Boykin Spaniels….cute as a button!!
Everyone loves a Cocker Spaniel, but the Spaniel above is a special kind of dog known as the Boykin Spaniel. These dogs were bred to be hunting dogs and those who own Boykin Spaniels say that these animals are extremely unique in terms of personality and ability. The Boykin Spaniel has a very acute sense of smell which has endeared this dog to true hunters. These dogs are extremely active and should be walked at least once a day if not more. If bored, this dog can get destructive, so consistent exercise is needed to keep the dog happy and energized.
The Boykin spaniel grows larger than a regular Cocker Spaniel and the eyes are located higher on the Boykin than on a regular Cocker. The dog was bred to have a brown coat so that when hunting, the dog will be camouflaged while waiting on the ground.
There are some facts unique to the Boykin Spaniels. First of all, the dog is primarily bred in South Carolina and it is also the state dog of South Carolina. In 1911, a man by the name of Alexander White found a dog outside a church. The dog was pretty ragged looking. White showed the dog to his hunting partner, Whit Boykin. Boykin was impressed with the dog now known as “Dumpy”, especially when he learned that the dog showed some very strong hunting qualities. Boykin bred Dumpy with another dog and that was the beginning of the line of Boykin Spaniels.
These are not large dogs, growing to only about 30 pounds. They have a life expectancy of 12-14 years and usually have litters of about 5-7 puppies at a time. The Boykin Society was established in 1977 and the mission of the organization is to promote this breed as one specific and unique and to have it judged accordingly. It is also hoped as a result of this society that all Boykin Spaniels will become registered, thereby developing what is known as the Boykin Registry. For more about the Boykin Spaniel Society, click here.
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April 9th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Thanks for the link, Susan!
November 24th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
This dog is very cute
June 29th, 2009 at 12:46 am
That’s definitely not a Boykin… it’s the wrong color completely and its muzzle is too short.