couch potato/lap dog. I feel like she understands everything I say to her, but she doesn't realize she's not tiny. HAHA! I have previously had a purebred retriever and his personality was very mellow, so I was a little surprised that she's a bit more boisterous than I expected and has knocked my sister's toddlers down with her enthusiasm a time or two. She's also very loyal to me in particular and definitely NOT a fan of strangers, and she reacts very protectively if she feels I am in any danger by placing herself between myself and any perceived threat. A lot of people mistake her for a pit bull, and that has led to some sticky situations at times, but overall, I love having her. She's just an absolute sweetheart and such an affectionate companion to me.
5 years, 4 months ago
Bennett
11 Months
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
He's very affectionate and loving and very active. He loves car rides and sticks right by my side. He is my emotional support pet.
4 years, 7 months ago
Ally-Oop
8 Years
6 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
My Boston Lab is very neurotic and skittish. Extremely sweet, loving, loves to snuggle at bed time, will bring you a toy when you come in, buries her bones before she eats them, and is overall an amazing dog. Very excitable and loves when people comes home, but hates to see people leave. Although she would never hurt anyone, she acts as a great guard dog to anyone passing the house.
4 years, 3 months ago
Loki
5 Years
6 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Very protective to me always want okay and be loved
4 years ago
Azula
7 Months
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Chase
Fetch
Tag
Tug-of-war
Running
I got Azula a couple weeks ago as kind of a “housewarming” gift when I moved. My brother didn’t have the time to train her and so I took her in. She’s the most energetic and playful dog I’ve ever met. She runs around the house like a madman sometimes but all I have to do is say “Zu!” And she immediately runs to me and chills out. Her energetic nature is probably what I love most about her. I suffer from severe depression and a lot of times I don’t have the energy to get up and leave my bed. She loves to go on walks and she’s my sole reason for getting up. She’s my motivation to go outside and get fresh air. I live with my brother, his wife, and their 6 year old daughter. Azula is the perfect dog for children. She loves to play with my niece and they spend hours running around outside with each other. My Boston Lab has just been the best companion. She’s so loving and loyal. She’s protective and she knows when I’m in danger. I believe she’ll be my lifelong friend. I love her and couldn’t ask for a better dog.
4 years ago
Daisy Mae
1 Year
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walk
Dog-friendly events
Shake
Swim
Dressing up
Laying in the sun
Daisy is absolutely crazy and hyper but she is the best dog I've ever had, she is my little baby and is super loyal. She loves other dogs and other people but she would always prefer her momma over anyone else. She is great with cats as well, doesn't really pay too much mind to them. She is wicked smart and learns things within less than a day, never had any issues potty training her. She loves to eat but is extremely fit and healthy. She loves swimming in her grandparents pool and just will lay on a pool float with you too after she's swam around and gets tired out LOL. She tears up any toys with stuffing but she finds so much joy in it I cant get mad at her.
3 years, 8 months ago
Animal Expert Question Icon
Question - New pet
Question

Do Boston Labs bark a lot?

Answer
Animal Expert Question Icon
Question - New pet
Question

Is there a Labrador Boston mix breed puppies for sale near me in San Luis Obispo california?

Answer
Animal Expert Question Icon
Question - New pet
Question

How big will a Boston Terrier Lab (Mix) approximately grow to? LB wise and height? Also, what can I expect for behavior traits? Thank you!

Answer
As you can appreciate, these two parent breeds are very different sizes, so there is a good degree of variability, depending on which genes they inherit. As a rough guide, dogs will grow to between 20 and 45 lbs and will measure from 13 to 20 inches. Behaviour wise, again, it is very dependent on which parent breed they take more after. If taking on a pup, try to meet both parents and the litter, to get an idea of personalities. Most are confident, playful, loyal and energetic.
3 years, 8 months ago
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