The English Setter is one of the most handsome of sporting dogs. Their abundant coats give them an advantage over the Pointer in facing cold, wet, windy weather, or burdocks and briars in a rough country. Their admirers also claim they possess more speed and agility, do not gain weight as quickly with age as the Pointer, and that they improve in their work from year to year. In addition, they possess the sweetest and most companionability of dispositions.
The types of all breeds of dogs have been determined almost entirely by bench shows, and if these had been the only influence that had operated upon the English Setter family, there would be but one recognized type of English Setter. This however, is not the case, for half a century ago, just about the time that bench shows were getting upon a sound basis, practical sportsmen in both Europe and America instituted field trials for bird dogs. As a result we have had bench show Setter fanciers developing a type of Setter which expressed their ideas of what an English Setter should be, and another group of field trial men devoting all of their attention to developing field qualities with an entire disregard for size, colour, general type, confirmation, and other things that the bench-show men hold most dear. The only question that concerned the field trial man was utility, his only standard “the survival of the fittest”.
The conclusions that men arrive at, in writing a bench show standard as to how a practical working dog should be built and how his head should be supported on his neck or his shoulders placed in relationship to his body, is more or less unpredictable and subject to change. There is no way of determining which is right, and which is wrong. There is always a danger of overemphasizing the importance of some point at the expense of others and losing sight of the fact that it is impossible to change one point without changing all others to a greater or less degree.
The field trial men have never permitted details of conformation to take away from their single objective of practical performance. As a result of the operations of the law of the survival of the fittest, a field trial type has been evolved that is easily recognized, and breeds truer to type than the bench show dogs that have been fashioned in response to the opinions of men who were without means for determining the accuracy of their judgment. The bench show winning Setter today is a very elegant animal, but no more so than the field trial dog, with every aspect of what they possess, shown in his conformation, and recorded in his pedigree.
Weight, and colour have always been of minor importance. Every aspect of the Llewellins are geared toward their performance in the field and as a result of this devotion to their ability in the field, no physical standard has ever been written.
Traits: Intelligent, strong natural abilities, a desire to please, willingness to work for the gun and a companionable disposition. You can make a pet of these dogs and you won’t have a bit of trouble with them in the field. Their disposition contributes to the dog’s easy handling.
Pups that are born all white, except any large spots will eventually develop small black, orange or chestnut ticks (very small spots) all over their bodies. When older, these pups will end up with a great number of ticks and are called “beltons” (blue belton, orange belton, or chestnut belton). Blue refers to black hair that mingles with the white surrounding hair to form bluish-gray colouring. Ticking will not be completed until a pup is about 9 months old. All large spots will show up on a pup at the time of birth. Any pups with large spots on the body, and/or partially or solid heads are not referred to a belton). Adult weight averages around 40 to 50 pounds and height is about 22 to 24 inches with females being slightly smaller.
For more information regarding Llewellin Setters, you can contact Ernie Hardman at http://www.llewellinsetter.net
