Boykin spaniel dog, puppies, breed, health care and training

Boykin Spaniels are a medium sized breed belonging to the spaniel family.



The Boykin Spaniel is the state dog of South Carolina and was bred especially to hunt wild turkeys in the swampy areas of the state.

Though slightly larger than the Cocker Spaniel, it looks a lot like its English cousin. However, the fur on its legs and belly is much more abundant than the Cocker Spaniel.



Its tail is docked to leave on a third of its original length.

The color of the coat is always in different shades of brown—primarily liver colored or chocolate colored. Boykin spaniel puppies that have a white marking on the chest, spanning sixty percent of the chest, are disqualified from the Boykin Spaniel Society.

Since it was bred for hunting, the dog is known as a versatile hunter. It is both an upland hunter and a retriever. Though a versatile hunter, the dog is definitely not a pointer. Their stamina is quite good and they can sustain hot weather because of which they are used for hunting doves and pheasants. They are also often used to track deer that have been wounded.

Boykin spaniels were bred for the want of hunting dogs small enough to fit in a boat or a canoe. The breed descends from the larger hunting dogs which were bred to be gun dogs. A lot of experimental crossbreeding went into the final success and the birth of the first Boykin Spaniel. Since then they have been traveling with their masters on small canoes. Commonly known as the ‘dog that doesn't rock the boat', the Boykin Spaniel makes several journeys across the swamps in search of good game.

Though its descent is not well documented, it is believed that the dog has descended from the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, and the American Water Spaniel. The breed though developed exclusively in the South Carolina region, quickly came into notice and was therefore taken to other parts of the country.

Though Boykin Spaniels are generally healthy, they may have a 37% chance of having a congenital disease known as hip dysplasia.

This is a friendly dog which is extremely social and enjoys a family environment very much. Boykin Spaniel training is relatively simple as the dog is extremely intelligent and obedient. They are extremely energetic and have a great endurance. If they are given opportunities to socialize right from when they are puppies, they become extremely adaptable too.