What is a Llewellin Setter?
A Llewellin Setter is a specific strain of English Setter registered with the United Kennel Club – Field Dog Stud Book (UKC/FDSB). To be registered as Llewellin Setter with the UKC/FDSB, a dog must descend 100% from the Duke/Rhoebe/Laverack cross. This requirement distinguishes the Llewellin from the English Setter as the English had additions of other bloodlines prior to or during the establishment of the English Setter breed.
There is confusion as to what is a Llewellin mostly due to different definitions applied to the Llewellin Setter. The American Kennel Club and other registries worldwide have called show English Setters “Laveracks” and field setters “Llewellin”. Such registries do not recognize the unique pedigree of the Llewellin and registers Llewellins as English Setters. As a side note, Mr. Humphrey owner of the Llewellin Horsford Kennel from Llewellin’s death until his death in 1963, claimed that his Dashing Bondhu were 80% Laverack blood. As a result, he called his Dashing Bondhu field Laveracks.
Another reason is the startup registries that started in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Around 1999, myself and several other breeders requested that the FDSB require that DNA of Llewellin sire and dam be on file with the FDSB for all Llewellin litters. After considering our request, the FDSB agreed and began requiring the that the sire and dam DNA of every Llewellin litter be on file with the FDSB. Such DNA is now compared to the offspring’s DNA of such sire and dam when such offspring are used in the breeding of future Llewellin litters. This is used to prevent breeder mistakes and dishonest practices. For whatever reason, the reader can decide, since that time certain breeders have used registries other than the FDSB. These lesser registries lack the history and the current DNA integrity established in the 2000s by the FDSB.
Advancement in DNA testing has also created confusion. As of December 31, 2024, the FDSB has not used the DNA submitted by breeders. Some labs claim they have developed a complete DNA profile for the FDSB Llewellin, but they used DNA submitted to such labs not the DNA submitted the FDSB for litter enrollment. Confusion comes about when a papered or non-papered English Setter shows to be 100% Llewellin and the owner wants their dog registered as a Llewellin. Such profiles are only a composite of the Llewellins tested and does not confirm that such dogs are a FDSB Llewellin, but that it carries a large portion of the Llewellin DNA tested.
