# Who has a Llewelin Setter



## toomeymd (Sep 21, 2009)

Ok guys, I have an opportunity to pick up a setter, papered and registered Llewelin (the real thing). Unfortunately she is 2 and not trained. I feel mostly confident in my ability to train her but was curious to know the opinions here on their trainability and versatility. I know she'll be an awesome grouse dog (and thats 75% of my hunting), but what about all the other hunts here?
She's going cheap thats why I'm conidering pulling the trigger now rather than wait till next year for an FB like my original plan. It's still gonna be expensive, what with the $400 extra deposit to the landlord and more $$ every month in rent.
Thanks,
Toomey


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

They're cool dogs. They're great for upland game, don't plan on ducks. I have a gordon setter now. They''re like Llewellins only a lot prettier. You should check out her instincts before buying her. Take her outside and see if she looks like she'll want to hunt (sniff around and stuff)


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## MeanGene (Nov 18, 2008)

fixed blade said:


> They're cool dogs. They're great for upland game, don't plan on ducks. I have a gordon setter now. They''re like Llewellins only a lot prettier. You should check out her instincts before buying her. Take her outside and see if she looks like she'll want to hunt (sniff around and stuff)


I think fixed has some chickens you should try her out on. :lol:


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I owned an English Setter who was the best upland bird dog I've ever laid eyes on. She didn't like water and wouldn't even retrieve a ball, but she was lights out on upland birds...great, great nose. I wouldn't own one if I didn't have a fenced yard and a commitment to running the dog or if I wanted to hunt waterfowl or anything other than upland birds.


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## toomeymd (Sep 21, 2009)

THats the other thing that has me worried is no yard. My wife is home all day to walk her, and I hunt 2-3 times a week which should keep her energy level down. Plus this guy says she is easy going in the house, not hyper at all...I don't know though.


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

toomeymd said:


> THats the other thing that has me worried is no yard. My wife is home all day to walk her, and I hunt 2-3 times a week which should keep her energy level down. Plus this guy says she is easy going in the house, not hyper at all...I don't know though.


Setters are 2 completely different dogs Indoors and out. I call my male gordon setter girl, because inside he's a lazy little girl. He has to sleep in your lap sneaks up on your bed when your asleep, and is just a sissy (very unhiper).. But then he gets in the field and turns into a machine, comepletely different dog, never stops running.. You don't need to run them everday, that's b.s..


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> You don't need to run them everday, that's b.s..


Who said every day?


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> > You don't need to run them everday, that's b.s..
> 
> 
> Who said every day?


I wasn't going off of what you said infact I didn't read your post. sorry.  . I've heard from other people that bird dogs need to be ran everyday.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> I wasn't going off of what you said infact I didn't read your post. sorry. . I've heard from other people that bird dogs need to be ran everyday.


No worries, fixed. I was the only one who had written about making sure I could run the dog so I thought that was directed at me. I think hunting dogs need plenty of exercise. I don't run mine enough and they have a fenced backyard to play in. I was just saying that if I lived in an apartment I'd want to be sure I was committed to exercising the dog regularly. My English Setter would run and run and run and run and run...she needed some space to do it.


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## Artoxx (Nov 12, 2008)

I owned a Llewelin setter for about three weeks. I got her under similar circumstances to what you are talking about, and jumped at the opportunity, having been a total "Hunting with Hank" fan.
WORST decision I ever made. (At least dog related decision, the wife issue is another kettle of fish entirely. :roll: :twisted: )
She was so timid that she would not get further from me than 50 feet, and if I spoke to her in anything harsher than a little sing-song baby voice, she would hit the ground and belly-up.

She went into heat and ran away the third week or so after I got her, and I never saw her again. Couldn't have been happier.

SO, make sure your dog is not a meek little waste of skin before you invest ONE PENNY. 
That is MY advice based on MY personal experience with ONE Llewelin setter.
Probably atypical, and may even be the only one in the history of the breed to act that way, but that is what happened to ME, under circumstances kind of like yours. 
Good luck with your decision, whichever way it goes.


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

I have two english setters... well and a third ....the new comer. He is only nine weeks though we just got him last week. 
My setters have been good upland dogs and I use them to retrieve ducks when it isn't super cold. They are not real strong swimmers, but about everything I hunt is shallow and they run through water very well.lol They are a little softer than some other breeds I have had, and I can see if someone were to get a little heavy handed on one it could ruin him quick. I like the english lines better than the Lew lines, but I don't think a guy could wrong with either if you like pointing dogs and the long hair doesnt bother you.


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## wileywapati (Sep 9, 2007)

I've owned two. The first was a big male that would do it all. No timidness in his body.
for anything. Smart as a whip, I actually had him trained to keep the wife out of certain parts of the house if I told him to do so. He'd actually sit in the doorway and growl at her till I called him off.

I currently have a three year old female that is a great dog but she is slow as hell. She thinks she is a lioness while hunting and wants to catch the birds herself. For a family dog or a smart canine companion you will be hard pressed to do any better. For a bird dog
the pup either has it or it don't. PICK CAREFULLY


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