Gun Dog Forum

I'll start this off by saying that I have always been a GSP guy and I have one now but it's a kennel dog. The wife is wanting a house dog so I'm thinking why not get another bird dog. I've been doing alot of research on llewellins. It sounds like to me that they would be a perfect match for us, except for the shedding. I'm mainly wanting a close ranging pheasant dog that'll retrieve and hunt dead but still be calm in the house. I mainly hunt the Dakotas and Western Kansas. I may also cosnider a vizsla. My doctor is always talking up his vizsla but I don't know much about them. I have heard they are good house dogs. If anyone could advise me on some breeders or lines it would be greatly appreciated. If there's some breeders that I should stay away from please share that info to. Thanks in advance.

Define "close ranging."

I think you'll get a wide variety of answers. But are you only considering pointers? It would seem that a field bred springer spaniel may be a better fit from what you described.

Maybe close was a bad word to describe what I want. I just want a nice working dog. We hunt alot of thick crp. I don't need a big running trial dog. That's all I was trying to say. I've never been around springers. I know nothing about them.

I have had several Llewellins. They are awesome dogs and all of mine are in the house.

You can get a Llew that works at most any range. I have one that is a several hundred yard dog. Indy is the biggest running Llew I have ever seen. Awesome bird finder but likely more wheels than you would like.

I have a year old pup Tucker that is likely exactly what you are looking for. He is out of Houdini Llewellins. There are several other good breeders out there.

This video is Indy in Montana, big open country where you want a dog that really gets out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hSGO5L1uTk

This is Tucker at months
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5JMGN9JPAo

This is Ace, I lost him last year, but he was an outstanding pheasant dog.
Not my best video of him but is the only one I could find
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU0VAsYodnc

Like mnaj said, a field bred springer sounds like a very good match. But there are many lines and breeders for both llews and English Setters, that if you talk to them they will let you know what you are getting, and what there parents do. When i got my ES i talked to ES EP Llew and gsp breeders before i picked which one i wanted. I talked to everyone of them and the one that sounded like the best fit for what i wanted including parents and bloodline, etc, is the one i ended up getting.. Look on gundogcentral.com and narrow it down to pointer puppies for sale in what ever state you are located and if you find one you like, email or call the breeder and ask some questions. Make sure its the dog you want as you could have it for possibly 15 years. I almost got one that probably wouldn't have been a good fit, just because of the bloodlines.

-Northwoodshunter

I'm not an expert on them, but the few Lewelllian Setters I've been around have all been big running dogs by foot hunting standards...

Turn your shorthair into a house dog

My Llewellyn is a great dog for me on foot. I kill grouse, woodcock and pheasant off of him. Range is perfect. It's all about how you train him. He will know when to open it up and when to close it down depending on how the terrain is. I was told that any good dog has to be able to know when to Range and when to close it up. Seems to be natural for Pete. Bottom line is that from my experience and only speaking from my experience Llewellyn's are great dogs and Pete is awesome in the house wouldn't have a bird dog that is kept outside. Hope this helps.

I have hunted & breed llewellins for 10 yrs but because of age have retired from breeding after selling one litter a year or about 100 puppys I have lots of pictures & letters from there new owners & lots of them are calling wonting another puppy . as advised before they will range as how you train them & what the cover is remeber as a puppy & as they grow to take them out & hide ;;;;;from them make them find you that way they will always keep track of you insteed of you hunting them . You buy a dog to hunt with you not you hunt for him

I have a Llewellin, "JD", and I also have bred Springers for 28 years... I hunt JD exclusively on Huns and Sharptails. He's a big running dog which is a necessity where I hunt (open prairie, the edge of grain fields, etc.. A close working dog would be pretty much useless. A dog can't run too big for me as long as they are staunch on point, of course. The reason for using a dog is to find birds, so I want a dog that will cover a lot of ground (ground I don't have to walk!!). JD will work pheasants, but the pheasants where I hunt are in very thick cover....willows, tangles of wildrose bushes, cattail sloughs, etc.. Nasty stuff! Even if he points a bird, how do you get in there and get the bird to flush? Pheasants in thick cover is where my Springers put other dogs to shame... No breed can match a Springer (or an English Cocker) when it comes to rooting pheasants out of the cover I hunt.....

In the house, JD is about the most laid back dog you'll see, but in the field he's all business. He sheds very little.. My Springers shed very little also. If you want a dog that sheds a lot, get a lab!!! Springers make fine family dogs as well. Generally speaking they have a higher energy level as puppies than Llewellins, but if raised in the home and taught their house manners, they are wonderful family dogs.

I've had two Llewellins over the years, an Enlgish Setter, and a Gordon Setter. I currently have 7 Springers. If you primarily hunt pheasants, get a Springer...

Just my $.02.

I was new to pointers three years ago, and did a good amount of research on most breeds given what I was looking for. Landed on a Llewellin out of KY and have been pretty pleased with his work in the field and his manners inside the house. He's got wheels, but we hunt crp for quail and NC mtns for grouse, and he's learned to judge his range by the terrain. As for the house, his maturity has jumped dramatically in the last year and he's a joy to be around. As for all gun dogs, daily exercise is the key.

Good luck with your search.

Thanks for everyone's advice. It greatly appreciated.

For those of you that hunt springers, are you able to hunt them around pointing dogs? All my hunting partners have shorthairs and I just think that hunting flushers and pointers in the same field could cause a problem? Any thoughts?

I have an EP as well as a springer. I hunt them separately. There are ways to hunt them together, but I'm not willing to try it.