The Boykin Spaniel dogs make excellent pets, as they’re adorable, resourceful, and easy to train. So, if you’re looking for a medium-sized dog, look no further than Boykin Spaniel.
Boykin Spaniels belong to the Spaniel group with origins in South Carolina, along with the American Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, and others.
Although these canines were initially bred for bird hunting, Boykin Spaniels aren’t longer bred for hunting purposes only.
Over time, they became the favorite pets of people worldwide, including those who don’t hunt for work or hobbies.
Most people like these dogs because they’re intelligent. Therefore, they’re easy to train. Still, they need a consistent pack paster.
Dog experts suggest when walking a Boykin Spaniel, you should always lead the walk. Otherwise, the dog will probably think they’re in charge.
In today’s article, I will discuss Boykin Spaniel in detail and share valuable training tips, so let’s dive right in.
Are Boykin Spaniels Easy to Train?
A few factors influence a dog’s trainability, such as intelligence, obedience, personality, and temperament.
A dog should have a good memory and cognitive capacity to remember and recall your commands in the future.
Moreover, a dog should be friendly because training a poorly-socialized, aggressive dog can be a nightmare. A badly-behaved canine won’t listen to your commands and reward your training efforts with bites and scratches.
Lastly, most training programs require physical energy. So, your dog should have a high amount of physical energy.
Boykin Spaniel Temperament and Dog Breed Characteristics
Luckily, Boykin Spaniels aren’t aggressive. On the contrary, they’re intelligent, obedient, and energetic dogs. They’re also friendly and ready for challenges.
These traits make Boykin Spaniel excellent candidates for training, so consider Boykin Spaniel if you’re searching for an intelligent and easily trainable dog.
Also, Boykin Spaniel is easy to train because these dogs need a regular pack master. If you get Boykin Spaniel, you will notice the dog prefers to walk beside you.
Maintaining this routine is crucial so that the dog believes you’re in charge and not the other way around.
When To Start Training a Boykin Spaniel?
Professional dog trainers and veterinary experts suggest training your dog while they’re still young (7-8 weeks old) because that’s when weaning for most puppies starts.
Furthermore, training your puppy at a young age prevents the development of unhealthy habits. So, you should train your puppy while they’re young for the best results.
Lastly, it would help to socialize your dog at a young age.
When your puppy turns 7-8 weeks old, let them explore their surroundings freely, using their senses of taste and smell.
It would be best if you also introduced your dog to other family members when they’re a few weeks old. Once your dog becomes friendly and develops social skills, you can hire a dog trainer or train the puppy yourself.
How Do You Potty Train a Boykin Spaniel?
Everyone loves dogs until it’s time someone cleans their poop. You can make your life a lot easier by toilet-training your puppy.
Toilet-training your dog while still young would be best. Experts say toilet-training a dog later in life doesn’t succeed, so start the process as soon as possible.
If you have a Boykin Spaniel, toilet-training this dog won’t be hard, as these dogs have a high intelligence level. They’re also friendly and obedient. So, training goes smoothly in most cases.
Here’s a helpful step-by-step guide for potty training your Boykin Spaniel.
- Take your dog out more often, preferably once per hour. You can also take your canine out when you notice signs of urgency, such as sniffing the floor, squatting, barking, and circling.
- Also, I suggest taking the dog to a particular area each time.
- Give your canine a few minutes to explore the area and find the perfect place for pooping.
- Always reward your dog for going to the toilet outside with treats. Over time, your dog will understand that they should go to the bathroom outside.
- When your dog shows signs of needing to poop, wait a few minutes to see if they can take the initiative. Just crack the door, so your puppy can easily walk outside and use the bathroom.
- Finally, you can introduce a litter box and try to get your dog to use it. Over time, your puppy will learn to use the litter box even if it’s not located outside.
Extra tip: Never leave your dog alone in your yard. Watch your dog’s movements when they’re outside taking a poop, especially if you have a door or a fence they open or jump over and escape.
Are Boykin Spaniel Chewers?
Boykin Spaniels aren’t chewers.
Expectedly, most Boykin Spaniel puppies chew things while teething and exploring their surroundings. However, they don’t chew things around the home once they grow up.
Experts suggest teaching your dog that chewing isn’t a good habit at a very young age. Puppies explore new things through chewing, but you can teach your young puppy that chewing isn’t allowed unless they’re chewing their toys.
When your young dog starts chewing things around the home, redirect their attention to a chew toy. If your young dog chews things and you don’t stop this behavior on time, the dog will continue chewing everything into adulthood.
Luckily, stopping adult dogs from chewing things around the home can be challenging but not impossible. If you use the proper training methods, you can successfully stop your Boykin Spaniel from chewing up your favorite furniture piece.
Should I Punish My Boykin Spaniel for Bad Behavior?
Avoid negative punishment, such as smacking or locking your dog in a crate.
Boykin Spaniels need mental stimulation for proper functioning. Therefore, they can get bored or frustrated easily.
If your dog’s bored or frustrated, they might start chewing things in your household. You can easily prevent this habit by entertaining your dog with toys, walking outdoors, etc.
Extra tip: If you leave your Boykin Spaniel at home alone for too long with no chew toys or other amusement, you can expect a certain level of destruction.
These dogs have a lot of energy, so you should give your dog a good exercise session, and many chew toys, before leaving home for longer periods.
Boykin Spaniel Training: Final Tips
Many people like Boykin Spaniels because they’re energetic, mid-sized dogs. The best part? Boykin Spaniels get along well with adults, children, and other pets.
These dogs were discovered in South Carolina for hunting turkeys, wild ducks, etc. You can easily recognize these dogs by their stunning brown coats.
So, if you’re considering buying or adopting a Boykin Spaniel from a Boykin Spaniel rescue, don’t think twice because these dogs make excellent pets.
If you already have a Boykin Spaniel puppy, here’s a list of tips for training Boykin Spaniels:
- Offering positive reinforcement and appreciation plays a key role in the training of Boykin Spaniels.
- Never shout at your puppy or hit and punish your dog for ignoring your commands. Instead, provide positive support and try again.
- When your puppy does something good, don’t pat the dog’s head or back. Instead, Boykin Spaniels and many other canines prefer pats under their chin or chest.
- Experts suggest training Boykin Spaniels in frequent and brief daily sessions. Avoid long training sessions because they’re less effective.
- Experts also advise obedience training and crate training about 3-5 times daily for only 5 minutes. You will get the dog’s full attention and achieve better results.
- When your dog has listened to your commands, reward their progress with a dog treat.
- Many dog owners make the same mistake of letting their puppies behave in ways they wouldn’t want them to act in the future, such as sitting on the furniture. So, if you want your dog to behave, don’t allow certain behaviors while they’re young.
- Start training your puppy at about eight weeks old, as these dog breeds usually develop a full learning capability at 8-12 weeks.
- Your tone of voice can help you train your dog. When applauding good behavior, use a soothing voice. When your dog misbehaves, use a firm tone. Never scream at your dog. Otherwise, you might ruin your relationship.
Boykin Spaniels aren’t problematic canines. On the contrary, they’re intelligent, so they’re easy to train, and hopefully, the tips above can help the training process. Lastly, you can join a Boykin Spaniel society or Boykin Spaniel club for extra tips and helpful advice.
