Rare Breed?

We live in unique times. "Rare" items can be bought and sold worldwide through the internet by anyone able to post the item for sale on Ebay. People are able to sell their one-of-a-kind item for the named price - or they might find out that they item is actually mass produced and there are 25 just like it already listed for sale on the auction site!

People do enjoy declaring that they have in their possession something that is uncommon. The item is special and precious in the fact that it is presumed to be close to extinction. There is something almost romantic in the notion that that you may own a rare hunting spaniel has been kept from becoming tainted with common, non-hunting genes.

There is a very real fear that the Boykin Spaniel will become popular. With popularity comes more genetic health considerations and a growing number of dogs who are in need of rescue services. The Boykin Spaniel has already been experiencing these problems for many, many years. Consider for a moment that maybe the Boykin Spaniel breed is already popular and no one has faced that fact?

Registration statistics can be kept in electronic databases and conveyed from the registering to individuals in their homes by just typing on a keyboard. This was unheard of just 2 decades ago! Numbers on paper cannot be denied and the unique times that we live in have once again given us a device to reach people worldwide to help disseminate information to determine the numbers of our reportedly "rare" item.

As the statistics of registered dog breeds come to light we begin to see a Boykin Spaniel breed that is quickly multiplying in numbers of registered dogs each year. Boykin Spaniels can be registered individually with several organizations. The AKC publishes their registered  numbers monthly in the public secretary's report, however FSS numbers are not released. UKC does not publish numbers, however written requests to their President may be granted. BSS does not publish their numbers, but a figure can be calculated due to the consecutive and sequential system of assigning registration numbers.

The conclusive number is Boykin Spaniels being produced each year is not completely clear. The figure seems to be well over 1,500 each year. Of the AKC registered Sporting Group spaniels, only Cocker and English Springer Spaniels registered more. Considering if all of the Boykin Spaniel registrations were done through AKC, this would put the breed in approximately the 68th most popular AKC breed (out of 154 AKC registerable breeds).

The Boykin Spaniel has remained under the radar from becoming a common household name when one is asked to name spaniel breeds. But does the breed constitute the label of "rare breed" or are they now a "popular" one? It may be up to the individual to define and label the case for themselves, but the numbers shine a reality check on this illusion of exclusivity.