BOYKIN SPANIELS. The best dog I have ever had

[Catcher's Mitt]

Well I have been searching for a picture of Belle for months. I finally gave up and just took a few. Libby gave her to me for Christmas.....over 10 years ago. Belle is the first hunting dog i have ever had. So i had to get a book on it. Water Dog by .....Walter or Walther, it slips my mind. but i followed his instructions to the letter. I brought Belle with me to work almost everyday for over 2 years. The employees and residents of the nursing home all adored her.

Belle has made many hunts with me over the years. our first hunt together was a opening day public dove hunt. it was stopped short because of a heavy thunderstorm. she picked up 7 of the 9 i knocked down! she was less than a year old. Since then she has picked up many doves, ducks, geese, and quail. not many geese though. she did, in deep water, swim a snow goose back to me. she had its wing in her mouth and just swam it back like nothing to it.

Everybody that meets her thinks she is the sweetest and best trained dog they have ever seen. Just rookie luck between me and her. she has always lived indoors and she sleeps beside our bed every night. Libby won't let me take her hunting anymore. there was a time for a year when i was pretty sick and didnt get to work her at all. i got back in shape but she is still a fat girl and she just gets to stove up after a hunt.

She had one litter of puppies a little before one Christmas. 8 beautiful pups. we sold 7 and kept one. that was a pretty good Christmas. We ended up giving the one we had kept away to a friend.

We sure love Belle Rose.(named after the town she is from)

[Tenacious]

Great pics Mark! Thanks for sharing your heartfelt story! Belle Rose sounds like one fine dog

[Robja]

Nice Mark. I have never seen a Boykin Spaniel.

[onejacker]

Fine looking creature CM! Looks like a well-loved pup. Richard Wolters wrote the book you mentioned. I am putting my fifth dog through Water Dog school these days. I like his methods alot.

Scratch Belle behind the ears for me...

[clt_capt]

Beautiful dog. Capt Jay Cavanaugh has one named Maybelle..

Richard Wolters book "Water Dog" is an awesome training book for anyone with retrievers - even if you aren't planning to hunt. It is the first book I recommend to anyone...

[gottaflylee]

If I was not a Lab person, that is what I would have...congrats, that 1 great pup...

[Nauti Natured]

They are amazing dogs. I have never had one personally but we have had three in our family (through my inlaws) Sambo, Sadee, and Buck. Sambo and Sadee have gone to doggie heaven but Buck (the young Buck!) is alive and strong and ruling the roost in Atlantic Beach, NC.

[z71offshore]

I have one 7 1/2 years old.
by far best dog i've ever had also.
grew up for 4 yrs at Clemson and I think she was more popular than I was.

ducks, dove, geese, deer, quail, pheasant, chickens, sure i'm forgetting something shes killed or found for me.

her best find was my friends deer that was underwater in the swamp. 1/4 inch of antler sticking up and she was giving it hell when we found her down in the swamp.

went out to arkansas with me at 6 1/2 months hunting timber.

funny to see those things with a goose, they just go get it any way they can! wing, foot, neck...they just get it back to you.

South Carolina state dog.

sorry for the rant, i could keep going on and on about my little girl Pawley, named after Pawleys Island, SC

[Captain Jay Kavanagh]

Great, a chance to show off my Maybelle:







Videos:

Out:http://www.fishbiteme.com/images/hun...0/MOV01607.MPG
And Backhttp://www.fishbiteme.com/images/hun...0/MOV01608.MPG

Boykins Rule!

[Catcher's Mitt]

Great, a chance to show off my Maybelle:







Videos:

Out:http://www.fishbiteme.com/images/hun...0/MOV01607.MPG
And Backhttp://www.fishbiteme.com/images/hun...0/MOV01608.MPG

Boykins Rule!

Hi Jay

I was waiting for a picture of Maybelle. that is a sweet pup there!