Boykin Spaniel

The Boykin Spaniel is a rich-brown American flushing and retrieving spaniel, developed in the swamps of South Carolina — the state's official dog.

History

It was bred in the early twentieth century around South Carolina to flush and retrieve wild turkey and waterfowl from small boats and dense wetland, a compact dog for close, boggy country. Its solid liver coat and keen water sense come from that work.

Temperament

The breed is known for being friendly, eager and energetic — an affectionate family dog with a strong desire to please and to work. It is sociable and thrives on activity.

Care and training

It needs plenty of exercise, especially retrieving and swimming, and takes readily to reward-based training. The medium coat needs regular brushing, and the drop ears need checking.

Health

Known tendencies include hip dysplasia, ear infections, eye conditions and, in some lines, exercise-induced collapse. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.