The Boykin Spaniel is a medium-sized breed of dog, a Spaniel bred for hunting wild turkeys in the Wateree River Swamp of South Carolina, in the United States. It is the state dog of South Carolina.

Appearance

The Boykin Spaniel is slightly larger than the English Cocker Spaniel, with more feathering (long fur on legs and belly.) Traditionally, its tail is docked at the age of three days, leaving 1/3 length.

The coat colour comes in liver or chocolate (shades of brown.) White markings other than a mark on the chest, or a white mark on the chest that is more than 60% of the width of the chest, disqualify puppies from being registered with the Boykin Spaniel Society, although the American Kennel Club standard does not allow denial of registration for conformation reasons.

Height at the withers for males ranges from 15.5 - 18 ins (39.4 - 45.7 cm) and weight 30 - 40 lbs (13.6 - 18.2 kg). Females are smaller, 12.5 - 16 ins (35.6 - 40.6 cm) and 25 - 35 lbs (11.4 - 15.9 kg).

Hunting use

The Boykin Spaniel is a versatile hunter, working as a retriever and upland hunter, flushing birds into flight. Pointing is not in character with the Boykin’s hunting style. Their stamina in hot weather and eagerness make them good for dove hunts, but also for pheasant and other upland game. They can be used in driving deer or in tracking wounded game. Their small size makes them easy to carry in a canoe or other small boat, and they are described as "the dog that doesn't rock the boat."

History

The breed of Boykin Spaniel descends from hunting dogs bred in the early 20th century as a gun dog in South Carolina, U.S.A. The dogs had to be small enough to ride in the small boats used by hunters in the swamps. L. Whitaker Boykin (1861–1932) experimented with crossbreeding different breeds, and the resulting dog is named after him. Legend has it that the dog Boykin started his breeding program with was a dog of unknown heritage named "Dumpy", found on the street by a friend of Boykin's. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and the American Water Spaniel may have been used in the development of the breed. The area in which the breed developed, around Camden, South Carolina, was a resort area, and the breed was noticed by visitors and so spread around the United States.

The Boykin Spaniel Society was formed in 1977 and began maintaining a stud book (record of all dogs of the breed) in 1979. The BSS studbook has been "closed" since 1982, meaning that only dogs from BSS registered parents may be registered with the BSS. The Boykin Spaniel Society discontinued its pursuit of American Kennel Club (AKC) registration in the late 1980s after repeated attempts to become recognised by the AKC.

The Boykin Spaniel was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1985. UKC does not close its studbooks so dogs from the BSS or the AKC may be registered into the UKC studbook at any time.

In the 1990s a group of fanciers formed the Boykin Spaniel Club And Breeders Association of America in order to achieve AKC recognition of the breed and to gain access to the AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests and AKC Spaniel Field Trials held throughout the nation. The BSCBAA was the first Boykin Spaniel organization to form and maintain a "Code of Ethics". In 2007 the Boykin Spaniel Club And Breeders Association of America was recognized by the AKC as the parent club for the breed,.

In 1997 the breed entered the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service recording/registration program. In January 2006 the breed became eligible to compete in AKC Spaniel Hunt tests for official AKC titles. July 2006 the Boykin Spaniel was eligible to earn AKC titles in AKC agility, tracking, rally obedience and regular obedience. January 1, 2008 the Boykin Spaniel became part of the American Kennel Club's Miscellaneous Group.. In the April 2009 board meeting, the AKC voted to move the Boykin Spaniel into the Sporting Group. The AKC is also simultaneously voting to split the Sporting group into 2 smaller groups: Pointer & Setters and Spaniels & Retrievers. If these changes are approved the Boykin will eventually be classified in the newly formed Spaniels & Retrievers Group.

The American Kennel Club studbook for the Boykin Spaniel is currently open. It is proposed to remain open until January 2015.[201046] During this time period all UKC and BSS registered dogs may be dual or triple registered to include the AKC registration. Even after the studbook is closed, the AKC parent club can request that it be re-opened to allow more dogs to be registered at any time to expand the gene pool.

At the same time, the Boykin Spaniel Society continued to pursue its vision of the breed. In a position statement, the Boykin Spaniel Society board of directors states that use of other registries by their members may foster breeding standards that "are inconsistent with the principles and objectives of the BSS", although members are not prohibited from dual-registering their dogs. The Boykin Spaniel Society has a Code of Ethics for breeders, and sponsors field trial events and breed rescue.

The Boykin Spaniel Society has also come under fire for their practices and not taking a lead in Boykin related issues. In the 1980's they held conformation show classes at their National and in 2008 they resumed this practice. Members pressured the BSS into forming the Code of Ethics only after the AKC parent club instituted the practice. Portions of their Code of Ethics are directly plagerized from the AKC Policies & Procedures manual. The BSS Field Trial was only formed after members complained about the lack of events to participate in the face of the breed's ability to earn AKC titles in 2006. The one weekend per year BSS Field Trial is patterned after the AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests and not as challenging as comparable field trial events held by AKC and oteher organizations. All BSS events are held in South Carolina making the accessability difficult for people who do not live in the area. The BSS only formed their own "limited" registration practice in response to the UKC & AKC's programs. The BSS continues to work with the UKC despite member's objections to the UKC Weight Pull program.

In addition to the Boykin Spaniel Society, the United Kennel Club, and the Boykin Spaniel Club And Breeders Association of America/AKC registries, the attractive and good natured Boykin Spaniel is also recognized by number of minor kennel clubs and other clubs and dog registry businesses, and promoted as a rare breed pet.

Health

Boykin Spaniels have a 37% chance of being born with hip dysplasia, according to 2006 statistics. 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 BSS and BSCBAA Code of Ethics for member breeders mandates that dogs to be bred should be tested for hips, hereditary eye disease, and heart/cardiac, as well as for other diseases that may have a genetic component such as allergies, elbow dysplasia, and patella luxation. The join venture of the AKC and OFA is called the CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) database. For a CHIC number the dogs must have an annual CERF test for eyes, an OFA test for patellar luxation, and a test for hip dysplasia. Owners must agree to publicly publish the results in the OFA or CERF databases. Optional tests are a heart test and an elbow dysplasia test. 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. Testing and conscientious breeding can reduce the incidence of these problems, and puppy buyers should request results of these tests.

The Boykin Spaniel Foundation (BSF), a 501(c)(3) entity and wholly owned subsidiary of the Boykin Spaniel Society, sponsors eye and heart clinics at its National Upland Field Trial and National Field Trial in January and March of each year. The clinics are provided at no charge to BSS members, with a limit of one Boykin Spaniel per family. The BSF also has a program that provides a one time reimbursement of $75 to its members (membership must be current) to defray the cost of radiographs and subsequent evaluation by the OFA. The BSS notifies the member when his or her dog reaches eligibility age (24 months) and encourages participation in the program with the long term goal of improving genetics within the breed. The program has been funded since 2006 but is subject to cancellation each year at the recommendation of the BSF. The BSF feels that this reimbursement program is making a difference.

Temperament

The Boykin Spaniel is a friendly, social dog that does best in an family environment with lots of outdoor activity. It is easily trained and eager to work. It is extremely stable around children and other dogs. They can sometimes be described as energetic with great endurance that lasts throughout the day. They are extremely adaptable to different environments as long as they are giving ample opportunity for social interaction and plenty of time to burn off excess energy. This dog is very good with children, and with other dogs. They are not easily angered and tend to be eager to please and friendly. Boykins tend to be eager to please and love their owners, but do love attention. Boykins have great energy reserves and will always outlast you in any activity you choose.

Care

As with all dogs, the Boykin Spaniels require daily exercise and regular grooming. Clipping the coat regularly is recommended especially if the dog is in the field, as the soft coat collects foxtails and briars. Spraying the dog with cooking spray is also recommended to help defend against tangles in the long fur.

References

External links

• Official registry for the Boykin Spaniel
• The Boykin Spaniel Club & Breeders Association of America
• Boykin Spaniel Rescue Inc.