The Irish Setter  is a breed of dog that originated in Ireland at the beginning of the 18th century with the main function of finding and capturing prey previously hunted, and is currently used as a companion animal.

Throughout history, two variants of this dog have been known, the original one that had white and red fur and the one with only red or mahogany fur, which is the one that predominates today, this happened through various selection processes.

Around 1874 the Irish Red Setter became one of the favorite breeds at dog shows and is very popular in  Europe and America.

Irish Setter characteristics

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• Weight: males weigh between 20 and 30 kg, while females weigh between 18 and 25 kg.
• Fur:  on its head and the part in front of the legs the fur is short and fine, while on the rest of the body it is of medium length.
• Coat color:  dark red with a touch of mahogany.
• Head:   long and thin, with an oval skull.
• Eyes: they are medium-sized and dark hazel or dark brown in color.
• Ears: set  low.
• Muzzle:  of moderate depth.
• Nose:  black or mahogany.
• Body: athletic and well proportioned.
• Tail:  medium length and set low.

Life expectancy

The Irish Setter lives 12 years on average.

Irish Setter Health

Some specimens of this breed of dogs are prone to suffer from: Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Hip Dysplasia , Gastric Torsion , Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Protein deficiency or Canine Granulocytopathy, epilepsy and megaesophagus.

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Irish Setter care 

• Brush his coat once a day.
• Bathe him when necessary.
• Take him for long walks where he can run and feel free.
• Give him a balanced diet.
• This dog needs to live in a place with large space, and overcrowded urban areas are not recommended.
• Visit the vet regularly to detect and treat any disease early.
• Keep all your vaccinations up to date .

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Irish Setter behavior

It is an extremely active and curious dog, it loves to show its affection to its relatives and it tends to get along very well with children. He must be trained from puppyhood to avoid behavior problems during his adulthood.

The Irish Setter is not considered an aggressive, territorial or possessive dog, and it is certainly an excellent companion animal for people who are interested in having a fairly sociable dog and not for those who want a protector of the home.

It is also characterized by being cheerful, independent and very intelligent, its relationship with other animals is quite good, including cats.

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Curiosities of the Irish Setter

• In 1882 the Irish Red Setter Club was founded  in Dublin.
• Its name comes from the English verb “set”.