Irish Setter Breed Character – Complete Guide

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irish setter

The Irish Setter was born as a breed of hunting dog in its native Ireland, although its popularity soon spread beyond the limits of the island and, thanks to the virtues of its character, it eventually became a fantastic companion dog.

He is prized for his noble stamp, his infectious enthusiasm, and the beauty of his mahogany colored fur, a physical trait that makes him also known by the name Red Setter.

But above all, it is a friendly, mischievous, sharp dog endowed with inexhaustible energy, which makes it very good for sports and other activities.

Index of contents

  • 1 Irish Setter Behavior
  • 2 Physical characteristics of the breed
  • 3 How to educate an Irish Setter?
  • 4 Irish Setter Care

Irish Setter Behavior

A great fun-loving, playful and affectionate, always ready to have a fun time, the Irish Setter is an outgoing dog who enjoys the company of humans. It is not actually a watchdog, although it does not hesitate to intervene and protect its own if it considers it necessary or intuits some kind of danger.

Part of the playful character so characteristic of the Irish Setter is due to the fact that it takes a long time to mature, retaining the enthusiasm of a puppy for more years than other breeds, in some cases throughout its life.

It also keeps its hunting dog instinct almost intact, which is why it enjoys any type of outdoor activity. By always wanting to play and being very affectionate with children, the fact of sharing life with an Irish Setter is the guarantee of never being bored.

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irish setter

Physical characteristics of the breed

The height at the withers of the Irish Setter ranges between 60 and 65 cm in males and between 55 and 60 cm in females. His weight in adulthood is about 25-30 kg.

It is a large, slender-bodied dog with firm limbs and a very graceful overall appearance. Its head is long and thin head, with an elongated snout, almond eyes and hairy ears with a very characteristic pose.

It is precisely the beautiful coat of the Irish Setter one of the characteristics that give it recognition as one of the most beautiful dog breeds. The hair is short and fine on the head and front legs, but long on the rest of the body, showing some waviness in the ears, hind legs and tail.

There is a variety of the breed known as the Irish Red and White Setter, which, in addition to the color difference of its coat, is distinguished by better performance in hunting.

How to educate an Irish Setter?

The Irish Setter is a dog well known for its intelligence, but also for its mischievous, independent, and at times tremendously stubborn temperament. Training him requires a lot of patience and perseverance.

The real challenge is to stimulate their learning with positive reinforcement techniques, changing the rewards, varying the type of game and avoiding repetitive exercises.

Although we start training from puppies, which is the most desirable, its slow maturation process means that we can often meet an adult dog with a similar enthusiasm and level of activity as a puppy.

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The Irish Setter is very stubborn at times and at other times too prone to distraction. That is why it is necessary to always stand firm and establish clear rules so that the training process is not too complicated.

puppy irish setter

Irish Setter Care

A house with a garden, patio or minimal open space is needed for our Irish Setter to feel at ease. But in addition to this, this dog always full of energy needs a minimum of one hour of exercise a day and a family that is always aware of him and eager to play. It is not good for this dog to be left alone or confined for too long.

It is important to brush the Irish Setter daily to keep its coat shiny and tangle free. Unless you end up rolling in a muddy puddle or any other particularly dirty place (which, given its unruly character, may occur more than desired), a couple of annual baths should suffice. It is important to always use a shampoo suitable for your hair type and that does not irritate your skin.

Like other breeds with hanging ears, the Irish Setter tends to have problems with ear infections. So check your ear canals regularly and keep them as clean as possible at all times.

A particular health characteristic of the Irish Setter is its propensity to develop gluten-sensitive enteropathy, a disease similar to celiac disease in humans. This disorder usually manifests itself from puppies and manifests itself with inflammation of the small intestine.

With proper care and proper nutrition, the Irish Setter can live about 15 years.