Boykin Spaniels

[goosebruce]

Ever been to the big show in SC? Dem guys are big time serious bout saving the boykin. It sucks that any hunting breed is almost breed out of exsistence. Just like I said, all those breeds where developed for a particular niche, and when the hunt is bred out of them, that niche is gone forever. And like I said, even if it aint something Id want, its still something I can appricate, and dont want it to go away.
Nuthing wrong with sticking up for yur doggie. Wish everyone loved their dogs so much, we'd have better hunting dogs (labs and 'off' breeds hehe) to show for it. travis

[featherduster]

Think I'll get a Standard Poodle just to be different. Seriously, the Brits and French bred and used these dogs for waterfowl hunting.

[goosebruce]

FD, dat aint different. Got a gal i train with sometimes dat just got a standard poodle. Her other dog is a belgun malawal (lookie like a lil marmaduke dog), so getting a poodle was almost getting a normal dog! Ought to see dat mal swim, looks like a big rat. travis

[NOHERE]

IF IT AIN'T A LAB...IT AIN'T A DUCK DAWG...PERIOD!!!!!

BACK-0VER-HERE-DROP-GOOOOOOD BOY!!!

[stonekold]

Sorry dude, but there has been a lab around me since the age of 3. That's 6 labs in 30 years. Not to mention friends' labs. What is under my feet tonight? A Boykin Spaniel! They fetch, listen, can be trained as well as a lab, plus they are small enough to stay in the house without getting in the way. I love labs, but lil BOBO is the best investment I've ever made in a dog. And the sob thinks he's a person. He believes he belongs in the house and is supposed to have his own room. All the intelligence of a lab, half the size, and a personality of a child. Can't be beat.

[goosebruce]

No here... dont be braggin on no dog you gotta BACK then a over....Sheez man. Ducks been so scarce, we gotta take turns with dogs, cause they both cant sleepin the pit box. You gotta use an over on a blind, we just call the dog in, and send the next one in line. One of dem mofo's gonna line it. BWHAHAHAHA. travis

[HARLEY]

GC I mainly run the akc trials out of Mid-South HRC. Didnt get to do much at all this year due to a hectic spring & summer work schedule. My old man however dont miss a beat qualifying his dog last two years in a row for master nationals!! Got my senior title year before last got to get serious before jumping on master. Out of curiosity what are you guys opinions on UKC trials? Not as hard in my opinion.

[h2o_dog]

2 questions:
I heard that the Boykin was bred in SC to turkey hunt. How does that work?

Is the Boykin Spanial a breed recognized by the AKC?

(I can't believe I stayed out of this thread so long)

[drspine]

Boykins is not a recognized breed by the akc.
If you like a boykin you need to look also at the american water spaniel. They are very hard working dogs and great with kids.

[stonekold]

H2O answer to qestion 1- They flush the flock and scatter them out. Then you start calling calling the turkeys back. That's the reason the tails are docked.
question 2- Not reconized by the AKC.But trials trials are sponsored with UKC. After what I heard about the AKC and some of their practices, Boykins would be destroyed by AKC breeders. Not to say all AKC breeders are bad, but there are some(like we have slob hunters).

[CSA Duckhunter]

I am from SC and a lot of fellas have Boykins but personally I like big block head labs. I have no use for little dogs. They just do not suit my needs. I have hunted with Boykins before and they seem to be okay. I always thought they were hiper and their wirey curly hair seem to be a maintenance problem in the marsh. By the way, somebody above mentioned consulting duckcentral for advise. I would strongly not recommend that. Those guys who post there on the SC forums are the biggest collective group of rubberheads you will ever meet. They give SC hunters a bad reputation. [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[goosebruce]

Welp, you asked an opened ended question on the UKC/ AKC gig. First off, no way is started or seasoned, the equivlent to jr, or sr. No way. You might see a easy master series, but you might see an easy finished test. So as far as a CH vrs a MH, yeah, the CH is easier to get. A lot of folks ran a lot of tests to get the 4 they need, those same dogs might not ever get through a master, with 3 series and 2 callbacks....
Seasoned has no concept, the rules wont allow it. SR has concept, and a good SR test is a good test. A bad senior test is simply dogs going to get stuff. Never figured out why water marks end up 30 foot up the bank either, but thats me, and my limited exposure to akc, might not be widespread. Master has more concpet than finished, and in general, you'll see more dogs do well on something 'concept' than on a finished test, but the big dogs make it look it easy either game. Just think you probably see more dogs NOT ready in finished, than master, perhaps because of the other levels. I don't like not shooting from the line, but having a gunner shot from the line. Either make me shoot, or let the wingers shoot, but don't make a dog look to see what that guy 10 foot to the left of the line is shooting at. Personally dont think the dogs care,and the guns in the field sure take some of the excitement out of it for the dogs, and let them mark a little better. And i dont like not being able to talk to my dog. I wouldnt hunt with anyone i wouldnt/couldnt talk to, my dog being no expection. Really a kick ass dog is a kick ass dog, and its weird here we dont have more crossover than we do. Lots of other places, most folks play both. Here, folks seem either hrc or akc oriented. Im a perfect example, ive only seen a handful of akc tests, but we hit 5 or 6 different hrc tests every spring and fall. I like the folks at hrc tests, they seem to be more like a big family, having a hoot. I didnt get that feeling at the akc hunts Id been too. People dont seem to mix between stakes, and they dont seem to be near as tight nit. Both programs got a lot to offer, and never meant anything else, simply comparing (I already got hammered once this thread for pointing sumthing out! ha). Im an hrc judge, officer in a club, hunt test chairman, and got a dog thats hrc bred, so Im biased a little! bwhaha. travis

[chance]

Travis has summed it up fairly well. My experience with AKC has shown me that AKC is not as strict with line manners and has no emphasis on gun safety. Handlers with play gun and judges do not watch what handler does with it.
Saw Lanier's dog creep 20 feet from line and still get carried. Would not happen in UKC. I would have to agree that AKC hunt tests are a bit tougher than UKC but we do not see many folks that crossover here in our neighborhood. Lotsa AKC handlers just don't like to shoot a shotgun.

[HARLEY]

I agree with you guys on almost all of your points. Seems that UKC tests are more of a "hunting dog" test with shorter marks, and lots more water. AKC sometimes seems a little more difficult with longer blinds, and more diversions. With the piont of Lanier's dog creeping and getting carried, that sounds a little unusual for a AKC test. Most of the bitching you here is that they are to strict and things they penalize for would not actually be detrimintal in a real hunting situation. The biggest problem I have with AKC is that it is becoming more of a trainers game with three or four major trainers running 7 or 8 dogs apiece!

[Delta Duck]

I hunted a Mr. Quinlin, he had a boykin, 4 hunters in the group. That dog marked and retrieved 4 limits of birds. Hunt only lasted about 1 hour. He said the dog was good on all feathered friends. I would have to say that pup was a treat to watch. Very smart dog.