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Anyone care to share some comments on pro's and con's of a boykin spaniel vs. a lab in the duck blind. I grew up with Boykins but have never duck hunted with them. I've come to the point now of trying to decide whether to own another one or go the lab route.

thoughts?

Fellow duck hunter and Vicksburg DU chapter president duck hunts with his Boykin. His screen name on here is Boykin. He might be delayed with a response on here as he is a biologist as is down on the coast right now.

All retrievers have there pros and cons. The question is what do you what out of your dog? Any retreiver with the right ped., Heart, and proper training will make you an awesome hunting partner and companion.

You oughta look up the MidSouth Boykin Spaniel Club. It is associated with HRC. Lots of nice Boykins there that would do a really nice job in the duck blind. The Boykin Spaniel seems to be more suited for upland bird hunting and the Labrador Retriever is more suited for waterfowl hunting. Boykins may have their own peculiarities when training but there are some really nice ones around. I can get you in touch with several of the Boykin owners if you like. Lab owners are a dime a dozen.

Either way you go, buy a puppy out of proven hunting stock, which usually means hunt test (boykins or labs) or ft titles (labs). Buy a puppy from someone whom you can trust, and try to buy the healthest puppy you can find. Theres a ton more boykins nowadays than just a few short years ago in hrc... and of them all mule sticks out in my mind as the baddest booty 30 pound dog Ive ever seen in my life (charley jurney of beaverdamn kennels trained and ran him). A lab is going to be easier for anything you try to do with them, training wise. It just is. think about how you hunt as well, big water is not where boykins shine (theres a whole lot mo strokes on 4 inch legs than on 10 inch legs to make a 100 yard water retrevie). richard gardner in fla has a really nice female boykin bogey, he'd be a good person to contact as well. travis

I agree with Travis. Figure out what you want to use the dog for, then find the one for you. I spend a lot of time on the dove field and not too much in the duck blind, plus I try to do some upland work from time to time. The Boykin was better suited for me because he can handle the heat of a September dove hunt better than the Lab. I also did not want a dog the size of the Lab. Some Boykins do not handle the cold well, and many owners choose not to use them on very cold days, and if there is ice. If you choose the Boykin, look for hip, eye and heart certifications on the parents. Some dogs also have problems with ear infections and skin allergies, so ask many question before you buy. You can get more info on them on the Midsouth Boykin Spaniel forum http://msbsrc.proboards.com Many more Boykin owners are starting to run HRC tests now and some dogs are really doing well. River and I are one pass away from our HR title and hope to get our HRCH and UH this fall. there are now 34 HRCH Boykins and there are about 5-6 competing at the Grand level.

Great to hear a glowing endorsement of Mule. I believe he comes from the Edisto Kennels pedigree that was established and owned by my grandparents for years (they were some of the first Boykin Spaniel breeders in SC). They actually had a dog named Mule then and as unique a name as that is, this would have to be one of his descendants.

Thanks for all the answers...I've got the Boykin hookup with Pam Kadlec in Camden, SC. Still leaning more towards a lab mainly because they are not quite as hyperactive as a boykin but I'm still mulling it over

Farmpond wrote: Still leaning more towards a lab mainly because they are not quite as hyperactive as a boykin but I'm still mulling it over

Really?

Pam is another excellent resource... she knows boykins. travis

Millie Lattimer of Rock N' Creek Kennels in South Carolina has a few male puppies that you might want to take a look at. I am getting one from her at the end of August. you can get her contact info from her website rockncreek.com. She knows a lot about Boykins and will not mind helping you i'm sure.