Anybody hunt over a Boykin Spaniel before??

kdm are you planning on using your dog for just upland or waterfowl or both? If both you really cant beat a lab.

If u just plan on hunting upland with your dog, then spaniels are a really good choice, and German short haired pointers are great upland dogs as well!!

gdtrfb Said:
English cocker spaniel.  Some of the top breeders in the US are right here in ND.

odocoileus Said:

kdm are you planning on using your dog for just upland or waterfowl or both? If both you really cant beat a lab.

 

Tim Sandstrom Said:
I still believe the English springer is the best all around dog especially when you want smaller dog and pretty family safe. Also a dog that can handle cold weather. They love water and waterfowl not a problem. Only issue is handling constant heavy waterfowl in cattails and constant goose retrieves. I hunt fields and do not use a dog. Only time I find it necessary for a dog is duck retrieves from water. Stringers love that! Better than retrieving a stick! Or also helpful on locating cripples.

My only dislike is they have energy and run requiring a motivated hunter. Although I have hunted over shorthairs that do not hold points and that is worse than a springer since pointers often work well in front of a hunter. Can't just lolly gag around with a pointer either. Simply put a trained dog is a trained dog and an untrained dog is an untrained dog.

I have only hunted over 2 springers and both of them felt they needed to "kill" the dead bird again.  I don't like dog marks on my game.  Is this a common trait for the breed?? 

kdm Said:

I have only hunted over 2 springers and both of them felt they needed to "kill" the dead bird again.  I don't like dog marks on my game.  Is this a common trait for the breed?? 

Well if it comes down to training, I will just have to smack the guy in the mirror.  I'm not knocking any breed in particular, but I'm interested in not only the "Good" in a breed, but the "Bad" and the "Ugly".  The last two pieces of information are the hardest to find.  Thanks again for your knowledge and willingness to share information.  I would like to contact breeders this fall and get a pup sometime in Jan-April so I can have a spring-summer to work with the dog.  Thanks again!!

Great visual there Pheasant54.  That one made me laugh!

gdtrfb Said:
Tim is correct. It all comes down to training.  Every hunting breed has dogs that are hardmouth.  Spingers with hard mouth are no more or less common than labs with hard mouths.

Horsager Said:
 

gdtrfb Said:
Tim is correct. It all comes down to training.  Every hunting breed has dogs that are hardmouth.  Spingers with hard mouth are no more or less common than labs with hard mouths.

Yep, my 11yr old English Cocker won't leave a mark on a bird unless he needs to hold them tight to keep them from getting away, like a winged rooster.  Also if they claw at him he'll "crunch" them a little bit.

My 6yr old Cocker is a bit harder on birds.  He's been the beta dog his whole life and I believe he does it to avoid having the bird taken from him by an alpha dog.  I notice that he's much nicer to birds when I hunt him alone vs. pairing him with the older dog.

My English Cocker:

Good:
1.  Superb family pet, loves kids and even listens to them.
2.  Super responsive to my input-great listener.
3.  Covers a lot of ground out hunting upland.
4.  Compact size to take with on trips and hang out in the house.
5.  Sheds some, but about 1/10 as bad as the lab we had prior.
6.  Retrieving instinct is super strong.  Out-retrieves my old lab.
7.  Really fun to watch the little rocket cover ground.
8.  Eager to please.
9.  The goofy little bugger makes me laugh every day.

Bad:
1.  Too small for large waterfowl like Canadas.
2.  Will fill up with burrs when hunting upland, unless you shave the living crap out of them.(Ears, Legs, Tail.)
3.  If you are not a super "love my pet" person, they can seem needy as far as attention goes.  (Mine isn't too needy, but I have seen some very needy ones)
4.  Late cold water high wind retrieves would be possible, but a lab would do better in that situation.  I recommend a neoprene vest with any spaniel as they get cold easier in water.
5.  Price for a good one.  If you are going to get one, might as well get a good one.  The breeding seems to be very important as we are talking about field bred english cockers.  There are also show english cockers and many variance in between.  You want a true field bred cocker with great muscle tone and drive.  For that expect to pay 800-1500.

Good Luck
 

Captain Ahab Said:

My English Cocker:

Good:
1.  Superb family pet, loves kids and even listens to them.
Mine doesnt like young young kids toddler type age I think it is the jeoulos streak he has.

2.  Super responsive to my input-great listener.
Agree

3.  Covers a lot of ground out hunting upland.
Amen

4.  Compact size to take with on trips and hang out in the house.
Agree

5.  Sheds some, but about 1/10 as bad as the lab we had prior.
Amen on that we get ours groomed about four times a year

6.  Retrieving instinct is super strong.  Out-retrieves my old lab.
Mine will not retrieive now that the lab is around he will find stuff and point it out for the lab and walk away

7.  Really fun to watch the little rocket cover ground.
Yes they can

8.  Eager to please.
I can see this

9.  The goofy little bugger makes me laugh every day.

Bad:
1.  Too small for large waterfowl like Canadas.
Goes without saying

2.  Will fill up with burrs when hunting upland, unless you shave the living crap out of them.(Ears, Legs, Tail.)
Surely can make a real mess

3.  If you are not a super "love my pet" person, they can seem needy as far as attention goes.  (Mine isn't too needy, but I have seen some very needy ones)
This alone makes me want to give him away, he is freaky weird any were I go he sits and stairs at me its almost uncomforable.

4.  Late cold water high wind retrieves would be possible, but a lab would do better in that situation.  I recommend a neoprene vest with any spaniel as they get cold easier in water.
5.  Price for a good one.  If you are going to get one, might as well get a good one.  The breeding seems to be very important as we are talking about field bred english cockers.  There are also show english cockers and many variance in between.  You want a true field bred cocker with great muscle tone and drive.  For that expect to pay 800-1500.

Good Luck