English Setter

The English Setter was a trained bird dog in England more than 400 years ago. The breed had its origin in some of the older of the land spaniels that originated in Spain.

There is some evidence that the breed was originally produced from crosses of the Spanish Pointer, the large Water Spaniel, and the Springer Spaniel, and by careful cultivation attained a high degree of proficiency in finding and pointing game in open country. We can see from examination of the sketches in many of the old writings that this setter-spaniel was an extremely handsome dog, many having a head much longer and with a more classical cut than that of the spaniel, while others had the short spaniel-like head, lacking the well-defined profile of the skull and foreface of the modern dogs.

The English Setter has retained its popularity since its introduction to this country primarily because of its usefulness and beauty. As a result of intelligent breeding it has been brought to a high state of perfection and a representative entry is always found at all bench shows and field trials.

The mild, sweet disposition characteristic of this breed along with the beauty, intelligence, and aristocratic appearance it makes in the field and in the home has endeared it both to the sportsman as well as all lovers of a beautiful, active, and rugged outdoor dog.

The English Setter is a very gentle, placid, friendly dog. Excellent with children. Mild mannered and sensitive. He loves affection. Enthusiastic and lively outdoors, but relatively inactive indoors. They are somewhat willful and can be difficult to housebreak. Training should start early to prevent development of bad habits, but should never be harshly treated. It needs lots of companionship and enjoys playing with other dogs. English Setters are adequate watchdogs. They like to roam and are diggers and good jumpers. There are two types of English Setter: field and show. The field types are generally a bit smaller and lighter, and very active so they need more exercise than the show types. Both types need daily exercise to stay healthy and happy and must have a fenced yard. The English Setter tends to be quite vocal and can become a nuisance barker if not discouraged early in life. Some English Setters may drool, although not obsessively like some of the Mastiff type dogs.

Males should be 24-27 inches tall and should weigh 55-88 pounds, females about 23-26 inches tall and weigh 55-80 pounds. The coat should be flat without curl or woolliness. Colors can be Orange belton, blue belton (white with black markings), tricolor, lemon belton or liver belton. Because the bones of puppies are not completely calcified until they are 2 years old, puppies and young dogs should be exercised with care. A good breeder can provide guidance about the proper way to safely exercise an English Setter puppy.

Regular combing and brushing of the soft, flat, medium-length coat is all that is required to keep it in excellent condition. It is important to check for burrs and tangles, and to give extra care when the dog is shedding. Bathe or dry shampoo only when necessary. Trim the hair on the bottom of the feet and clip the nails.

Health concerns include Hip Dysplasia which is an inherited abnormality of the hip joint that can lead to arthritic problems later in life, Elbow Dysplasia which is an inherited abnormality of the elbow joint that can cause lameness of the forelimbs, hypothyroidism, Allergies to pollen, flea bites, and molds, and congenital deafness.