Question for you dog owners. How do you feel about AKC? I use to own an english setter back in the early 80's and since haven't really been in situation to own another. Recently, i've been researching stage and was looking at getting another engish setter.

Back then the english setter and pointer dominated the field trail scene due to numbers and everyone avoided AKC but registered them under Field Dog Stud Book (FDSB) mainly because they didn't want the setters and pointers to go by way of the irish setter twenty years before (back in the 50's and 60's irish setters were pretty good field dogs apparently). The english setter I had we had flown in from the south, famous lineage, and an excellent hunting dog.

Researching now is discouraging. I've seen the field trails held by AKC. Field trails in the 80's had some problems, but nothing which couldn't be fixed. AKC trails seem totally different now. It seems like emphsis is placed upon how your dog listen to commands, where the field trail judge directs you to the bird and you direct the dog. In the 'old' trails, two birds were planted in the field and the judge didn't tell you. It depended upon your dog's ability to hunt those birds, including any wild birds. The trail lasted about an hour to complete because of the distances you covered on horseback.

I figured field trails would be good measuring stick but I dont know now. I'm torn between the english setter but do not really want AKC because its an 'unknown' factor to me. I'm considering a Llwellen setter but will have to fly one into Wash state.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? How can a bench or show type english setter do any serious hunting? Any show lines bred into a breed can't be good. Are there any hardcore upland bird ol' timers around who can compare the breed from those times? Anyone ever shot over a Llwellen and an AKC Setter? People here I've met pheasant hunting use mostly flushing labs and springers. I really want a dog that will be able to sniff out a bird at 50' or so. 75' in high winds and will naturally quarter a field. That is what I'd expect from a typical field dog.

Sorry for the long post but owning and training a dog takes alot of commitment.