History & Origin of the Boykin Spaniel & BSCBAA
The Introduction
Every purebred animal has evolved into the specific form best suited to perform its particular job. The Boykin Spaniel is no exception. The story of the Boykin Spaniel is the story of the need for a capable hunting dog that fit into a very small boat as well as into the lives of families.
The Boykin Spaniel Story
Sometime between 1900-1910, a small stray dog was found wandering in Spartanburg, South Carolina by Mr. A. L. White. He took the dog home as a pet, and it apparently displayed some hunting aptitude so he sent the dog by train to his good friend and hunter, Whit Boykin.
The Boykin developed into an outstanding waterfowl retriever and a superb turkey dog (hence - docked tail).
The Waterfowl Hunting Dog
Mr. L. Whitaker “Whit” Boykin of the Boykin community just outside Camden, South Carolina worked with the dog. With the training know-how of Mr. Boykin, this little stray soon developed into an awesome waterfowl retriever. Whit Boykin provided dogs to the vacationers to hunt the Wateree swamp areas using "section boats" - a small, narrow flat-bottomed boat. This small dog filled a roll long sought after; he was an excellent hunting dog in a size smaller than a retriever. Thus, the Boykin Spaniel became known as the dog that wouldn't "rock the boat".
The Turkey Hunting Dog
A Boykin Spaniel is unmistakable, if you know what you're looking for. He is a little brown dog with a spaniel's flop ears and a deep liver-brown coat, bleached to reddish fringes by the sun. Backwoods legends has it that the spaniel's brown coat was bred-in to provide the dog camouflage as he lay nervously on the floor listening to his master call a turkey in. It is important to remember this forerunner of Boykins developed into a superb turkey dog. Turkey hunting is part of the All-American heritage of the Boykin Spaniel and Boykin tails were originally docked for turkey hunting.
The All-Around Performance Dog
Today's Boykin Spaniel can be found doing all kinds of hunting and work. Upland hunting - they are great flushers, retrievers, and do great nose scent work. They can be taught to track deer, sheds and many others. Boykin Spaniels basically can get on the scent of anything: turtles, drugs and weapon scent work. They are used for numerous jobs. They also are great companions in the home, wonderful therapy dogs, rally, agility, fast-cat, dock diving, service dogs and much more.
The Linkage & Ancestry
The Boykin Spaniel genetic background is a diverse melting pot. Exact linkage of the earliest dogs to their breeding records has proved elusive, but thought and speculated to include: Springer Spaniel, American Water Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Pointers and English Field Spaniel. There also has been speculation that the original dogs were perhaps from the now-extinct spaniel breed or descendant of the English Water Spaniel, with the last specimen seen in the 1930s. English Water Spaniels were best known for use in hunting waterfowl and being able to dive as well as a duck. This trait also has been seen in Boykin Spaniels, diving for the duck or diving after anything in water.
The Mission for Recognition
The mission was to document the breed in a registry to encourage breeding of purebred Boykin Spaniels, and ultimately obtain national recognition in a recognized organization such as UKC and AKC. The Boykin Spaniel in 1985 became the Official State Dog for South Carolina. The Boykin registry applied to the AKC for recognition in the early years of formation but were unsuccessful and on further attempts to become recognized they decided to abandon the project. In the late 1990's, a group of people who still desired AKC recognition formed the Boykin Spaniel Club & Breeders Assoc. of America.
Although they remained an AKC FSS breed at that time, the AKC felt the BSCBAA had made progress to the point of allowing them to begin participating in AKC events. In January 2006, the breed was allowed to participate and earn titles in AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests. In July 2006, they became eligible to compete in AKC agility, obedience, rally and tracking. In January 2007, the BSCBAA was named the Official AKC Parent Club of the Boykin Spaniel. January 1, 2008 the Boykin Spaniel is eligible to compete in the Miscellaneous Classes at conformation show. December, 2009 the Boykin Spaniel became Recognized and eligible to compete in all eligible AKC Events.
In 2011, the Boykin Spaniel Breed was allowed to participate in AKC Retriever Hunt Test. The BSCBAA held there first AKC licensed event, a Spaniel Hunt Test, in March 2012 and has continued to hold Spaniel Hunt Tests each year.
The Recognition Continues & New Mission
Its first sanctioned match with conformation, obedience and rally were held in May 2012 with others following thereafter. In 2013, the club worked toward conformation, obedience, rally and other event licensing and hosted supported entry conformation shows. Annually the club supports numerous Judges Education and Meet the Breed events. In August, 2022, the club was approved by AKC as a licensed parent specialty club to host conformation shows. In 2023, we hosted our first AKC National Specialty Show and has held one every year, please see recent details of our latest Specialty. The BSCBAA continues the process of AKC sanctioning and work towards full membership.
We have accepted the responsibility of stewardship of the breed.
We have made a commitment to preserve the working and hunting instincts of the breed and the breed standard. We are responsible and are focused on educating breeders, judges and the public of the breed history, function and health and genetic issues.
Our motto is:
“dedicated to all the things you do with your Boykin Spaniel”.
The legacy of the Boykin Spaniel Continues.