Llewellin Setters Breeders Blog

I have written in the past expressing my views about Llewellin “blood lines” and their significance today. I feel that I must also say a word about the popular idea that if a breeder gets involved in breeding a certain breed of dog then his name gets to be in some way associated with the breed.

I refer to many writings I see on chat sites (which I never would participate in) and the like, as well as to the many people who e-mail and call me making reference to dogs which they attach the breeders name to.

Some examples would be “King Llewellins,” Humphrey Llewellins,” “Advie Llewellins,” even “Lynnhill Llewellins” and so on. This is of course total nonsense. There is no such thing. These dogs are Llewellin Setters. Period. (This same statement has also been attributed to Bernie Matthys of the Field Dog Stud Book in spite of his actions against Alfred King). You have no qualifications to add your name to the breed regardless of who you are. Of course you are free to register the dog with any name you please. However, just because you have registered or bred a hundred or even a thousand or more Llewellin Setters they remain Llewellin Setters going back to the work of the founders.

(Read on …)

One cannot become interested in the breeding of any species of animal very long before the question of “blood lines” comes up.

In pedigreed stock, the assumption is often made that those animals bearing the same ancestral names as part of the registered pedigree are in fact of the same blood lines.

What are meant by blood lines are presumably specimens sharing common ancestry and therefore having common genes. Popular ideas are that breeding animals sharing the same blood lines will be a positive thing and ensure that traits will be continued or strengthened. (Read on …)