Boy, Can This Boykin Hunt!

(This post first appeared on December 11, 2009. Updates including today's appear below in chronological order.)

The Boykin Spaniels were simply tearing it up when I watched them running Master Hunt Tests several years ago. And though the dogs clearly had a lot of hunt bred into them, they also hunted agreeably and merrily for their guns. I suspect that the hagiographic yarns spun by the breed’s cheerleaders have a whole bunch of truth in them.

Every Boykin I’ve seen looks like a cross between an American Water Spaniel and an English Cocker, and from what I gather, has desirable characteristics of each. That’s a lot of prime dog in a 35 pound package.

The Boykin Spaniel

I might give Boykins a closer look the next time I'm in the puppy market. Whatever the next pup's breed, I’ll resort to an old trick for sneaking it in the door. When we visit the litter I'm sold on, I'll get the breeder to wander off and talk turkey with me for 5 minutes. By the time we get back, the right pup will have found my wife.

Sneaky Trick: Letting My Wife Approve The Purchase

David DiBenedetto came upon this stratagem on his own and has been happy ever since. You can read about his Boykin bitch “Pritchard” in Garden and Gun and Field & Stream.

For even more on this pleasant flushing spaniel (pheasant flushing is a value-added bonus), visit the Boykin Spaniel Society.

May 9, 2010

Here's more on the Boykin Spaniel from Jim Spencer in a recent Gun Dog magazine.

March 26, 2013

Apparently they’re terrific turtle dogs as well.