Overview
The Boykin Spaniel is a small liver-coloured gundog developed in South Carolina in the early twentieth century, light enough to ride in a small boat on the swampy Wateree River and keen enough to retrieve ducks and flush wild turkey. It has a wavy medium-length coat, amber or brown eyes and a tail that never seems to stop.
Boykins are friendly, people-focused and tireless. They are nearly unknown in the UK, but any walker who has handled a working Cocker will recognise the type: a dog that wants a job and makes one up if none is offered.
Exercise and walking needs
An adult needs around eighty minutes a day, and a good chunk of it should involve retrieving or swimming. They are not pavement dogs, and a lead walk on its own leaves them fidgety.
Give them a dummy, a ball or a water retrieve and twenty minutes does the work of an hour. Young dogs still growing should have fetch kept short and on soft ground.
On the walk
- Water: Assume the dog will swim. Check depth, currents and exit points, and carry a towel. Cold winter water does not put them off.
- Recall: Good for a gundog, especially if there is a retrieve on offer. Birds and strong scents can pull them off course.
- Pulling: Mild, more bounce than drag. A harness is kinder for a dog that leaps at every rustle.
- Other dogs: Friendly and playful. They suit active group walks with dogs that like a game.
Tips for professional walkers
- Bring a floating toy; a few retrieves in safe water make you the dog's favourite person.
- Dry the ears after swimming and look inside; floppy ears and water are a poor mix.
- Use routes with varied ground: hedgerows, long grass and ponds keep nose and body busy.
- Watch for hot days. The dark coat absorbs sun and the dog will not slow down on its own.
What to ask the owner
- Where can the dog swim, and are there any waters the owner wants it kept out of?
- Is the dog trained to a whistle or to gundog commands you should use?
- Any hip, eye or heart conditions the owner has been told about?