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BOYKIN SPANIELS FOREVERMy Personal Experience with Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC)I had my first experience with EIC approximately 15 years ago after one of mycarefully planned litters of Labrador Retrievers sired by a Field Champion andAmateur Field Champion (FC-AFC) arrived. The female Lab pup I kept back formyself for a potential field trial prospectbecame very unsteady with moderatefield work starting at 8 months of age. Atabout the same time, her littermate malewas going through retriever basic training with a professional trainer and startedshowing the same symptoms. I had heardthrough discussion with other breedersand field trainers of an unknown collapseissue in Labrador Retrievers.A couple of times after that experience,I purchased Labrador pups from otherbreeders that starting show the typicalEIC symptoms when field work started.Diagnostic testing ruled out all other possible causes. My goals for these youngdogs were also derailed by this yet unknown condition.A large number of the prepotent andvery popular Labrador Retrievers studsthat were being used in many performance breeding programs were carriersfor EIC which increased the incidence ofEIC affected and EIC carriers in Labrador Retrievers. EIC has also been identified in Labrador Retriever conformationlines although due to their temperamentand lifestyle those dogs may or may notshow EIC symptoms.Fortunately, after comprehensive studies and research by teams of medical andcapable professionals for nearly a decade,the DNM1 gene mutation was identified.The University of Minnesota VeterinaryDiagnostic Lab tested approximately2000 dogs in their research phase, andover 11,000 dogs since the test becamecommercially available in 2008.In Early 2010, affected and carrierBoykin Spaniels have been identifiedby the University of Minnesota. Only alimited number of Boykins have beentested, so there is no indication yet ofthe prevalence of the mutation in thebreed. The University of Minnesota Diagnostic Lab recently updated their website to identify Boykin Spaniels so thatEIC information is made available toBoykin Spaniel owners and veterinarians.I encourage all Boykin owners to carefully review the EIC information fromthe University of Minnesota below. Withyour participation in EIC testing andsharing awareness of EIC with others, ers, with no affecteds.Then breeders will be able to choosewe can partner together to reduce the incidence of EIC in our Boykin Spaniels in otherwise equal pups that are clear forbreeding homes, and carriers to petthe future.homes. Of course if there are other rea- Terrie Tomlinson sons why you would consider the carHealth Committee BSCBAA rier pup to be superior, that dog could bekept in a breeding home and only matedto cleared dogs. Using this approach theWhat is Exercise Induced CollapseExercise Induced Collapse, or EIC, is a carrier rate should drop, and you canneuromuscular condition that causes col- eliminate the production of affected dogslapse of dogs when they become overly without the need to remove a carrier dogexcited or exercise heavily. The gene mu- from your breeding program.tation causes an amino acid in the coding sequence of the dynamin 1 (DMN1) How to Test Your Boykin for EICgene, which is involved in nerve signal- Boykin owners can have their dogs testing during high level neurological stimu- ed through their veterinarian by submitlation. After intense hunting or retrieving ting a blood sample or cheek swab to theor other exercise, affected dogs start to University of Minnesota Veterinary Dilose control of their hind limbs. Body agnostic Laboratory following the EICtemperature is normal at rest in dogs with Submission Guidelines. http://www.vdl.EIC but is almost always dramatically in- umn.edu/guidelines/canineneuro/home.creased at the time of collapse (tempera- htmlThe EIC Submission form must beture 41.5 C, 107.6F).EIC and the DNM1 gene mutation taken to your vet for either the “bloodare quite common in Labrador Retriev- draw option” or “cheek swab” option.ers, and have been also identified by the Be sure to fill the form out completely.University of Minnesota in several other http://www.vdl.umn.edu/prod/groups/breeds, including Chesapeake Bay Re- cvm/@pub/@cvm/@vdl/documents/astrievers and Curly Coated Retrievers, and set/cvm 93648.pdfYour results will be sent directly to yourBoykin SpanielsComprehensive EIC information and veterinarian. If owners would also like alinks are available at the University’s copy of the report sent directly to themweb site. http://www.vdl.umn.edu/ours- for their records, please include the ownervices/canineneuromuscular/home.html er’s email address in the Result ReportThe Veterinary Diagnostic Lab’s EIC ing section of the EIC submission form.Once you have received your resultsBrochure explains the mode of inheritance and how to interpret the test re- from the University of MN, you can results of affected, carrier, and clear. http:// cord your results through OFA. You willwww.vdl.umn.edu/prod/groups/cvm/@ need to submit a copy of your test resultspub/@cvm/@vdl/documents/asset/cvm report from University of MN. OFA’s Application for DNA Based Genetic Dataasset 117797.pdfbase form is optional. However, submisImplications of the EIC Mutation for sion of the OFA form in addition to theEIC results form will ensure recording ofBreedinghttp://www.vdl.umn.edu/prod/groups/ sire/dam information as well as one addicvm/@pub/@cvm/@vdl/documents/as- tional registration number if applicable.http://www.offa.org/dnaappbw.pdfset/cvm asset 107687.pdfYou will send the OFA form (optional)Presently, the University of Minnesota recommendation to breeds identified and the University of Minnesota report,with EIC is that they should not automat- along with the OFA application fee (curically remove all carriers/affecteds from rently 15) to OFA. Affected results willbe published at no charge by OFA.their breeding programs.For questions or additional EIC inforThe best approach to maintain geneticdiversity while decreasing the frequency mation contact the University of Minneof the mutation in the population is to sota:email: vdl@umn.educhoose matings in which at least one ofph: (612) 625-8787the parents is EIC clear. A mating of atoll free: (800) 605-8787carrier to a clear will produce litters thatare on average 50% clear and 50% carriPAGE 3

BOYKIN SPANIELS FOREVERIt’s The Next Best ThingBy Joe DoggettDiesel retrieving quail Photo by Linda WoodsIt’s a dress rehearsal in hunter orange,but you need a diesel to really make itwork. Or at least you need a dog with thesame discipline and disposition as guideDoug Growden’s Diesel.Growden’s chocolate Boykin spanielwould, on command, jump with flapping ears and waggling tail right into themiddle of things - literally. The “things”were pen-raised bobwhite quail recently released amid the fields of grass andbrush on the sprawling Rio Brazos Hunting Preserve near Simonton.And, as with any proper dress rehearsal, the results were close to the real deal.Our first covey rise during a recentmorning hunt set the pace. An Englishpointer bounded over a ridge and spuninto a stylish point. A trailing Brittanyspaniel honored.Diesel slithered close, bringing up therear. Jim Easterling, Whitney Easterlingand I paced forward with poised shotguns.The tableau of frozen dogs amid winter stubble was a classic upland image- until Growden gave the nod to Diesel.Gracious! The little spaniel sprang like abottle rocket into the tangles of straw.Three, no four, bobwhites vaultedup and out, wings buzzing and blurringagainst the blue sky. You hear stories ofpen-raised or “liberated” quail that canscarcely flutter, but trust me, these birdswere moving with authority. They wanted to put serious air between them andwhatever demon had violated the brushpile.Jim reacted smoothly and smackeddown a double with his 28-gauge Beretta over/under. Whitney was caught offguard and missed with the first barrel ofher 20-gauge but cleanly rolled a birdwith the second shot.I was “brushed out” and never raisedmy 20-gauge Parker Reproduction sideby-side.That opening volley was typical ofthe fast action during the session at RioBrazos. The rises were legitimate and theshots were challenging - and the missesnot altogether uncommon.“That was fun, a lot better than not quailhunting at all,” said Easterling, a veteranSouth Texas gunslinger, as Growdencounted out 68 birds at the conclusion ofour three-hour session.Proving skeptics wrongThis has been a poor season for wildbobwhites, so bad that some leases andhunting operations have shut down. Theterrible summer drought combined withseveral hard freezes took a desperate tollon native birds in prime regions such asSouth Texas.The accepted wisdom among manyveteran hunters this season is to “leave‘em for seed” and hope for better, wetterfortunes during the 2010-11 season.However, the alternative to this glumreturn is to book a few hunts for liberatedquail on a proven game preserve.“A lot of hunters who first come hereare skeptical about the pen-raised quail,but we get excellent dog work and thebirds flush well and fly hard,” Rio Brazos hunt manager Robert Young said.“The success average over the course ofthe season is about 60 percent - so thatmeans a lot of shots are being missed onthese so-called easy birds.”The season on pen-raised quail at RioBrazos begins in mid-October and runsthrough mid-March. The operation isopen seven days a week — weather permitting. Two to four guns per hunt canbe accommodated on mornings or afternoons. A valid Texas hunting license isrequired, but because the birds are nonnative, no bag limits are imposed. Hunters are charged a flat fee of 450 per gun,and the tab includes bird cleaning andbagging - and the quail are delicious.Confidence builderThey also are big, almost twice as largeas the “brush country” bobwhites nativeto Texas.“We get our birds from Roadside QuailFarm in Columbus,” Young said. “It’sa top operation and raises more than150,000 bobwhites per year. The ones weuse are called ‘Carolina Jumbos’ - big,strong birds that are in great condition.“We’ve been running the hunts for sixyears now and have a good relationshipwith the farm. And, as a strong point,they are just down the road so we canobtain birds on an as-needed basis; ourquail are released fresh into the field andare not held over in pens or nets.”Two sprawling areas interspersed bywoods and ponds are used - pleasingupland settings. Young stressed that thebirds are not disoriented or hampered inany way once they are released.“We usually figure about 30 quail pergun and release two to four birds in aspot, depending on the number of shooters,” Young said. “But they can move atwill and the dogs never know for surewhere they’ll be - or how many in oneplace, for that matter. It’s great trainingfor beginners and a lot of fun for experienced quail hunters.”Easterling and I can attest to that. We’vehunted extensively in the prime bobwhitecountry of South Texas and northeasternMexico yet had a great morning watching the dogs and swinging on the(Continued on page 5)Credit: reprinted with permission by author to Pat Watts and Greg CopelandPAGE 4

BOYKIN SPANIELS FOREVERIt’s The Next Best Thing(Continued from page 4)Carolina Jumbos.Whitney, a sophomore at the University of Texas in Austin, benefited fromthe crash course in upland gunning, andher shooting improved markedly as oursession progressed.A big difference between the Rio Brazos birds and the wild brush country bobsis that the former rarely run ahead of thepointing dogs. They hold tight in thetraditional manner. This allows relativenewcomers to position for safe, confidentshots.Similar feelThis also is where Diesel earns highmarks. The Carolina Jumbos need to beflushed, and the small Boykin is a master at stirring things up. But when thequail take wing, they can accelerate withpurpose - maybe not as fast as wild bobwhites but quick enough to confound asloppy mount or a tardy swing.The hunting preserve offers severaladvantages other than sure-fire actionwithin an hour of Houston. Hunters arewelcome to use their own dogs with theunderstanding that the productivity of thehunt might suffer.The preserve is a great venue for a lightgun. You know you are going to have numerous close chances, so the .410 gaugeor 28-gauge that seldom gets an honestworkout now has a chance. A 20-gaugedouble gun is ideal - as it is for most quailhunting.And this is quail hunting in the classicstyle (well, with never a sideways glanceat Diesel). You step behind a rigid pointthen raise a trim gun as several whirringbobwhites take flight against open sky.Frankly, most of the upland hunting operations scattered across the traditional“bird” country of the southeastern statesnow depend heavily (if not entirely) onliberated quail.But Rio Brazos Hunting Preserve isa lot closer than Georgia or South Carolina or Mississippi. Or even South Texas.And, to reiterate, no pressure is placedon the natural resource during this leanwild-bird season - and the plump jumbosare excellent on the table.Joe Doggett joined the Houston Chronicle as a full time outdoor writer in 1972and he retired 2007. In addition towriting for the Houston Chroniclehe was a contributing Editor ofField and Stream magazine formore than 20 years.“Jake” with hisRally Bone toy thathe won inSimpsonville, SC.His firstRally trial!!!!!95 out 100!!Yay Jake!!!- Beth CrockerThe Best WalkBy Earl Hamner, author ofThe Waltons & The Twilight ZoneA tired old hunter and his dog werewalking down a remote dirt road withstrong fences on both sides. They cameto an overview in the fence and lookedin-it was nice, grassy with wooded areas.Just what a huntin’ dog would like, butit had a sign saying ‘No Trespassing’, sothey walked on.Shortly they came to a beautiful gatewith a person in white robes standing inthe opening. Inside was a beautiful homewith manicured lawns and tables laid outwith food and drink. “Welcome to Heaven”, he said. The old man was relievedand started in with his dog followinghim. The gatekeeper stopped him. “Dogsaren’t allowed; I’m sorry but he can’tcome with you.” The old man questioned,“What kind of heaven won’t allow dogs?If he can’t come in then I won’t either.The man in the robes pleaded, “You don’twant to give upyour place in heaven do you? At least,not for a dog do you?” The hunter replied, “He’s been my faithful companionall his life, and I can’t desert him now.”“Suit yourself”, said the gatekeeper, “butI have to warn you that the Devils’ on thisroad and he’ll try to sweet talk you intohis place. He’ll promise you anything,but the dog can’t go there either. If youwon’t leave the dog, you’ll spend eternity on this road.” The old hunter paused,and then gently calling, he and his oldfriend continued their journey.Much later and exhausted, they cameto a rundown section of fence coveredwith hedges, and overrun with partridgesPAGE 5and rabbits. There was no gate but a gapin the fence. Another man in simple overalls stood inside near a quaint old cabinand homestead. Calling out, the old hunter said, “Scuse me Sir. My dog and I aregetting mighty tired as we’ve been walking quite a ways. Would you mind if wecame in an’ set in the shade of that treeawhile?” “Of course,” was the warm reply. “There’s a rocker for you and a wellwith cool water. Makeyourself comfortable.” The old man puzzled, “You certain it’s ok for my dog tocome in with me? The other man downthe road said dogs weren’t allowed anywhere off the road.” The kind gentlemanasked, “Would you come in if you had toleave your dog?” “No sir,” was the reply.“That’s why I didn’t go into Heaven he said my dog wasn’t welcome. I specwe’ll be spending eternity on this road.As much as I’d love that cool water andsome shade, I won’t be coming unlessmy old friend can come with me, andthat’s final.”The man smiled a warm welcomingsmile and said, “Welcome to Heaven.”The old hunter seemed stunned. “Youmean this is Heaven? And dogs are allowed? How come that fellow downthe road said they weren’t?” The kindman’s face turned more serious, and hesaid, “That was the devil, and he gets allthe people who are willing to give up alife long companion for a comfortableplace to stay. They soon find out theirmistake, but then it’s too late. The dogscome here, the fickle people stay there.God wouldn’t allow dogs to be bannedfrom Heaven. After all, He created themto be man’s companions in life;why would He separate them indeath?”

BOYKIN SPANIELS FOREVERHunting with BoykinsAs a duck and upland game birdhunter I was looking for a breed ofdog which could serve in both capacities as a small compact hunting companion, that could handle the coldharsh conditions of Eastern ShoreMaryland. The reasoning behind mychoice of the Boykin Spaniel is partlydo to using a canoe in the marshy tidal waters of Nanecoke River.We came across a sale ad in thepaper for Boykin Spaniel puppieswhere we picked up our male whowe named Little Boy Hershey. Afterworking hard with training Hershey,he has become a total hunting package for me, where I have hunted 3 or4 hours of duck hunting, finishing theday with a few hours of pheasant andquail hunting,During the hunting season he getsto put on his business tie (huntingcollar) and he becomes the focusedhunter, where he knows no quittingtime until his business tie is removed.When we are at home he is a wonderful and loving pet with, at times,the personality of what we call ourclown dog. He can keep us laughingfor hours with his antics and playfulways.There was also a time when I sawa great change in Hershey as a petwith the loss of his companion andfriend Max a collie/rottweiler whodied in my wife’s arms two and a halfyears ago. The loss of Max was hardon him and he no longer let my wifetouch him. That all changed when wegot Cocoa, a female Boykin Spaniel.Hershey regained his trust and lovefor her. Getting another friend for himhelped Hershey and Tina bond onceagain. As she began working andtraining her new dog, Hershey toowanted a piece of the action.Back in November we went to Denton, Maryland to a game preserve fora day of upland game bird hunting.This would be the first time my wifehad said she wanted to hunt with me.She had gone in the past but just towatch and take photos. But this timeshe was looking forward to taking herfirst bird. Once we got there and gotready to start Hershey was pouncingby Bill Hamrickup and down trying to tell us to hurry. As we headed off into the field, Icalled to Hershey. He stopped dead inhis tracks and looked back at me, tofind the bird. I called to him. Off hewent head down to the ground sniffing out a bird, locking on to it Hishead low to the ground and his butthigh in the air lets me know he is on abird. I told Tina to get ready and callhis name. Hershey jumps forward atthe bird and off it went up, up andaway. As soon as the shot rang outHershey popped out and went running to get it. And if you missed thebird Hershey gives you a look as if tosay “what happened, where is thebird”. Tina shot her first birdthat day and we are nowplanning many moretrips together.PAGE 6Max & Hershey

BOYKIN SPANIELS FOREVERDo you keep a lot of plants in andaround your home that your dog or catcan nibble? If so, you’ll want to payparticular attention to the followinglist of plants that can be quite toxic toyour Boykin Spaniel. Ferns Caladium Hyacinth Iris Bittersweet Clematis Daffodil Foxglove Narcissus MorningGlory Death Camas Lilies SagoPalms Tulips Azaleas Rhododendrons Oleanders Castor BeanPlants Cyclamen Cilantro Yew Amaryllis Autumn Crocus English Ivy Peace Lilies Schefflera Pothos MarijuanaThere’s an online resource provided by the ASPCA - s/- where you can reference a verycomprehensive list of which plantsare poisonous to your beloved companion animals and which are safe tohave around your home and yard. Thelist includes a photo of each plant andcan be sorted by toxic and non-toxiccategories as well as by type of pet.In addition to these plants, CocoaMulch, manufactured by Hershey’s,claims that studies have shown that50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulchcan suffer physical harm to a varietyof degrees. However, 98% of all dogswon’t eat it. Cocoa Mulch, which issold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other Garden supplystores contains a lethal ingredientcalled ‘Theobromine’. It is lethal todogs and cats. It smells like choco-late and it really attracts dogs. Theywill ingest this stuff and die. Severaldeaths already occurred in the lastmonth. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoabean shells contain potentially toxicquantities of theobromine, a xanthinecompound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog thatingested a lethal quantity of gardenmulch made from cacao bean shellsdeveloped severe convulsions anddied 17 hours later. Analysis of thestomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presenceof lethal amounts of theobromine.If you suspect your dog or cat hasingested a poison and you have questions or need guidance, you can callthe ASPCA’s Poison Control Centerhotline at 1-888-426-4435. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, 365days a year. If your pet shows signs ofdistress or illness call your veterinarian immediately.Spotlight on. . . “Libby” GeeChee Girl’s Liberty from Texas Trace RanchSpotlightonOwned. . . by Thomas & Patsy Bolding in Texas.and Kennel.Libby has been a joy to have with us. She is a pretty darn good water retriever. She has broken through ice tomake retrieves in the past and has made some great swims to pick up ducks. On one occasion, we had severalducks down and she had forgotten where one of them landed. I threw a rock in the water and she swam tothe point where the rock splashed, then dove under water. She came up, saw the duck and made a greatretrieve. She has been called a ‘machine’ by my fellow duck hunters.She is a very loving part of our family and I can assure you Patsy and I will probablynever have another breed of dog. Dixie is a little bundle of energy that we enjoy havingas much as Libby. We have had a pool constructed and we can’t keep Dixie out of it,even during the winter. She plays by herself in the water and stays pretty curly. They bothsleep on the bed with us and havebecome lap dogs when they can.PAGE 7

BOYKIN SPANIELS FOREVERAdventures of Doc - Quail HuntingAbout midway down is Doc’s thirdquail hunt last Friday. He was reallymarking his birds and retrieving!To date he has been dove hunting fortwo hours and we got one dove.He had flown to Canada last September at 9 months old and retrieved abunch of ducks on blind retrieves.As of Friday, Doc has had 130 quailhunted over him this season.We missed the first hunt since I wasvisiting my parents at Christmas, but“T” brought me back one to freeze andwork with Doc. Like every new thinghe gets introduced to, he was a little shywith a quail at first, but once he becamecomfortable it was Katie-bar-the-door.He has been on three 30 bird huntssince Christmas. “T” has a retired fieldtrial champion, Rudy, who is an excellent pointer with a fantastic nose. Theproblem is that the bird may be one footin front of her or thirty feet. One of theuses I had in mind for Doc was to usehim as a flush dog and to hunt dead.Rudy has not cared much for huntingdead and was never trained to as a fieldtrial dog. Well, Doc loves quail! I havekept him on a short lead so the settercould point and do her thing, then Doccould do his.I have been a little skeptical aboutturning him loose since he will put any‘not dead’ bird in the air or so it seemeduntil Friday. We did not lose any deadbirds with Doc and the tandem withRudy has worked out very well. Thefirst 30 bird hunt we got 26 out of 28.Two flew away to another field whilethey were putting the birds out. Thesecond we got 23 out of 30.The last one we got 26 out of 30.Carly has gotten into hunting at 2021 years old. Must have gotten some ofher daddy’s genes. She went quail hunting with us last year, but was hesitant toshoot since we were not lined up abreasttrying to find the bird. Using Doc as aflush dog, we can all line up and be inposition to shoot. Since Doc had thehang of

weight loss happening. An overweight dog is more likely to get sick than one which is not overweight. Cocoa loves green beans and will feast on them any-time o