English Setter

The English Setter is a breed of dog that originated in England in the 19th century, where it was bred for bird hunting. The breed is known for its long and silky coat, with a wide variety of colors such as white, black, lemon, orange or tricolor. They are also known for their friendly and outgoing personality.

General details

The dogs of the breed are of medium size and elegant appearance. The weight ranges between 29.5 and 36 kilograms in males, and between 20 and 25 kilograms in females. The height varies between 63.5 and 69 centimeters in males and between 58 and 63.5 centimeters in females. The life expectancy of this breed is 12 years. They belong to Group 7 of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), which includes Continental, British and Irish pointers and Setters.

Breed history in brief

The English Setter is a breed of hunting dog with a history dating back some 400-500 years. The breed was bred for hunting birds, specifically grouse and pheasant. The exact origin of the breed is uncertain, but it is believed to have originated through the crossing of several breeds, including the Spanish Pointer, Water Spaniel and Springer Spaniel. Edward Laverack was one of the breeders who played a crucial role in the development of the modern English Setter. Through the careful selection of his dogs, he succeeded in defining the breed standard as we know it today. In the mid-19th century, the English Setter was introduced to the United States, where it quickly became a very popular hunting dog. Today, it remains an outstanding hunting breed, but is also highly valued as a show dog and as a family pet due to its friendly and gentle nature.

Breed characteristics

The English Setter is a dog breed with an elegant and well-proportioned body. The head is elongated and the skull is oval between the ears. The eyes are expressive, oval and can range from hazel to dark brown. The ears are low set and hang folded in folds, while the tail is of medium length and slightly curved. The coat is silky, long and slightly wavy, with bangs on the back of the limbs. The coloring combines white with a mottled (Belton) of different colors, such as black, orange, lemon or liver. It can also be tricolor, that is, blue and tan or liver and tan. The English Setter is a breed known for its affable and gentle personality. They are very sociable and affectionate dogs, as well as playful and intelligent. In addition, they have a patient and tolerant character with children and adapt easily to different environments and situations. English Setters are hunting dogs, and although they have a natural instinct to chase and hunt, they are very easy to train. They are very obedient dogs and respond well to positive training and early socialization.

Common health problems

The breed is characterized by good health. However, they are prone to develop certain disorders or pathologies such as vertebral osteochondrosis, atopy, cutaneous asthenia, deafness, ectropion, hemophilia B, hip dysplasia, keratoconjunctivitis sicca and progressive retinal atrophy. In addition to the above diseases, the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) recommends screening for the following diseases: elbow dysplasia, congenital deafness and autoimmune thyroiditis.