Boykin Spaniel

[6pt-sika]

I suspect most of our friends across the pond have never heard of the little brown Boykin Spaniel . It's a breed that evolved in South Carolina of the US of A back around 1900-1910 or so . It's roots can loosely be traced to several breeds including the Chesaepeke Bay retriever , Red/Irish Setter , American Water Spaniel and a few others that evade my memory at the moment . I've known this breed for over 40 years as my aunts father in law was a breeder and field trailer of Boykins back in the 80's . Anyway I was able to acquire my first Boykin almost a year ago from a semi local breeder . She is a very loving breed with a nose that so far seems to be exemplary . Initially they were derived for retrieving ducks and dove . Later they were realized to be excellent turkey dogs for busting the flocks up in the fall and then the hunter can call the birds back in and kill one or two . Later a lot of folks used them as flushing dogs for pheasents and that type thing . The gentleman I got my pup from also told me he used several of his for tracking wounded whitetails . So there you have it !

 

[6pt-sika]

Surprisingly my six year old Border Terrier bitch and my Boykin bitch tolerate each other very well !

 

[Southern]

The Boykin Spaniel is one of the best all around hunting breeds I have ever had the pleasure of being around. As 6pt-sika says, they are a Swiss Army Knife dog. They are the size of a Coker, but with the temperment of Golden Retriever. They will work cover and flush like an English Spaniel, retrieve like a Labrador, and track a wounded deer, or play all day with children.

They have good eyesight, and are great in a dove field, where they always seem to know which bird their master shot, and which ones belong to someone else. They have almost webbed feet, and can swim like a turtle, and are great retrievers from a small pram, when shooting wood ducks in flooded timber, as they won't capsize your boat as they dive in the drink.

I don't know why I have never owned one, as I grew up shooting doves over harvested corn in Fort Motte, South Carolina, not far from the Boykin Plantation, where these dogs were created. My grandfather had been overseer on the 24,000 acre Wenges Plantation, before buying his own farm. I suppose we always had large English Shepherd herding dogs for cattle, and English Setters and pointers for quail, Goldens for duck and geese.

 

[Jelly]

What a beautiful looking breed. I'll have to do some further research into them