Member since: 11/04/2014
Location: TN
| RE: New to english SettersWhat Rob says it true of facts from my side of the fence as well. Having hunted over many verities of dogs for over 27 years in the US, I have started with and plan on ending with English Setters ...(Llewlellin Setters) to be precise.
I am not trying to turn this into a promotional for my Llewllin Setters as I do have a website and sell their pups, but more so just to give a true witness to my dogs in contrast to dogs of my past experiences.
Since 1987; I have owned and/or hunted over Brits, GSPs, Labs, Pointers, Springers, Spaniels, Setters, etc, and in evaluation and conclusion have come to see my Llewellins as some of the best to hunt over in a variety of conditions. In fields they will go long for a hail marry as to find birds, in brush they are within shooting range 90% of the time or more, they will pull a hill and hunt like a supped up 4 wheel drive, and I would not hesitate to put them in the waters of early duck season hunting as well as they take to water well.
Even on a 30 degree morning when I take them out they hit the water and come back looking like ice sickles hanging off a roof, ready for more. And I give them that as I knock the ice off and let them go at it again or until I am too cold.
Bringing them in the house to melt,is no big deal either as I have had all 5 in a small living room without the chaos you would expect....just the mess of thawing water.
In obedience and loyalty, my Llewellins are always the ones that seem to listen and were easily trained in (come, here, find, left, right, whoa, etc)to whistle, verbal and hand commands while the others always seem to be more stubborn or block heads outside the range of the master(not saying that offensively to others). I say that meaning out of the box training and with no militant efforts or air in training and obedience, these dogs are smart enough to figure it out seemingly more quickly.
My dogs will range outwards of 250 yards in the fields and all I have to do is hit the whistle, call Here, or hold up my hand or cane and within minutes they are at my feet if not immediately, checking in. If one hits the brush at that distance (and I have tested thier merits many times) I will walk away disppearing myself, it is only minutes that my dogs will beating a path at high speed catching back up to me as they refuse to be left be hind.
I dont make these claims to sound like a good trainer or create the air that the doqs are 200% loyal, there are times when they are distracted and act the fool as with any dog, but 99% of the time they are as I have described as well as in the rest of this post.
I am not a demanding trainer and you are free to evaluate my claim as you see fit, but in all my years of hunting, we all know a dog that does not listen or disappears and will not come back takes away from the hunt and stresses you out as most have about $2000.00 tied up in a dog Minimum. I have 5 in the fields all at the same time and all will answer my call as noted above, if not I know they are holding down a bird or on scent one, so its not the training so much as it is the breed as I see it.
For me, in various conditions fields,brush, woods etc, Llewellins are more apt/versatile in all aspect of common hunting terrains and the better choice. They take to the woods and hills like mountain goats and deer, in the fields like a greyhound, in the brush of honey suckle and briers like tunneling rats.I am amazed every time I watch them on their bellies making tunnels as the scent through the most thickest of honey suckle vines that I cannot consider huntable; they are bulldozer tunnel rats.
In the ceders, I watch them stand on their hind quarters trying to catch a better scent or point, and see them trying to climb the inner limbs as well. I am so sold on their performance from years ago and could care less of the name and history hype. Performance and the desire to hunt is what its all about and my Llewellins have the right stuff for me.
Now, I own and sell Llewellins for those reasons mentioned, but there is much more to the reasons I chose Llewellins. Their long but shorter hair is more desirable than most English setters and is is a factor. GSP Brits and many others hair is just too short for me and reminds me of other breeds..Beautiful dogs though and worthy of bragging, but just not my cup tea, cream and whiskey. The fact that my Llewllins are dedicated to me and the hunt seem to be imprinted in every one of them as they are loyalt to human companionship in general and conform to leadership in the field if needed which is also a factor in my preference, in short they tend to be more obedient and attentive, working with you as a hunting partners more so than a tool.
Thanks for considering my two cents worth of opinion.
DickensLllewllins.com....Bob Dickens Jr. |
