Irish Setter

The Irish Setter is a large gundog developed in Ireland to find and point game birds for the gun. Its long, silky coat in deep chestnut to mahogany red is unmistakable, and the frame is built to cover ground at pace. Adults commonly weigh 27 to 32 kilograms (60 to 70 pounds) and stand 25 to 27 inches at the withers.

Temperament is where the breed makes its mark. Irish Setters are friendly, playful and openly affectionate towards people, children among them. They are inclined to greet strangers as friends rather than as a threat, which makes them poor guard dogs but thoroughly reliable companions. Their energy is considerable, and a setter denied sufficient activity may grow restless and destructive indoors.

This is a dog that wishes to be part of the household. It fares badly when left on its own for long spells and forms strong attachments to its family. Early training and steady exercise channel that exuberance into a manageable, agreeable house dog.

Who it suits

The Irish Setter is at home in an active household that relishes daily time outdoors and wants a sociable, hands-on dog. It suits families with children and owners prepared to commit to an hour or more of exercise each day. It is a less happy match for those away from home for long hours, those wanting a guard dog, or anyone who would prefer a calm, low-energy companion.

The Irish Setter has its roots in Ireland, where sportsmen wanted a fast, wide-ranging dog able to locate game birds over open country. The first setters in Ireland emerged in the 18th century, put together from a mixture of spaniels, pointers and other setter types. Many of these early dogs were red and white rather than solid red.

As the 1800s wore on, Irish breeders increasingly favoured the solid mahogany red now associated with the breed. The red and white variety persisted as a distinct line and is recognised today as the Irish Red and White Setter, a separate breed. The solid red dog became the better known of the pair.

The breed won admirers beyond Ireland during the 19th century and was among the earlier breeds recognised as the modern dog fancy took shape. In Britain it is registered with The Kennel Club, and it was also entered with the American Kennel Club in 1878. By the early twentieth century the Irish Setter was well established across Britain and North America, serving as a working gundog and as a show and companion breed.

Generations of favour as a pet drew some breeding towards looks rather than field ability. Working and show lines diverged somewhat, field-bred setters tending to be lighter and more driven. Both types retain the same friendly nature and red coat.

The Irish Setter has an elegant, racy build that hints at speed and stamina. The body is a little longer than it is tall, with a deep chest, a long neck and clean lines. The head is long and lean, the muzzle moderately deep, and the expression soft and alert. The tail is carried roughly level with the back and tapers to a point.

Coat and colours

The coat is short and fine over the head and the front of the legs, and longer elsewhere. Feathering falls from the ears, the backs of the legs, the underside and the tail. Colour runs from a rich chestnut to a deep mahogany red, with no black. The standard permits small patches of white on the chest, throat or toes, though extensive white markings are not typical of the solid red breed. Regular grooming keeps the feathering free of mats.

The Irish Setter is among the more sociable of the gundog breeds. Affectionate and openly friendly, it tends to greet callers with enthusiasm rather than suspicion. With family, children included, it is gentle and playful, though its size and high energy mean young children should be supervised lest anyone be knocked over during play.

The breed generally gets on with other dogs and can share a home with cats and other pets when reared alongside them, though its bird-dog ancestry leaves it keenly drawn to small running creatures. It is no guard dog and rarely displays aggression.

Irish Setters are slow to mature and keep a puppyish, mischievous streak well into adulthood. Intelligent but readily distracted, they call for patience in training. Boredom and isolation are the principal behavioural risks: a setter short of exercise and company may bark, chew or dig. Steady work for both mind and body keeps the character at its best.

Grooming

• Brush two to three times a week to prevent mats forming in the feathering on the ears, legs and tail
• Bathe every four to six weeks or as required, drying the coat thoroughly
• Trim the hair around the feet and ears to keep them clean
• Check and clean the ears weekly, as the drop ears can trap moisture and lead to infection
• Trim the nails every few weeks and brush the teeth several times a week

Exercise

• Provide at least 60 to 90 minutes of activity daily
• Combine walks with off-lead running in a safe, fenced area
• Add games of fetch, scent work or dog sports to occupy the mind
• Avoid vigorous exercise straight after meals to reduce the risk of bloat

Environment

The Irish Setter does best in a home with a securely fenced garden and an active family. It can adapt to suburban life given enough daily exercise, but it is unsuited to long hours alone or to being kept outdoors as a kennel dog. It wants to live indoors with its people.

The Irish Setter is a large, athletic dog with genuine exercise needs, so it requires a complete and balanced diet formulated for its life stage and activity level. Working or sporting setters burn more calories than a mainly home-based companion, and quantities should be adjusted to keep the dog lean. Keep an eye on body condition: the ribs should be easy to feel but not to see.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to around 10 percent of daily calories to guard against weight gain. Most setters on a complete commercial diet require no supplements. A vet may suggest joint support for large active dogs or omega-3 fatty acids for coat and skin. Always keep fresh water to hand, particularly around exercise.

The Irish Setter is a fairly hardy breed with a typical lifespan of 12 to 15 years. As with most large, deep-chested dogs, its most urgent health concern is gastric dilatation-volvulus, known as bloat, in which the stomach fills with gas and may twist. This is a life-threatening emergency. Responsible breeders screen for hip and eye conditions, and buying from health-tested lines reduces the likelihood of inherited disease.

Preventive care

• Annual veterinary examinations, with twice-yearly checks for older dogs
• Keep vaccinations and parasite control up to date
• Maintain a healthy weight to protect the joints
• Feed two smaller meals and avoid hard exercise around mealtimes to reduce the risk of bloat
• Choose breeders who test for hip and eye conditions

The Irish Setter is clever and keen to please, but its playful, distractible nature means training calls for patience and consistency. As the breed matures slowly and may behave like a puppy for two or three years, owners should expect a longer training timeline than with some other gundogs. Harsh methods backfire with this sensitive breed, which responds far better to encouragement than to correction.

Begin socialisation early. Exposing a puppy to a wide range of people, places, dogs and situations builds the confident, friendly adult the breed is known for.

Basics

1. Start with name recognition and attention games in a quiet space
2. Teach sit, down and stay with small food rewards
3. Establish a reliable recall early, as the breed loves to run and chase
4. Work on loose-lead walking to manage a strong, energetic dog
5. Keep sessions short, around 5 to 10 minutes, and end on a success
6. Introduce scent work, fetch or dog sports to channel energy as the dog matures

Responsible breeding of Irish Setters begins with health screening of both parents for hip dysplasia and inherited eye conditions, together with a sound, friendly temperament. Breeders generally wait until a dog is physically and mentally mature, around two years of age, rather than breeding at first season or first fertility.

Bitches come into season roughly twice a year. After a successful mating, gestation runs about 63 days from conception. Litters are usually medium to large, often six to twelve puppies, in keeping with the breed's size.

Newborn puppies are blind, deaf and wholly dependent on the dam for warmth and feeding in the first weeks. The breeder's role is to keep the whelping area clean and warm, monitor weight gain, and begin gentle handling and socialisation as the puppies develop. Puppies usually move to new homes at around eight weeks, by which time weaning is complete and early socialisation has begun. Given the breed's slow maturity, new owners should plan for a prolonged adolescence.

Registering an Irish Setter in the United Kingdom

When a dog warden or rescue centre picks up a stray Irish Setter, the chip scan is the first move, and the record behind it decides how the story ends. Keep yours pointing home with a free United Pet Club profile. Register your dog once, and the record stands for life without a renewal letter ever landing on the mat.

The implant happens at the vet surgery; the record is your half of the bargain, and the 2016 regulations expect it kept up to date. Register the microchip free on the lifetime plan: any brand a British vet implants is accepted, amendments after moving house cost nothing, and the record stays searchable through the lookups rescue centres and wardens turn to first. Create your free account and square it away this evening.