Show-Me Boykins of Charlotte, N.C. started with it's first Boykin Spaniel "CoCo" after a year or more of searching in 1996. We lived just outside of St. Louis, Missouri and were doing a lot of Upland hunting with a friend and his Brittney Spaniels. He had this one smallist female that did'nt roam way out in front of me and would get down in the ditches covered with snow and bust the pheasant up out of the ditches. After a lot of research trying to find a breed that acted like this little Brittney, we came across the Boykin Spaniel. It was'nt long until we brought our second little Boykin home in 1997 and it's all histroy from there. My original intentions were to have the best upland hinting dog around and came really close with Buster. He loved to hunt, would retrieve anything that hit the ground and bring it to about 3 feet, drop it, and back to hunting. That was fine with me until I entered him in a BSS national field trial and realized he could care less about deliverey to hand or waiting on me to let him know when it was ok to take off after a retrieve. All of this was really ok for me because I wanted a hunting dog that loved to be with me in the field, truck or at home by the fire, and that is exactly what Buster was and is. Approaching 10 years of age, he is slowing down a little, but is still the love of our family. Buster also has a bunch of little Buster's out there that are pleasures to their families. We have had as many as ten Boykins at one time, as few as three, and currently back up to nine. Each one of them a love to our family and friends. We have a couple of litters a year but is a hobby for me that I love. If you are searching for a Boykin pup, I will do everything I can to help you locate a Boykin for Life be it one of our pups or a friends pup. I will suggest to you that a male Boykin is a more loving sex than a female at least in our bloodline, so try not to limit your selection to only females unless its for breeding purposes. I wish you the best in your search and welcome hearing, talking or visiting with you at our kennels just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. We also have a Fostering program for Adult Boykins. Please review our BLOG for details.
Bob Makla
Show-Me Boykins
514 Simpson Road
Indian Trail, N.C. 28079
704-681-2386
Email us at:
The Boykin Spaniel written by Mike Creel
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Swamp. Hunters on South Carolina's Wateree River needed a small rugged dog compactly built for boat travel and able to retrieve on land and water. In those days wagons, wooden boats and trains afforded hunters access to the game rich corridors along the river. But boat travel limited what hunters could carry. The typical heavyweight retriever was a drawback in a craft already loaded with men, guns, provisions and other gear. 
seats removed could be "nested" to fit neatly into a wagon or train's baggage car. Hunters also used sections as one-man boats just large enough for one person and a compact retriever.
that befriended a banker walking from his home to the First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina around 1905-1910. Alexander L. White (1860-1942) liked the little dog and took it home. After the dog showed some aptitude for retrieving, White sent the dog called "Dumpy" to his longtime friend and hunting partner Whit Boykin. In Boykin's hands the little stray developed into a superb turkey dog and waterfowl retriever. This dog became the foundation stock for the Boykin spaniel. Other ancestors are reported to be the Chesapeake Bay retriever, springer spaniel, cocker spaniel, and the American water spaniel. 
and in homes across America. Stamina in hot weather and eagerness to please make this dog a favorite in the dove fields, but Boykins have retained their spaniel flushing abilities and readily adapt to a variety of upland game hunting including pheasant, quail and grouse. An aptitude for water retrieving combined with their compact size assures these dogs a place in the duck boats and blinds as well. Boykins have often been described as "the dog that doesn't rock the boat." They are even effective in deer driving or in tracking wounded deer. Like many of the sporting breeds, Boykin spaniels make the transition from hunting companion to family pet easily. Boykin spaniels are true dual-purpose hunting dogs. 
