Hello! I just found this group in my search to learn more about a breed I am
considering as the newest addition to our family. Is anyone here familiar
with the Boykin Spaniel? I have found info on many websites and gotten the
history of the dog (origin in South Carolina), the size, the coat, etc. It
seems to be a good dog with kids, loyal to the owner, good energy, low
maintenance coat, loves the water, etc. However, pretty much everything I
have read emphasizes the hunting abilties of this dog. I am not a hunter,
no one in my family is. That is the one thing I am questioning about this
breed. I wonder if the dog will not be happy if we do not raise it to be a
hunting dog? I have emailed a Boykin breeder in SC to ask this very
question but have gotten no response.

Amy

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 09:52:31 -0400, "amiebobamie"
, wrote:

I am not a hunter,
no one in my family is. That is the one thing I am questioning about this
breed. I wonder if the dog will not be happy if we do not raise it to be a
hunting dog? I have emailed a Boykin breeder in SC to ask this very
question but have gotten no response.

I've had 2 in classes. Lovely little dogs. Neither family does
anything remotely like hunting.

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

Thank you for your response. I also just heard back from the Boykin
breeder. She says the breed is just fine if not raised as a hunter although
she does not sell very many that are NOT intended to be hunting dogs. From
your experience, how would you rate the Boykin as far as intelligence? Easy
to train? Thanks.

Amy

"Janet B" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 09:52:31 -0400, "amiebobamie"
, wrote:

I am not a hunter,
no one in my family is. That is the one thing I am questioning about this
breed. I wonder if the dog will not be happy if we do not raise it to be
a
hunting dog? I have emailed a Boykin breeder in SC to ask this very
question but have gotten no response.

I've had 2 in classes. Lovely little dogs. Neither family does
anything remotely like hunting.

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 12:36:16 -0400, "amiebobamie"
, wrote:

From
your experience, how would you rate the Boykin as far as intelligence? Easy
to train? Thanks.

Amy

smart, but a bit on the stubborn side.


--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

"amiebobamie" wrote:


Is anyone here familiar
with the Boykin Spaniel?

Yep. When I was in my teens , I used to babysit for a member of the Boykin
family, and she and her husband had two of them. They hunted, btw.
I've met a few more over the years; currently, there are a couple of them
that come to the park where I exercise my dogs. Oh, and like Janet, I live
near Baltimore, Maryland; we're probably talking about related dogs, if not
the same dogs.


However, pretty much everything I
have read emphasizes the hunting abilties of this dog.

That's because they're they're still almost entirely bred for hunting, and
AFAIK still aren't well-known outside of upper-class Southern hunting
circles. In fact, at the time I first met/heard of them (late 70's) they
weren't "recognized" by any of the kennel clubs.

I wonder if the dog will not be happy if we do not raise it to be a
hunting dog?

There are a lot of different types of "hunting dogs". Having a spaniel or
a retriever is an entirely different thing from having a terrier or a hound.
Spaniels are gun-dogs - flushers and retrievers, who point out the birds,
then find and bring them back after they've been shot - not independent
hunters who track and kill.
The couple I worked for hunted grouse, pheasant, and quail with their
Boykins, IIRC.

The Boykins I've known have all been very sweet-natured, gentle and
affectionate, with relatively high energy but not over the top, and
mid-level intelligence. (Point of note: REALLY intelligent dogs are harder,
not easier, to train and live with. G)

Hi Amy,
A Boykin Spaniel is a wonderful, active pet. Unfortunately, there are
"hunter only" breeders who will not sell their puppies to non-hunting
families. They are often adamantly against obedience, agility and
tracking trials too.
The Boykin Spaniel just had a milestone reached. The AKC named the
Boykin Spaniel Club of America as the parent club. Soon, possibly
August 2005, there might be AKC Board action on admitting the breed
into either the Misc. group or allowing them to compete in hunt
tests/trials as well as AKC Companion Dog Events while remaining in the
AKC FSS.
The BSCBAA's website is at www.BoykinSpanielClub.org
Their club members are much more open-minded than some other breeders.
My website is under construction, it's www.BoykinSpaniel.us
There is also a Yahoo! Group for all Boykin Spaniel owners who do more
than only hunting (don't get me wrong, hunting and hunting insticts are
encouraged too!). http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BoykinSpaniel/ is that
list's address.
Sincerely,
Christine Prince

The AKC recognition of the Boykin Spaniel could be the downfall of the
breed, if we are not careful. The AKC's track record with hunting
breeds of smaller gene pools speaks for itself.

wrote:

The AKC recognition of the Boykin Spaniel could be the downfall of the
breed, if we are not careful. The AKC's track record with hunting
breeds of smaller gene pools speaks for itself.


Really? Behold the Brittany; not a huge gene pool, almost all of the
dogs retain their hunting ability and many are both hunted and shown.

Other dogs with small gene pools which have done relatively well are the
Sussex and the various foxhounds--Harrier, American, English. The AKC
has in no way "ruined" any of those dogs.

The future of the Boykin breed is in the hands of its breeders. Having
AKC recognition should not suddenly make people less ethical than they
are. Either they are ethical breeders or they are not. And frankly,
given the amount of hip dysplasia in the breed, I think you've got a lot
more to be worrying about than AKC status. Ranked 9th, with over 39%
dysplastic--ouch. Of course Clumbers and Sussex outrank you at 8th and
7th respectively, and you ARE testing more dogs than they are. So
hopefully that will improve with time.

Good luck and I'll hope to see a Boykin in the agility rings near me!

Robin Nuttall wrote:
The future of the Boykin breed is in the hands of its breeders. Having
AKC recognition should not suddenly make people less ethical than they
are. Either they are ethical breeders or they are not. And frankly,
given the amount of hip dysplasia in the breed, I think you've got a lot
more to be worrying about than AKC status. Ranked 9th, with over 39%
dysplastic--ouch. Of course Clumbers and Sussex outrank you at 8th and
7th respectively, and you ARE testing more dogs than they are. So
hopefully that will improve with time.

Good luck and I'll hope to see a Boykin in the agility rings near me!

Very true Robin!

I'd also like to add that the numbers of Boykin Spaniels currently
being registered with registries other than AKC (BSS, UKC, CKC) are
around 1,000 individuals per year and that number is steadily climbing.
Within their own registry they are becoming very populous. AKC
nay-sayers keep warning of the popularity AKC will bring, although they
seem oblivious to the numbers that they themselves are producing.

It is about breeders keeping the breed on the right path in health,
size, temperament, abilities and appearance. Standing on the sidelines
and complaining about AKC will do nothing but spend negative energy.
Stepping in and getting involved to promote the "correct" breed
standard within AKC will create positive energy for the breed's
future.

Gearing up for AKC rally, ob, tracking & agility!

Sincerely,
Christine Prince

"Chris" said in
rec.pets.dogs.breeds:

I'd also like to add that the numbers of Boykin Spaniels
currently being registered with registries other than AKC
(BSS, UKC, CKC) are around 1,000 individuals per year and
that number is steadily climbing.

The CKC doesn't recognise the Boykin Spaniel, saying that it's
the same breed as the American Water Spaniel.

Not having met any Boykins in real life, but a dozen or so Am
Water Spaniels, are there big differences?

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.