Boykin Spaniel

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Boykin Spaniel is a medium size all rounder hunting dog of spaniel type, originating in South Carolina where it has been declared the official state dog. The dog has an interesting history which suggests that it was found by a hunter called Alexender L. White, roaming around sometime during 1905-1910. The hunter liked the dog and took it home. When the dog showed its capabilities as a retriever, the hunter handed it over to another friend Whit Boykin who cross bred the dog with different breeds and consequently succeeded in developing a medium size compactly built dog that was par excellence in hunting ducks and turkeys. This dog became the foundation stock for the Boykin spaniel. Other ancestors are reported to be the Chesapeake Bay retriever, springer spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and the American water spaniel. It fulfilled the long vacant place of a small rugged dog compactly built for boat travel and able to retrieve on land and water.

The dog has height between 15.5 to 17.5 inches and weight between 30-40 lbs. It has a spaniel type head, in proportion to body. Oval shaped eyes are different shades of brown and set well apart. Flat ears are set in line with eyes. The neck is muscular and slightly arched. The body is sturdily constructed but not too compact. Sloping shoulders, chest well-developed but not barrel, the back is strong, straight, and level except for a slight arch in the loin area. The legs are strong, of medium length and well boned, but not too short as to handicap for field work. The tail is docked. The coat is moderately long with straight or slightly curly hair. The coat color is a solid, rich liver (reddish brown) or dark chocolate allowing for a small, white spot on the chest.

This dog is recognized by AKC, UKC,CKC, NCR, APRI among many others.

Color

The Boykin Spaniel color is solid - rich liver, brown or dark chocolate. A small amount of white on chest or toes is permitted. No other white markings are allowed.

Coat

The Boykin Spaniel has both outer coat and under coat. The outer coat is moderately long with flat or slightly wavy or curly hair. The under coat is short and dense. Light feathering can be seen on ears, chest, legs and belly.

Personality

Friendly, loyal and obedient, the Boykin Spaniel is an excellent family pet besides being an outstanding hunter. Eager to please and willing to work, this dog is very trainable. With its calm and even temperament, the dog is very stable and trustworthy around children. It is very social and gets along well with other dogs without any problems. This high energy dog is happiest when entrusted with some work to do. It loves to get attention and praise. The dog is very adaptable to different environments. The dog enjoys water and swimming. It thrives on human companionship and loves to be with its master. The dog shows great eagerness and energy for the hunt yet controllable in the field.

Care

The coat should be brushed regularly specially when the dog is in the fields to avoid collection of fox-tails and briars. His coat may be trimmed to have a well groomed appearance and to enhance the dog's natural lines. It is legitimate to trim about the head, throat, ears, and feet to give a smart, functional appearance. The dog loves swimming but should be dried afterwards to avoid ear infection.

Training

Intelligent and willing to learn, this dog is very trainable. It will thrive on training sessions accompanied with praise and reward. This dog is not difficult to train due to its docile nature.

Activity

Being a working dog, it has high energy levels and need plenty of time to burn off excess energy. The dog will require physical activities to use up its energy levels and be happy and content. Exercise is a must and should be accompanied by plenty of playing time. This dog may not suit an apartment dwellers as it needs large open spaces to run and play freely.