Boykin Spaniel Inquiry

[Alfred Houde]

I did a forum search and most of the info found is pretty dated. Some background:

I lost my AWS last year. He died at age 13. He was a solid gun dog, but he had a very unpredictable temperament. My wife and I referred to it as a "Jekyll & Hyde" type personality. He was not the only AWS with this trait, as I personally know of, and read of quite a few being this way. My wife and I stuck it out, made adjustments when grandkids were around, etc. I have no desire to experience this again and wish to avoid it in my next pup.

I currently have a six-year-old Gordon Setter, who is a joy to have and be around. She is an excellent grouse and woodcock dog. As you know, they are not duck dogs. Most of my duck hunting is pass shooting, and you cannot expect any setter to sit still for any period of time, especially in the field.

So, I am looking to add a Boykin Spaniel pup for duck hunting first, with some upland work second. I thought about a Labrador, but I enjoyed having a small dog. Especially for traveling. I'm not opposed to driving the Maryland/Virginia/NC/SC area for breeder recommendations. Never been a fan of shipping pups, so wife and I would travel to pick one up.

And I have not totally given up on the AWS. However, with such a small breeding/gene pool, and more than half a dozen accounts of the same behavior from other owners, I just don't want to experience that again.

Any leads on reputable breeders would be welcome, along with some experiences with the breed. I'm sure they came from the AWS in many ways, but I am not aware of any temperament issues with them. Thanks in advance for any information.