Boykin Spaniel

Temperament:

Intelligent, Sporty, Friendly
Size: Medium
Height: 36-46 cm
Weight: 11-18 kg
Lifespan: 13-16 years
Coat: Medium Hair
Colors: Brown tones

This handsome spaniel has it all. On the one hand, he is a passionate hunter - on land and on water. On the other hand, Boykins are also ideal family dogs. They are very friendly and also open-minded towards children. In any case, these intelligent bundles of energy need daily physical and mental exercise.

Boykin Spaniel
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Characteristics

The Boykin Spaniel is particularly valued for its pronounced intelligence and eagerness to work. It is considered to be very docile. With loving consistency, training this intelligent breed quickly leads to success.

This clever dog is well suited as a companion and hunting dog. It has the necessary independence to fulfill its tasks. As a hunting dog, the Boykin can be used for water hunting as well as hunting on land. The friendly spaniel is happy to retrieve the prey.

But this breed also makes a happy family dog. His friendly and sociable nature makes it easy for him to fit into everyday life with children. It is very adaptable. The Boykin Spaniel can be kept both in the countryside and in the city. Daily, long walks in the countryside are important.

In general, this breed is very friendly. This sociable dog is open-minded towards strangers and people. They enjoy social interaction. If this sporty rascal gets enough exercise and work for his head, he also likes to snuggle up on the sofa in the evening and enjoy the company.

Females of this medium-sized breed reach a shoulder height of around 36-42 cm and weigh 11-16 kg. The slightly larger males reach a shoulder height of 40-46 cm and weigh 13.5-18 kg.

The medium-length coat of the Boykin is wavy. This beautiful dog comes in various strong shades of brown. White markings on the chest are permitted.

The ears hang on the side of the head and are also wavy. The coat is slightly longer on the legs, belly and chest. Its coat consists of a short, dense undercoat and medium-length outer coat. This protects it well from cold water and rough weather. As a passionate swimmer, this four-legged friend has a hidden special feature. The Boykin Spaniel has webbed feet between its toes. This advantage is particularly useful when hunting in the water.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

This dog's diet is relatively simple. It has no special requirements.

Like every dog, the Boykin Spaniel should always be given high-quality food. Therefore, when choosing food, make sure it contains high-quality and balanced ingredients. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the amount of food.

Your docile four-legged friend will gratefully accept tasty morsels as a reward during training. These should be deducted from the main food.

Health & Care

The medium-length coat should be brushed about twice a week. This removes coarse dirt that has stuck to the dog during walks. Loose hair is also removed in this way.

Although the Boykin Spaniel romps around in nature a lot and picks up a lot of dirt in the process, it should not be bathed too often. This would destroy the natural protection of his skin. However, you can wash him every few weeks with a suitable dog shampoo. This will also remove fine dirt and stop your sweet dog smelling of lakes and rivers.

The hanging ears should also be checked regularly. Otherwise infections can quickly develop there. The fur on the inside of the ears provides an ideal breeding ground for unwanted pathogens, especially in damp conditions. Special ear cleaners for dogs are available as a preventative measure.

As with all other dog breeds, the Boykin Spaniel's nails need to be cared for. If the claws are too long, this can lead to problems and even pain when walking. This can be prevented by trimming the claws when necessary.

Also check your dog's teeth regularly and brush them every few days with a suitable dog toothpaste. Chew toys and chews can also help from time to time.

Suitable accessories

Of course, this handsome companion also needs some accessories. In addition to the obvious things such as a food bowl, lead and bed, you need a special ear cleaner for dogs to care for a Boykin.

If you want to trim your dog's claws yourself, you will need claw clippers. For dental care, you will need dog toothpaste and a dog toothbrush or special finger cots for brushing teeth.

You can find all these things in a pet store or, of course, online.

Various brushes are required for grooming. For the short, dense undercoat you need a comb and a curry comb. This can be used to loosen knots and comb out dead hair. The slightly longer top coat is combed with a brush. Dead hair is also removed in this way. This reduces the amount of loose hair in the home and the dog has to scratch less - dead fur can be very itchy!

The energetic four-legged friend needs plenty to do every day. Various toys such as balls or fetch toys can help with this. Although these are no substitute for long walks, they provide additional fun for dogs and humans.

Brain games also delight the intelligent Boykin Spaniel. They serve to keep him mentally busy. There are some great ready-made brain games available to buy, but you can also easily make your own that your sweet furry friend will love to try out.

Boykin Spaniel Face

Origin & History

This versatile breed only came into being at the beginning of the 20th century. The foundation stone was laid by a former stray named "Dumpy" from South Carolina, USA. He was found behind the local church by hunter Alexander White and taken home. Dumpy proved to be an ideal companion for hunting ducks and turkeys. He was also smaller and lighter than the other hunting dogs in the area. This meant that the brown four-legged friend could easily travel on the hunters' boats.

The Boykin Spaniel owes its name to Lemuel Whitaker Boykin. Dumpy was given to him for training by his friend White. He began to cross Dumpy with existing breeds that were used for hunting. These included the Cocker Spaniel, the English Springer Spaniel, the American Water Spaniel and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever.

The beautiful brown Boykin Spaniel emerged from this breed. For a long time, it was only known to hunters in South Carolina. The breed is also an official state dog there. But over time, the four-legged friend gained more and more fans. It has been recognized by the American Kennel Club since 2009. However, the FCI still does not accept the spaniel as an independent breed.