re: Boykin Spaniel

I just picked on up out of this breeding.
LINK

so excited. I have Leine (the sire's) brother. As with any other dog, breeding is key to getting what you want out of a dog.

I'd get a silver lab before a boykin if you're looking for a designer breed. Boykin's don't listen. If you get one, name in Scout please.

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Boykin's don't listen

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Hey, don't blame the dog for the behavior just because it's smarter than you....

Boykin's listen just fine, but they take a different (gentler) hand than training a lab.

I have an English lab, she gets her feelings hurt very easily.

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fishfighter
Gentler hand training is a under statement. One has to just about baby them thru a training cycle.

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all three of our are not like that - more like chessies

Hard headed? Had a chessie at one time. Great duck dog, but one hard headed bitch. She out worked a few black labs back in the day. One hunt it was so cold that we had to break ice in our ponds which was saltwater. Dropping a bird, she would fetch. Within a few mins, ice would form on her back. We had a black lab with us that couldn't handle that cold day and wouldn't work.

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all three of our are not like that - more like chessies

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My family has owned 3 boykins and a lab and I roomed with a guy that had a lab. With the exception of my buddy's yellow lab, they were all good dogs. His lab was just fine, but a bit aloof. I've always felt the Boykins were smarter. They also form really strong bonds with their owners. While that bond is one of their best characteristics, I think it's also why folks get in trouble with them. In my personal experience, and yours may vary, they almost take it personal if you get after them too much. I've had to lean on mine rather hard a time or two, and he "ditched" me for a day or two after that. On the other hand, that bond they form with their owners if you use that to your advantage, they'll do almost anything for you.

And they listen just fine. Particularly when you tell them to "Find 'em", "Hunt 'em up" or "Bust 'em"....

My wife says ours is one of the best dogs she's ever had. He's curled up to me "butt to butt", on the couch as I type this.

My female 5 year old Boykin is the best dog I’ve ever had. Extremely loyal, smart, funny, and an amazing duck dog. I trained her myself and i didn’t have the time needed to finish her the right way and she is still an incredible hunter. Don’t know what people are referencing when they say that Boykins don’t have the desire to compete and hunt like other breeds. My girl lives for it. As someone said you have to train them with a soft hand and a lot of love but they learn very quickly. She is also great with kids and as an added bonus is a pretty good guard dog. Will definitely get another one in the future.

Living in S Carolina I've had the opportunity to hunt over and be around a lot of Boykins. Personally, I love them. They are a little hyper and from time to time you get one that should be called a Destroykin instead of a Boykin, but overall they seem to be really good dogs.

It they weren't so damned expensive I would own one.

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I want a hard drive, hard hunter, meat dog.

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That right there would turn me off from the Boykin if this and ducks are most important. You can find smaller labs in the high 40 to 50 lb range that will out work most any Boykin. The Boykin is slightly more multi purpose and sheds less.
I’ve hunted and worked enough Boykins and Cockers to know that I wouldn’t rely on them to be my hard drive water dog. They just have a different style, but can get the job done.