THE BOYKIN SPANIEL
| The Boykin Spaniel was
first bred by South Carolina hunters during the 1900's to provide the ideal dog
for hunting ducks and wild turkeys in the Wateree River Swamp. Hunters on South
Carolina's Wateree River needed a small rugged dog compactly built for boat
travel and able to retrieve on land and water. learn more>> |
1988 SC Duck Stamp
by Jim Killen
by the SC
Migatoryflow/ Committe
The Boykin Spaniel Society
P. O. Box
2047
Camden, SC 29020
(803) 425-1032
Email
Us
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Boykin Spaniels: Frequently Asked Questions
Including Registries, Health, Temperament,
Hunting and hunt tests, Breeding, and Links to pertinent sites.
A.-
The Boykin Spaniel is an excellent choice as a pet, companion and hunting dog.
The Boykin wants to be part of the family and does best when allowed to spend
considerable time with the family. Love, affection and attention will not harm
the hunting instincts of the dog and in most cases allows the Boykin to form a
closer bond with the handler, master and family members. Remember that the
Boykin responds best to training that is fun and wants most to please you, his
master.
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A. - Yes. The
Boykin Spaniel Society needs your help to continue in its effort to improve the
breed and maintain the hunting instincts and abilities of the Boykin Spaniel.
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A. - The Boykin
Spaniel Society has not worked to have the breed recognized by the AKC and has
instead maintained its own registry of purebred Boykin Spaniels. The founding
members of the Boykin Spaniel Society and its leadership and membership have
seen no benefit that would be derived from any affiliation with the American
Kennel Club. The current leadership still agrees with this position and
continues to work to promote the Boykin Spaniel within the guidelines and
objectives as set forth in the Boykin Spaniel Society constitution.
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A. - The main
registry for Boykin Spaniels is the Boykin Spaniel Society (BSS). The The
United Kennel Club (UKC), and the Continental Kennel Club (CKC) also recognizes
this breed. When buying a purebred Boykin, make sure the pup is BSS registered.
The litter must be registered with the Society before 1 year of age. No dogs
can be registered after that time
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A. - Breeders of Boykin Spaniels will range from
large kennels to the individual owning only one dog. All however should have
the best interest of the breed at heart and be developing Boykins for the
betterment of the breed. Question the breeder as to why he or she wanted
puppies off of those particular parents and if you are not satisfied with the
response then continue your search! Get to know the breeder, ask about previous
litters and references. Follow your head, not your heart, since puppies are
hard to resist. For more information, please read Choosing a Boykin Spaniel
Breeder.
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A. - Boykin
puppies are like any other puppies. They are all extremely cute and cuddly and
make you want to take them home immediately. Resists this temptation and do
your research. Look for a puppy that will fit your lifestyle and meet your
requirements and needs. Check out as many litters as you can and get to know
the breeder that has pups for sale. Boykins have a lot of different
personalities and styles. Look into the background of the breeder and the dogs.
Ask questions of other breeders and seek referrals from them as to whom they
would go to for a puppy. TAKE YOUR TIME AND FIND THE BOYKIN PUP THAT IS RIGHT
FOR YOU! For more information, please read Choosing a Boykin Spaniel Breeder.
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A. The following
potential health issues are not unique to the Boykin Spaniel but are found in
many purebred dogs. These are listed to make you, the potential puppy owner,
aware of these problems so that you can make an informed decision before buying
a puppy.
Hip Dysplasia . It is important to have your Boykin
evaluated by the OFA/PennHip before you breed your dog and also equally
important that you consider acquiring puppies from OFA/PennHip breeding stock.
Eyes are another potential problem with cataracts being the most
commonly diagnosed malady. Once again, it is extremely important to have your
dog CERFed before breeding and every year thereafter as long as being used as
breeding stock, and to also consider purchasing puppies from eye CERFed
Boykins.
Skin allergies, *aggressiveness and certain structural faults
have also recently come to the attention of the BSS as being undesirable traits
that may be eliminated in time by conscientious breeding practices.
*Note: Some aggression is learned. If you socialize your puppy - let
him play with other dogs, children, meet people from all walks of life,
introduce him to different stimuli, he will be a better adjusted adult dog and
less likely to be aggressive. Sheltering your pup from all of the above can
make him more timid and more likely to bite out of fear.
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A.- Skin conditions are fairly prevalent in some
bloodlines of this breed. Changing your dog's diet or using medications
available from your veterinarian can sometimes alleviate skin problems but do
not usually totally eliminate them. The only thing that can be done to
eliminate these problems is to not breed dogs that have them.
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A. - As with any breed, some bloodlines are more
active than others. Before buying a pup, check out both the sire and dam, and
if possible, the grandparents to see what kind of temperament they have.
Chances are if the parents are mellow dogs the pups will be too.
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A.- Chewing is not a Boykin-specific trait. Most
dogs chew things up and usually your best pair of shoes rather than the old
loafers. Don't let your pup chew on any shoes instead of asking the dog to
learn which shoes are okay and which ones aren't! Give your dog safe chew toys.
Young pups can work on a rawhide bone without ingesting them but they are not
recommended for adults. One example of safe toys are Kong toys - they can be
stuffed with treats to keep the dog amused. Ask your veterinarian for other
examples. When you see the pup chewing something he's not supposed to, give him
one of his toys instead. When you can't supervise his activities, kennel or
crate him. As for biting you, one method is to gently grab his muzzle and say,
"No bite." Another is to yelp (loudly!) in pain when he bites. Never hit the
pup in the face.
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A. - First have
his/her hips x-rayed and sent off to either the OFA or PennHip to make sure
he/she does not have hip dysplasia. Second, have the eyes examined by a
certified ophthalmologist to make sure there aren't any inherited eye defects.
Provided the dog is free of hip dysplasia and eye defects, skin or temperament
problems, and no disqualifying structural faults, then you can proceed in
finding a mate. Information on testing hips and eyes before breeding your
Boykin Spaniel:
Canine Eye Registration Foundation: CERF
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals: OFA
PennHIP:
PennHIP
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A.- Some Boykins have dense double coats and can
withstand cold water. It is not recommended to work your Boykin in extreme
temperatures for extended lengths of time. Neoprene vests help but please use
discretion when hunting in frigid weather.
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A. - The Boykin Spaniel is first and foremost a
hunting dog. Here are some contacts:
BSS Annual Hunt Test - Boykin
Spaniel Society - The Boykin Spaniel Society sponsors two hunting tests
each year, in January (Upland) and April (BSS Nationals) in South Carolina. The
BSS Nationals in April tests Boykins in Puppy, Novice, Intermediate and Open
classes with a separate Roustabout flushing event and also a Natural Ability
test for the less experienced dog. The April National Hunt Test normally draws
in excess of 140 entries for this three day activity. The Upland is our newest
event and is well on the way to becoming a tradition with BSS members as it
allows us to put our dogs through an entirely different set of hunting senarios
than we experience in the non-slip retrieving event in April. The Upland tests
dogs in Novice, Intermediate and Open classes. Guidelines and Hunt test rules
for both the Upland and the Spring Nationals may be found elsewhere on these
WebPages.
CBSRC- Carolina Boykin Spaniel Retriever Club - The
Carolina Boykin Spaniel Retriever Club was formed in the early 1980’s to
hunt test Boykins in a similar format as that recognized by the Boykin Spaniel
Society. The CBSRC holds hunting tests every other month beginning in August of
each year. For more information on the CBSRC visit their WebPages at
www.boykinspaniel.net.
HRC - Hunting
Retriver Clubs, affiliated with The United Kennel Club
offers Boykin owners the opportunity to compete in licensed hunt tests in
numerous locations across the United States and Canada.
NAHRA -
The North
American Hunting Retriever Association (NAHRA) was created in 1983
as a not-for-profit organization to preserve the hunting instincts of our
retriever breeds.
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A. - Boykin
Spaniels are relatively easy to train if you will invest the time and effort.
These are great little dogs but their natural abilities will take them only so
far. You must make a commitment to invest your time if you want your dog to
develop to its full potential. Professional trainers are a great choice if you
have limited time or want to have a more polished dog for hunting or for hunt
testing.
The Boykin Spaniel Society Education Committee:
Pam Kadlec, chairperson - pam@boykinspaniel.com
Mark Fulmer - mark@sarahsetter.com
Millie Latimer - rockncreek@OBURG.NET
Cope
Livingston -mcl2428@aol.com
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