Texas Hunting Forum

Boykin Spaniel

Posted By: SingleShot85

Boykin Spaniel - 07/11/17 08:44 PM

anybody got info, pro's con's, puppies for sale...

kt
Posted By: nate33

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 05:08 PM

If you want a retriever you are better off with an English Cocker Spaniel,,, Boykins make very average retrievers and great pets.
Posted By: CCBIRDDOGMAN

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 05:28 PM

The ones I have been around are fantastic retrievers and worked very well with my Pointing dogs at retrieving quail. And as far as I know, neither had any kind of formal training, they just took them dove hunting as pups and they naturally do what they do.
Posted By: NorthTXbirdhunter

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 06:01 PM

Originally Posted By: nate33
If you want a retriever you are better off with an English Cocker Spaniel,,, Boykins make very average retrievers and great pets.


Totally disagree. I quail hunted with a guy back in February that had a Boykin and she fit in just fine with my dogs. It was whoa broke to tap. Never ran up a bird nor interfered with my dogs on point. But the best part was she found every downed bird we had shot and there were a bunch. I was skeptical in the beginning but she made a believer out of me.
Posted By: Buckshot54

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 06:13 PM

Buy a Cocker. You wont be disappointed
Posted By: triggerbowtx

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 06:41 PM

I've seen some pretty sweet boykins. And the people I know that own them...love them. That's all I know...
Posted By: houstonLBD

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 10:51 PM

Originally Posted By: nate33
If you want a retriever you are better off with an English Cocker Spaniel,,, Boykins make very average retrievers and great pets.


Dang, guess my Boykin is pretty average with her HRCH (Hunting Retriever Champion) title, 4 passes towards her Master Retriever title, and went through 2 series of the HRC Grand with no handles on marks. Yup. Average at best! But hey, what did I know. I was just training my first dog on my own. Pictured below at the Grand.


Posted By: bobcat1

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/12/17 11:35 PM

I like Cockers and own 2. I also like Boykins. I don't think you would go wrong with either. I would not sell either cocker I own. Last year was Buster's first year in the dove field. Never lost a bird and neither did any of the hunters in our group. Best dead bird dog I have ever owned in 47 years of hunting.

Buster is 2 years old now. Sits, Stays, looks where I direct him by hand Stops and sits when my hand goes up and waits for direction by hand signal. Very soft mouthed and retrieves to hand and gives upon on request.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Missy is almost 7 months old now. She sits stays and is in training to stop when my hand goes up and sits and waits for direction. She may be picking this all up faster than Buster did. Time will tell.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Both were pretty natural retrievers as puppies.

Missy:



Buster retrieving a dead dove:


Posted By: houstonLBD

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 12:30 AM

Originally Posted By: SingleShot85
anybody got info, pro's con's, puppies for sale...

kt


I'll be breeding my female in the fall. Puppies likely out to homes in the spring.
Posted By: Buckshot54

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 02:19 AM

I know that the first time I saw a english cocker on a tailgate I laughed......and then he went to work. I've never seen anything like the way these dogs work. I own some fine bred labs and they can heel and hunt and find dead birds but nothing like watching the little cockers work. I bought one and cannot wait til season starts up. I bet we don't lose many this year.

Nothing against the Boykins. They're fine dogs as well and I've seen some great ones on the east coast. But it'd be tough to beat the little cockers and the way they work and learn.
Posted By: houstonLBD

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 02:34 AM

The big advantage in my mind when it comes to a Boykin is size. You get a dog that can do the same work you need your lab to do when out duck hunting in Texas but in 50-70% less the weight of a lab. Boykins are also great Upland dogs and are very flashy in the field. Are cockers a machine working a field, absolutely. But Boykins are Spaniels, and know how to use that nose as well when working a field. Boykins are one of the best dual purpose dogs, it's what they were bred to be.
Posted By: Buckshot54

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 03:28 AM

I know that the first time I saw a english cocker on a tailgate I laughed......and then he went to work. I've never seen anything like the way these dogs work. I own some fine bred labs and they can heel and hunt and find dead birds but nothing like watching the little cockers work. I bought one and cannot wait til season starts up. I bet we don't lose many this year.

Nothing against the Boykins. They're fine dogs as well and I've seen some great ones on the east coast. But it'd be tough to beat the little cockers and the way they work and learn.
Posted By: shooterwalter

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 01:28 PM

My Boykin is fantastic. Hank was well trained when I got him. He makes my team look like old time pros. I can send him into a brair patch to flush and he is a machine and he retreives like no dog I have ever seen. He has even taken birds out of other dogs mouths.
Posted By: BradyBuck

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 03:20 PM

Originally Posted By: nate33
If you want a retriever you are better off with an English Cocker Spaniel,,, Boykins make very average retrievers and great pets.


I also disagree. The Boykins I've been around have the most retrieving desire of any dog besides a lab. My good friend's Boykin has retrieved literally a few thousand dove as a 6 year old. You couldn't ask for a better dove dog.

The proof is in the pudding as well. There are Boykins out there with a HRCH in front of their name. You can't train at that level with out a lot of retrieving desire. I'm not sure any cockers are out there running 100 yard blinds and 150 yard triples.

I'm speaking specifically to the comments about retrieving desire.
Posted By: huck18

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/13/17 08:35 PM

Originally Posted By: nate33
If you want a retriever you are better off with an English Cocker Spaniel,,, Boykins make very average retrievers and great pets.


This is totally false. You obviously don't have any experience with Boykins. Boykins are the only non retriever breed that has had success at the highest levels of retriever hunt test. Outside of a Lab, Chessie, Golden, the Boykin is you next best bet for a small retriever.
Posted By: RayB

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/14/17 02:05 PM

I've heard Boykins are pretty high strung and need to be worked every day to keep them out of trouble ie tearing up mom's flower bed.
True or not? How about the cockers?
Posted By: BradyBuck

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/14/17 04:43 PM

Originally Posted By: Barny Topwater
I've heard Boykins are pretty high strung and need to be worked every day to keep them out of trouble ie tearing up mom's flower bed.
True or not? How about the cockers?


Every breed can have those crazy ones but the Boykin I know has great house manners and goes to work with his owner almost everyday and lives in the house.
Posted By: huck18

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/14/17 05:57 PM

Originally Posted By: Barny Topwater
I've heard Boykins are pretty high strung and need to be worked every day to keep them out of trouble ie tearing up mom's flower bed.
True or not? How about the cockers?


I would say this is true, but that it's going to be true of any spaniel breed. That doesn't mean they cant be good house dogs they just need some attention and exercise. Labs are pretty hard to beat for house dogs they just shed a lot.
Posted By: bobcat1

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/14/17 06:39 PM

Originally Posted By: Barny Topwater
I've heard Boykins are pretty high strung and need to be worked every day to keep them out of trouble ie tearing up mom's flower bed.
True or not? How about the cockers?
Well in my cockers Buster is mellow until you say "You wanna get them birds" then he is on full tilt. Missy is still a puppy but is like lithium batteries, runs wide open until she stops and flops over asleep. She is becoming more mannerly. So like BradyBuck said you can get polar opposites in any breed.

This thread turned a little ugly. I think Boykins are fine dogs. Only reason I did not get one was they come in one color. I originally wanted light colored cockers. Well you see how that turned out.

SingleShot85 good luck in your search!
Posted By: coonie

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/14/17 08:27 PM

Just curious--how are boykins on shedding?
Posted By: huck18

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/17/17 02:20 PM

Originally Posted By: coonie
Just curious--how are boykins on shedding?


Low shed.
Posted By: JenvyBritts

Re: Boykin Spaniel - 07/18/17 03:52 PM

They're a single coated breed, they shed all year round but it won't be as much as a double coated breed like a lab. And obviously need regular brushing as they will mat behind the ears and in the feathering. But otherall easy grooming. If you're in Houston area, I have groomed many many boykins lol.
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