Boykin Spaniel
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| Boykin Spaniel | |||||||||||||
 Boykin Spaniel |
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| Country of origin | United States | ||||||||||||
| Nicknames | Boykin | ||||||||||||
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The Boykin Spaniel is a medium sized breed of dog and a member of the Spaniel family. It is the state dog of South Carolina and its original purpose was to flush and retrieve game.
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Description
Appearance
Slightly larger than the English Cocker Spaniel (about 17 inches (33 cm) high and a weight over 30 pounds (14 kg)) with more feathering, its coat colour comes in liver or chocolate. Traditionally, its tail is docked at the age of three days, leaving 1/3 length.
| Height | Weight | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Minimum | 15 1/2 inces | 14 inches | 30 pounds | 25 pounds |
| Maximum | 18 inches | 16 1/2 inches | 40 pounds | 35 pounds |
Temperament
The personality is ever-bright, it easily substitutes ball retrieving for bird retrieving, and will swim with agility in any aquatic environment. It is excellent with children (better, some say, than its cousin Cocker Spaniel) and is an instinctive swimmer. They do require daily exercise and weekly grooming to keep the coat matting under control.
The breed is a definite working dog with ideal retriever instincts, enthusiasm, and endurance. They say that the Boykin is the dog that "doesn't rock the boat". Ideally, at around 35 pounds, the Boykin will not upset a canoe or smaller boat while hunting marsh and flooded timber. This is a southern-bred dog,so big water in colder climes like the Chesapeake Bay and north are not appropriate for this breed when used as a duck hunting dog unless the dog's coat is weather conditioned and has a neoprene jacket available. They make excellent upland hunters that naturally quarter and flush game within gun range.
Health
Several Boykin Spaniels are born with hip dysplasia each year. Puppies can be checked by a local veterinarian for this problem at the age of 2 years old by an Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) x-ray or as young as 4 months old by a PennHIP exam. All breeding stock should receive either a passing PennHIP evaluation or an OFA certification prior to being bred.
The breed is also known to have eye related problems. All breeding stock should have a current (yearly) certificate from CERF.
Other lesser known problems include cardiac (heart), patellar luxation, elbow dysplasia, under bite jaw, and skin problems.
The breed is recognized by CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) and individuals tested for hip, CERF and patellas as well as having permanent identification (micro-chip or tatto) will receive a CHIC number and certificate. However, obtaining a CHIC certification does not mean a dog has passed their evaluations; it is merely an indication that the owner checked for the health diseases in the Boykin Spaniel.
There are only a few OFA "excellent" Boykin spaniels.[citation needed]
History
The dog was originally found in 1911, outside the First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina after services, by Mr. Alexander L. White (1860-1942). Looking terribly bedraggled, he was named "Dumpy", but showed some aptitude for hunting, which the breed still does. So, He took the dog to his friend, Mr. Whit Boykin (1861-1932), which is where the name came from. Mr. Boykin bred the dog with a dog named Singo, a female dog found abandoned in a train depot. Later other hunters would breed their 'Boykins' to different gun dogs, including Springer spaniels, Cocker spaniels, pointers, Setters, Labs, Beagles, and American Water Spaniels to name a few.
65 years later, the Boykin Spaniel Society was formed. Their mission was to document the breed in a registry, to encourage breeding of purebred Boykins, and ultimately obtain national recognition in a recognized organization such as UKC and AKC. The BSS applied to the AKC for recognition in the early years of formation. The BSS was told that they did not have complete documentation for AKC recognition but to re-evaluate in the future. Several years later, the BSS again took their case to the AKC. Upon being told that they would turn the registration part of their business over to the AKC, the BSS could not determine what the AKC offered and determined that the BSS could provide to continue as a private individual company rather than joining the AKC as the Boykin Spaniel national parent club.
In the late 1990s, a small group of people who still desired AKC recognition,despite the financial loss formed the Boykin Spaniel Club and Breeders Association of America [1]. Shortly after their inception, the majority of the board of directors abruptly resigned over direction of the club. Although faced with opposition from members of the BSS, the resignation of the BOD, and a lawsuit over ownership of the breed instigated by the BSS, the Boykin Spaniel Club of America continued working for AKC recognition. The settlement of the lawsuit allowed the BSCBAA to move forward with AKC recognition.
In July 2005 the BSCBAA, was named the Official AKC Parent Club of the Boykin Spaniel. Although they remained an AKC FSS breed, the AKC felt the club had made progress to the point of allowing them to begin participating in AKC events. In January 2006, the breed was allowed to participate and earn titled in AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests. In July 2006, they became eligible to compete in AKC agility, obedience, rally and tracking. The BSCBBA held a National this year where 3 Boykins achieved a working certificate.
The AKC approved Boykin Spaniels for admission into the Miscellaneous Group on January 1, 2008. AKC expects breeds to move into full registration status in 2-5 years of entering Misc. They may not compete for AKC conformation championship points while the breed may participate for "Exhibition Only" during their stay in the Misc Group. Breeds are not eligible to pursue spaniel field trials until they have moved into full AKC recognition and the national parent club pursues that event.
The Boykin Spaniel Society holds two national field trials each year. In January, they hold an upland field trial and in April they hold the retriever national field trial.
External links
- Official registry for the Boykin Spaniel
- The Boykin Spaniel Club & Breeders Association of America
- Boykin Spaniel Rescue Inc.
- Spaniel Journal Provides comprehensive information and articles on training, hunting, field events and other topics of interest to flushing spaniel owners.
References
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