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Irish Setter

General
Other Names		Irish Red Setter and Red Setter
Dog Group Kennel Club		Gundog
Breed Classification		The Irish Setter is a member of the gundog group, very popular nowadays as both a working gundog and family pet. This dog has been successfully shown and has won many top awards at all levels in the dog showing world.
Cost of Ownership
Average Food Cost		£4-7.50 per week
Feeding Requirements		This is a breed that is susceptible to bloat so care must be taken with feeding, two smaller meals are ideal. The breeder should give you advice, and a diet sheet, regarding the feeding of your Irish Setter.
		Try Royal Canin Breed Specific Dog Food
Other Expenses		Once you have paid for your puppy, around £550 - £600 there doesn't appear to be a great deal of other expense attached to this breed. They are relatively inexpensive to feed, but their grooming requirements will add to the cost.
Average Puppy Price		£500-800
Lifespan		9 - 15 years The average life span of the Irish Setter is 13 years.
Average Litter Size		9 Litters can be quite large, 16 puppies not unheard of. It is more common to have between 8 and 10 pups though.
General Physical Description		This gundog’s outstanding attribute is its rich, chestnut to mahogany coloured coat. It is a silky, flat coat with feathering at the legs, ears and on the tail. Balanced and elegant, the breed strides through the show ring, or alongside its owner, with its head held high. The are quite muscular dogs and should not carry any excess weight.
Height Min Max Bitch 64cm (25") 69cm (27") Dog 64cm (25") 69cm (27") Weight Min Max Bitch 27kg (60lbs) 32kg (71lbs) Dog 27kg (60lbs) 32kg (71lbs)
Size Category		Large
Weight Height Range		The Irish Setter breed standard does not contain a height range, however on average dogs stand at 65cms at the withers and weigh 30.5kgs, bitches average at 61cms from the withers and weigh 26kgs.
Ailments		This breed was very popular in the 1970's and many health and temperament problems appeared. In recent years many of these problems have been eliminated. Irish Setters are known to be sensitive to penicillin and some other antibiotics. They are also prone to hip dysplasia and screening for this is very important.
Common Ailments		Rickets Wheat sensitive enteropathy Reproductoin problems
Susceptibility To Illness		Medium
Other
History		Irish Setters are the oldest of the setter group, proceeding Gordon and English setters. The country of origin is, of course, Ireland. It is believed the breed developed from old spaniels, setting spaniels and a Scottish setter. The breed was first developed for hunting and has always had a good nose for scent. However, it has not always proved to be the greatest of hunters as its mischievous, fun-loving nature sometimes gets in the way. It was in 1882 that the Irish Red Setter Club was formed in Dublin, prompted by the breeding programme of The Earl of Enniskellen, who developed the signature solid red coat. However, major show winners in the late 1800s, still had some markings of white or black, harkening back to their relations, The Red and White Setter and The Gordon Setter. While doing well in the show ring, the first field trial champion was not made up till 1929. In the 1940s the breed was nearly decimated by the eye disease Progressive Retinal Atrophy, better known as PRA. This disease is a non sex-linked genetic illness that causes night blindness. Thankfully, it is now known how to DNA test to identify carriers and thus, eliminate them from a breeding programme. Due to this scientific advance, the breed has recovered itself and the incidence of PRA has dropped dramatically.
Intelligence		Early obedience training is a must in order to get this dog to come back if it ever gets off the lead. Being a hunter, although an easily distracted one, it will follow a scents all over if not trained to come back to its owner. With patience and kindness, The Irish Setter is easy to train and can even compete in obedience trials. It is a sensitive breed though and will not respond well to harsh correction. This breed matures slowly, both physically and mentally and should never be pushed too far too fast. They are hardheaded, stubborn and independent.
Show Characteristics		The long, lean head should be twice the length of the width between the eyes. There should be a distinct stop and a well-defined occiput, so that in profile the head appears slightly domed with a deep muzzle which is fairly square at the nose. The jaws should be of nearly equal length, with a perfect scissor bite, and a black or dark mahogany which adds to the aristocratic appearance. Almond shaped eyes of a dark to medium brown. Feathering begins at the ear tips, on ears set back and low, in length, almost long enough to reach the nose. They should have a long, very muscular not too thick neck. The shoulder blades should slope well back over a deep, rather narrow chest. A slightly sloping topline is completed by the plumed tail, which should be held level with the topline. Strong, well-boned legs support the dog. Muscle should be evident in the hindquarters and the hocks should be nearly perpendicular to the ground. This anatomy should produce the graceful and efficient gait that helps make the dog so showy in the ring.
Country Of Origin		Ireland
Famous Examples
Records Held
Characteristics
Energy		High
Overall Exercise		> 2 hours per day. The Irish Setter needs a lot of exercise. This dog was bred to hunt birds and is thus very active. Long of leg, it can be well exercised alongside a cyclist.
Distress Caused if Left Alone
Personal Protection		Low
Suitability As Guard Dog		Low
Risk of Sheep Worrying		Medium
Tendency to Bark		High
Ease of Transportation		Low
Level of Aggression		Low
Compatibility With Other Animals		Medium
Suitable For Children		High
General Character And Temperament		The Irish Setter plays enthusiastically but gently with children and is extraordinarily sweet and affectionate as a pet. They get on well with other dogs but do need early exposure to cats and other pets in order to live in peace with them. Being terribly friendly, this is not a good guard dog, though it will announce the presence of a visitor. If bored, Irish Setters are known to bark to excess so it is best to keep them happy and active. Again, they should be trained early on as they have a tendency to scavenge and can eat some terrifying objects, e.g. light bulbs, fish-hooks, etc. Despite its noble appearance, The Irish Setter remains a pup at heart throughout its life, one of its more endearing traits.
Grooming
Coat Length		Medium/Long
Grooming Requirement		> Once a week
Trimming
Requires Professional Groomer
Grooming		The dog’s crowning glory is, of course, the coat. Daily brushing is essential to keep the feathers from tangling. Occasionally, the owner will need to trim between the pads and behind the ears to prevent mats. Bathing can be done as needed. A professional groomer may be needed for extensive trimming once in a while. However, for show, the coat needs a great deal of careful attention in order for the dog to be competitive. One essential grooming chore that can not be ignored is careful and regular cleaning of the ears. As they are drop ears, very little air circulation is able to get inside the ear and thus it is a breeding ground for bacteria, making ear infections common.
Colour		The Irish Setter should be a deep red chestnut colour. A small blaze of white may appear on the chest.
Shedding		Little
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies

Breed results: F-J
Field Spaniel Finnish Lapphund Finnish Spitz Flat-Coated Retriever Fox Terrier Smooth Coat Fox Terrier Wire Coat Fox Terrier Wire Coat Foxhound French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog German Short-Haired Pointer German Spitz Klein German Spitz Mittel German Wire-Haired Pointer Giant Schnauzer Golden Retriever Gordon Setter Grand Bleu de Gascogne Great Dane Greyhound	Hamiltonstovare Havanese Hovawart Hungarian Kuvasz Hungarian Puli Hungarian Vizsla Hungarian Wire-Haired Vizsla Ibizan Hound Irish Red and White Setter Irish Setter Irish Soft-Coated Terrier Irish Terrier Irish Water Spaniel Irish Wolfhound Italian Greyhound Italian Spinone Italian Spinone Japanese Chin Japanese Shibu Inu Japanese Spitz