About Us

Our Commitment

We breed with the aim of producing a healthy, family friendly, high quality, range adaptable, foot hunting dog who will perform with a superior level of excellence in the field as well as embody the ideal blend of strength, stamina, grace and style classic of the breed. Our breedings incorporate some of the finest Llewellin bloodlines in the country including Wind’em (Advie), Gladstone, Royacelle, Blizzard and Bondhu.

We pledge to better the breed by doing genetic screening on all our breeding dogs. We have screened our dogs for Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) and inheritable eye diseases as well as serum blood testing for Thyroid Dysfunction and our dogs have been certified by OFA.  We have also used Embark DNA testing to screen over 200,000 genetic markers for inheritable diseases. Dogs who do not pass the tests will not be used for breeding.

This alone makes us stand out from the rest, as not many breeders do this testing. Good breeders should strive to better the breed and make conscious decisions which affect the outcome, overall health and success of the pups.

We urge you to hold your breeder to a higher standard and require health testing and certification for healthy eyes and hips on the parents before you commit to purchasing a pup. After all, this puppy will be a huge investment, not only monetarily, but also in your time and effort.

We require all of our pups to be spayed or neutered as outlined in our Puppy Purchase Contract unless they prove to be of breeding quality. Before any of our pups can legally be bred, they must also pass all genetic health screening tests.

To our pups...

We do everything possible to produce healthy, happy and sound puppies by raising them in the best possible way including: providing a carpeted surface for young pups to get traction for movement, providing neurological stimulation during the critical development phase based on the "Super Dog" theory, feeding a nutritional diet, providing adequate room to play, socialization both with children and other adult dogs, noise desensitization, and medical/veterinary care when necessary.

We are dedicated to each and every one of our pups and won't leave anything left to chance. If we have a big litter and momma is having a hard time feeding them all, we supplement with regular bottle feedings. If a pup is small or ailing, we don't just leave it's fate up to mother nature, we get right in there and do what needs to be done to save it.

Our goal is to place our pups in the best possible environment for them. These dogs were bred to hunt. This will be a high priority when finding them a home. We will also look for these dogs to be lifelong family companions, not just hunters, and be looked upon as an integral part of the family. These dogs need companionship, the kind they will also provide in return. If you are one of the lucky ones to adopt a pup of ours, then you have demonstrated to us you have our common interests at heart and we believe you will be the kind of owner we are seeking.

If for any reason an owner can no longer keep the dog, we will provide assistance in finding the dog a suitable new home or are willing to take the dog back when possible. We will not permit our pups to be surrendered to animal shelters, humane societies or rescue groups when they can come back to us. We feel a sense of responsibility because we brought these pups into the world and therefore will always have a vested interest in where they reside.

To our clients...

We know part of the reason folks have chosen us as their breeder is our dedication to detail in breeding and raising our pups as well as providing a positive purchase experience.  We strive to make this an over-the-top, enjoyable experience for all our puppy buyers.

• We dedicate a LOT of time to website updates, taking and posting photos and videos, along with frequent blogging and interaction on Facebook to keep you in the loop as your puppy matures. With our LIVE Puppy Cam in HD, clients can literally see their puppy 24/7, day or night.
  

• You will become a part of the "Hickory Hollow family" and we will welcome you with open arms. We consider all of our puppy clients friends and enjoy staying in touch. We are thankful for the ongoing frienship and camaradarie within the Llewellin community.
  

• We think of all our pups as our legacy, so we like to hear reports on the puppy's progress, and share fun stories and experiences. We are available to answer questions and discuss concerns whenever needed throughout the lifetime of the dog and beyond. E-mails and photos are always welcome and we strive to acknowledge and respond to each and every one.
  

• We stand behind our dogs and our guarantees. We put our health guarantee in writing, and thus we offer purchase contracts so there are no misunderstandings of our terms. We go over everything in detail with you on delivery day during your puppy pickup appointment. And most importantly, we deliver on our promises.

Our Business (Licenses / Registrations / Certifications / Routines / Timeline / Super Dog Program  / Qualifications)

In Kansas we are considered Hobby Breeders by the Kansas Department of Agriculture because we do not produce more than two litters each license year. Therefore a license is not required.

Registrations

Field Dog Stud Book (FDSB) - Our breeding dogs are 100% purebred Llewellin Setters which have been registered by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in the Field Dog Stud Book (FDSB). FDSB registration certificates for each dog can be found in the "Our Llewellins" section of our website .

The FDSB requires all registered Llewellin Setter breeding dogs to be DNA tested and verified to prove Llewellin lineage before any litters produced by them can be registered. Our dogs have been DNA tested and have been issued a Certificate of DNA Analysis embossed with the "Verified Identifiable Parentage" (VIP) golden foil seal. All of our litters are registered with the FDSB within a week after birth and are issued a registration number. Therefore, all our puppies within those litters are also eligible for individual FDSB registration as purebred Llewellin Setters. (See also DNA Certification below).

American Kennel Club (AKC) - Since our dogs are registered with the FDSB, this makes them eligible for cross registration with the American Kennel Club because the AKC acknowledges the FDSB as an acceptible domestic registry.

Unfortunately the AKC does not differentiate the Llewellin from the English Setter in the same way the FDSB does, so all FDSB registered Llewellin Setters will be classified as purebred English Setters on the corresponding AKC paperwork.

Certifications... (Genetic and Health Testing)

DNA - Our breeding stock have been DNA tested by the UKC in conjunction with UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory to guarantee pedigrees by proving parentage and purity of the Llewellin lines.

The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Lab is internationally recognized as a pioneer and expert in DNA-based animal testing and forensics services. They have experience genotyping hundreds of thousands of dogs for breed registries and associations. DNA is the only way to prove a dog is a purebred Llewellin. We can show certifiable proof all of our dogs have Verified Identifiable Parentage (VIP) status.

HIPS - Our breeding stock are evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or through PennHIP to be free of Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) before they are used in our breeding program.

If evaluated by OFA, once dog reaches the minimum two years of age, x-rays are taken while the dog is chemically restrained in order to get an accurate photo of the hip joints. Those x-rays are sent off to the OFA for evaluation by several doctors who will rate the hip joints from Excellent through Dysplastic. Ratings within normal limits are Excellent, Good and Fair. Dogs with these ratings reduce the likelihood their offspring will have the condition.

A PennHIP report for a dog includes the DI for each hip, a subjective assessment of the presence and severity of degenerative joint disease (DJD), and the laxity ranking of the specific dog (based on the looser of the two hips) relative to other dogs of the same breed. To optimize genetic progress, PennHIP recommends breeding dogs for which the DI is under the average (mean) value for their breed. The current average (mean) value for Llewellin Setters is 0.54. The advantage of a PennHIP evaluation is hips can be evaluated at as young as 16 weeks.

EYES - Our breeding stock are certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) to be clear of inheritable eye defects which cause Juvenile Cataracts and blindness in young dogs. To be certified, our dogs must be screened annually by an OFA approved, board certified veterinary opthamologist. The eyes are dilated and examined with an opthalmosope.

Genetic Health Testing through Embark - Our breeding stock have been DNA screened for genetic diseases by Embark in conjunction with the University of Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine.

The Embark DNA test kit for breeders provides insights on a dog's overall health and traits including coat color and body size. This is an all-inclusive genetic health test consisting of an inbreeding coefficient and results for nearly all genetic mutation tests covering 165 diseases on over 200,000 genetic markers in 16 different areas; Brain and Spinal Cord, Muscular, Blood, Multisystem, Eyes, Gastro-Intestinal, Skin and Connective Tissue, Kidney and Bladder, Metabolic, Immune, Skeletal, Neuro-Muscular, Heart, Clinical, Hormones and Other Systems. Results are accepted by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for all conditions where OFA has established a DNA registry.