The Llewellin Setter was developed by R. Purcell Llewellin, a Welshman, who obtained the breed from an infusion of both the Gordon and other strains of setters. The crossbreed led to the development of the Llewellin, a small stature dog with little ears and a tendency to be drawn from other hunting dogs. His focus was development of a “pointing setter” that would hunt close and be loyal to his master.

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     Mr. R. Purcell Llewellin (1840-1925) Llewellin's strain was based on Mr. Edward Laverack’s(1800-1877) best dogs, which were then outcrossed with the bloodlines of his dogs. Mr. Humphrey was a true Sportsman and extraordinarily talented; he was a Falconer. Those dogs were the foundation of Mr. Llewellin's personal strain. William Humphrey (1882-1963) inherited them from Mr. Llewellin in 1925 and continued them pure until his death in 1963 and produced 41 field champions in 38 years.

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     Despite Llewellin's well-documented and stringent selective breeding practices, I have to disagree that the Llewellin is an English setter and not a breed all its own. It's a very distinguished and accomplished line of English setters, but a strict program does not make a separate breed.

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     While the AKC adopts this logic, the American Field Sporting Dog Association does not. They run their own registry and in their field dog stud book, and those dogs directly descended from the Llewellin lines (and kept pure) supposedly have their own designation - yet are still considered English setters as far as I can tell (which only affirms that they're a line within the greater English setter breed as a whole).

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     The Llewellin setter is a field dog that has excellent endurance and an innate desire to hunt for birds. This hunting enthusiast owes this trait to its closeness to the hunting Lavarack strain, which is bred to hunt. However, when taken as a pet, the Llewellin is very mild and reserved with a sweet nature and a desire to be in people’s company.

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      The Llewellin Setter breed can make an excellent family dog. Their playful nature makes them perfect for families with children to keep them busy and entertained. They generally have a mild temperament. Llewellin Setters are also very nurturing and will look after small children around the house. Additionally, this breed is incredibly social and are seen to appreciate spending quality time with their human friend/owner.

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     Llewellin Setters were bred to become working dogs. They are happiest and healthiest when they are mentally and physically challenged. This means that they need to have various tasks to do, especially outdoor tasks that require a lot of running, jogging, or both. They also tend to enjoy activities such as agility sports, flyball, frisbee or just plan ol’ fetching a toy as well as going on hunting escapades. This means that the breed is not best for a city apartment living dog and will require to have a home with a big backyard or even a farm.

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     If you want to keep them as an indoor family pet, it is essential to ensure that they get the proper amount of exercise for both mental and the physical stimulation. Keep in mind that the lack of exercise for this active breed will lead to chewed up furniture and shoes in the house.