All About
Irish Setter

Irish Setters require a lot of activity to maintain an even temperament. Prospective owners should be prepared to dedicate at least one hour per day to a Setter's physical activity requirements. Brisk walks are good, but they should be allowed to run several times per week. Irish Setters are country dogs, they require wide open space and room to roam.

Agility training is often a good outlet for Irish Setters as it works the mind and the body. Though they aren't as reliable as a Golden Retriever and may not win agility championships, Irish Setters enjoy the activity and appreciate the bonding time.

The Irish Setter should be fed a high-quality dog food appropriate for the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. The breed can experience bloat, a sudden and life-threatening swelling of the abdomen, and owners should educate themselves about its symptoms and what to do should bloat occur. The causes of bloat aren’t fully understood, but experts agree that multiple, small meals and preventing vigorous exercise around mealtimes may help reduce the risk of bloating.

The Irish Setter’s stunning rich-red coat requires moderate grooming to look its best. Irish should be brushed at least twice a week with a pin brush or a soft bristle brush; a long-toothed metal dog comb can also be used to help work out any tangles or mats that may be starting to form. The nails should be trimmed once a month. An occasional bath with a gentle shampoo meant for dogs will help to keep the coat and skin clean and healthy. Grooming sessions are a good time to check the dog all over for any new lumps or skin problems, and to check that the eyes and ears are healthy and trouble free.

The best home for an Irish Setter is one with a large fenced yard or acreage. This breed needs room to run. He is a hunting dog, so he must be contained by a fence or restrained by a leash to prevent him from wandering off. He should live indoors with his family, never alone in a kennel or backyard.Irish Setters need at least an hour of exercise daily. This can be done in a variety of different ways, but one of the best ways is to allow the Irish Setter to run. He's a great jogging companion and will also enjoy running alongside a bicycle. Long walks, playing fetch, swimming, and of course hunting are other excellent ways to exercise your Irish Setter.Irish Setter puppies have different exercise needs. From 8 weeks to 4 months of age, puppy kindergarten once or twice a week is a great way for them to get exercise, training, and socialization, plus 15 to 20 minutes of playtime in the yard, morning and evening. Throw a ball for them to fetch. From 4 to 6 months of age, weekly obedience classes and daily half-mile walks will meet their needs, plus playtime in the yard. From 6 months to a year of age, play fetch with a ball or Frisbee for up to 40 minutes during cool mornings or evenings, not in the heat of the day. Continue to limit walks to a half mile. After he's a year old, your Irish Setter pup can begin to jog with you, but keep the distance to less than a mile, run on soft surfaces such as grass or dirt, and give him frequent breaks along the way. As he continues to mature, you can increase the distance and time you run. These graduated levels of exercise will protect his developing bones and joints.Irish Setters are intelligent dogs who are easy to train, although they require firmness and consistency to prevent them from taking advantage of you. You must be able to provide leadership without using anger or physical force. Training an Irish Setter is primarily a matter of preventing boredom on his part. He tends to suffer from attention deficit disorder. Help him focus by keeping him entertained. Use positive reinforcement techniques such as food rewards, praise, and play, and avoid repetitive exercises. Switch rewards and activities frequently to retain his interest. He accepts fair corrections good-naturedly.Crate training is a must for your Irish Setter puppy. This breed is curious and will examine anything and everything with his mouth. A crate will help keep your puppy and your belongings safe when you aren't around to supervise.Most Irish Setters are easy to housetrain. Be consistent, keep the puppy on a schedule, and use a crate. The most important thing to remember is that housetraining is a long process. Your Irish Setter puppy may understand where he needs to do his business, but he may not have the bladder control to see it through until he's 4 months or older. If you will be gone for long periods of time for work or other activities, it's important to have someone who will let the puppy out for a pee break.

Major concerns: PRA, CHD, gastric torsion
Minor concerns: epilepsy, megaesophagus, OCD, panosteitis, HOD
Occasionally seen: OCD, epilepsy, hemophilia A
Suggested tests: DNA for PRA, hip, eye, cardiac
Life span: 12-14 years
Note: With the advent of DNA testing for PRA, this problem should no longer be a concern if both parents have been tested.

It's not surprising that this handsome redhead comes from Ireland, which is famous for fine and beautiful dogs. The Irish Setter appears to have been developed there in the 18th century, probably the result of combining English Setters, spaniels, pointers, and Gordon Setters.Those first Irish Setters were sometimes called red spaniels — a clue to their heritage, perhaps — or modder rhu, Gaelic for "red dog." Often, they were white and red instead of the solid dark red we see today. Some, described as "shower of hail" dogs, had red coats sprinkled with small white spots. The Irish Earl of Enniskillen may have started the fad for solid red dogs. By 1812, he would have no other kind in his kennels. Other Irish breeders of the time who preferred the red dogs were Jason Hazzard of Timaskea in County Fermanagh and Sir St. George Gore.A dog named Elcho was the first Irish Setter imported to the United States. He arrived in 1875 and became a star not only in the show ring but also in the field. The first Irish Setter registered by the American Kennel Club was Admiral, in 1878.They quickly became one of the most popular breeds in America and a favorite in the show ring. Between 1874 and 1948, 760 Irish Setters became conformation champions, while only five became field champions. This sparked alarm for some fanciers of the original breed, and in 1940 the magazine Field and Stream called for a resurrection of the breed as a working dog. Today, it's not unusual to see two types: the larger, heavier show dog, and the lighter, sleeker field dog.The Irish Setter's popularity soared in the 1960s and 1970s, thanks to the books and movie featuring an Irish Setter named Big Red, as well as the presence of Irish Setter King Timahoe at the White House during the Nixon administration. Today, the Irish Setter ranks 68th among the 155 breeds and varieties recognized by the AKC.