Irish Red and White Setter
Encyclopedia
The Irish Red and White Setter is a breed
of dog
, more specifically a setter
. It is virtually identical in use and temperament to its cousin, the Irish Setter
, but is more often found as a working gundog.
s range in height from 22.5 to 24 in (57.2 to 61 ) for females and 24 to 26 in (61 to 66 ) for males, and weigh 50 pound.
clergyman, Noble Huston
, the breed survived but only in small numbers in the island of Ireland. From around 1970 there was a planned revival of the breed, and the numbers began to increase slowly. By the 1980s IRWS were being imported into Great Britain, where the breed was developed more as a show dog. In contrast to these British IRWS, the breed has continued to be primarily a working and field trial dog in Ireland.
Breed Status in the United States: From 1 January 2009, the Irish Red and White Setter is fully recognised by the AKC and is eligible to compete in conformation and all other competitive fields.
The breed is recognised by most other national Kennel Clubs. All registered Irish Red and White Setters are the descendants of the dogs accepted by the Irish Kennel Club at the time of the revival of the breed in the 1970s.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, more specifically a setter
Setter
The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. A setter silently searches for game by scent. When prey is encountered the dog freezes rather than chasing after the game. Setters get their name from their distinctive stance; a sort of crouch...
. It is virtually identical in use and temperament to its cousin, the Irish Setter
Irish Setter
The Irish Setter , is a setter, a breed of gundog and family dog. The term Irish Setter is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognized by the American Kennel Club as well as the field-bred Red Setter recognised by the Field Dog Stud Book....
, but is more often found as a working gundog.
Appearance
The coat is long and silky, mostly white, with deep red patches. The dogDog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s range in height from 22.5 to 24 in (57.2 to 61 ) for females and 24 to 26 in (61 to 66 ) for males, and weigh 50 pound.
Temperament
The Irish Red and White Setter is a pointing bird dog which originated in the seventeenth century in Ireland where they were particularly associated with the Rossmore family. They can take longer to train than other gundogs, but once trained they are a loyal and reliable companion. They need firm, decisive but not harsh training. They can be the most devoted and affectionate of dogs, and are extremely intelligent. Irish Red and White Setters thrive best in active families, where they have outlets for their high energy, and require space to run freely.History
Originally all Irish Setters were mostly red, or red and white, but from around 1880 breeders began to prefer the solid red variety. Consequently, the breed came close to extinction. Thanks to the efforts of an early 20th century Northern IrishNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
clergyman, Noble Huston
Noble Huston
The Reverend Noble Huston , was the minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Ballynahinch, County Down and a breeder of dogs, credited with saving the Irish Red and White Setter from extinction in the early the twentieth century...
, the breed survived but only in small numbers in the island of Ireland. From around 1970 there was a planned revival of the breed, and the numbers began to increase slowly. By the 1980s IRWS were being imported into Great Britain, where the breed was developed more as a show dog. In contrast to these British IRWS, the breed has continued to be primarily a working and field trial dog in Ireland.
Miscellaneous
The breed is recognised by most other national Kennel Clubs. All registered Irish Red and White Setters are the descendants of the dogs accepted by the Irish Kennel Club at the time of the revival of the breed in the 1970s.
See also
- Red Setter
- Hunting DogHunting dogA hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...
- Pointing breedPointing breedA pointing breed is a type of gundog typically used in finding game. Gundogs are traditionally divided into three classes: retrievers, flushing dogs, and pointing breeds. The name pointer comes from the dog's instinct to point, by stopping and aiming its muzzle towards game. This demonstrates to...