Irish Setter
Encyclopedia
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
.
Irish Setters are deep chested dogs with small waists.
Irish Setters are an active breed, and require long, daily walks and off-lead running in wide, open spaces. They are, however, a breed with a tendency to 'play deaf,' so careful training on mastering the recall should be undertaken before allowing them off-lead.
Irish Setters enjoy having a job to do. Lack of activity will lead to a bored, destructive, or even hyperactive dog. This is not a breed that can be left alone in the backyard for long periods of time, nor should they be. Irish Setters thrive on constant human companionship. Irish Setters respond swiftly to positive training and are highly intelligent.
Though they are usually alert to their surroundings, Irish Setters are not well-suited as guard dog
s, as they are not a naturally assertive breed.
Irish Setters are also widely used as therapy dog
s in schools and hospitals. Therapy dogs are permitted in hospitals with special permission and can visit patients on the assigned floors. Recently Irish Setters have been used in the READ Programs. This is a venue where the therapy dogs are permitted in schools and then asked to sit with children as the students read to the Irish Setter. This process helps to enable the student the ability to read without being corrected or judged. Generally the Irish Setter will lie on the floor with the student as the student continues to read, in this calming and relaxed setting. Irish Setters are people dogs that do require to be with their humans.
It should be noted that Irish Setters are now one of the few breeds for which genetic tests have been developed to detect the presence of both CLAD and PRA
(RCD-1).
Irish Setters life expectancy tends to be around 12 to 14 years.
It would be incorrect to assume the dog described above in any way resembles the Irish Setter (or any Setter) as we know the breed today. Caius was referring to a type of setting spaniel, most likely now extinct. The description of the work undertaken by this early pillar of the breed resembles the working behaviour of modern Irish Setters. Of this early dog, Caius went on to write: "The most part of theyre skinnes are white, and if they are marcked with any spottes, they are commonly red, and somewhat great therewithall." If this is the case, it is safe to assume the solid red colouring of today's Irish Setter came about by selective breeding practices.
Further reference to Setters in early literature can be found in The Country Farme by Surflet and Markham, published in 1616. They wrote: "There is also another sort of land spannyels which are called Setters."
It is clear that, by the early 18th Century, the type of dog known as the 'Setter' had come into its own right. It is also clear the Irish had begun actively breeding their own type. For example, the de Freyne family of French Park began keeping detailed stud records in 1793. Other prominent landed Irish gentry also known to have been breeding setter lines at the same time include Lord Clancarty, Lord Dillon, and the Marquis of Waterford.
It was noted as early as 1845 that Setters in Ireland were predominantly either red, or, according to Youatt, "...very red, or red and white, or lemon coloured, or white patched with deep chestnut." Clearly, the preference for a solidly-coloured dog was having an effect on the appearance of the typical Irish-bred setter.
The Breed Standard for the modern Irish Setter was first drawn up by the Irish Red Setter Club in Dublin and approved on 29 March 1886. It consisted of a 100-point scale, with a given number of points awarded for each of the dog's physical attributes. The points system was later dropped; however, aside from some minor changes, the Standard remains largely unchanged today in most countries where the breed is formally recognised.
The Irish Setter was bred for hunting
, specifically for setting or locating and pointing upland gamebirds. They are a tireless, wide-ranging hunter, and well-suited to fields and wet or dry moorland terrain. Using their excellent sense of smell to locate the mark (or bird), the Irish will then hold a pointing position, indicating the direction in which the bird lies hidden.
used to hunt upland game. Considerable acrimony exists between the partisans involved in the debate over this breed.
In 1874, the American Field put together the Field Dog Stud Book
and registry of dogs in the United States was born. The FDSB is the oldest pure-bred registry in the United States. At that time, dogs could be registered even when bred from sires and dams of different breeds. At about this time, the Llewellin Setter was bred using blood lines from the Lavarack breeding of English Setter
and, among other breeds, bloodlines from native Irish Setters. Around the same time, the red Irish Setter became a favorite in the dog show ring.
The Irish Setter of the late 19th century was not just a red dog. The AKC registered Irish Setters in a myriad of colours. Frank Forester, a 19th-century sports writer, described the Irish Setter as follows: "The points of the Irish Setter are more bony, angular, and wiry frame, a longer head, a less silky and straighter coat that those of the English. His colour ought to be a deep orange-red and white, a common mark is a stripe of white between the eyes and a white ring around the neck, white stockings, and a white tage to the tail."
The Setter that was completely red, however, was preferred in the show ring and that is the direction that the breed took. Between 1874 and 1948, the breed produced 760 conformation show
champions, but only five field champions.
In the 1940s, Field and Stream magazine put into writing what was already a well-known fact. The Irish Setter was disappearing from the field and an outcross would be necessary to resurrect the breed as a working dog
. Sports Afield chimed in with a similar call for an outcross. Ned LaGrande of Pennsylvania spent a small fortune purchasing examples of the last of the working Irish Setters in America and importing dogs from overseas. With the blessing of the Field Dog Stud Book
, he began an outcross to red and white field champion English Setter
s. The National Red Setter Field Trial Club was created to test the dogs and to encourage breeding toward a dog that would successfully compete with the white setters. Thus the modern Red Setter was born and the controversy begun.
Prior to 1975, a relationship existed between the AKC and the Field Dog Stud book in which registration with one body qualified a dog for registration with the other. In 1975 the Irish Setter Club of America petitioned the AKC to deny reciprocal registration, and the AKC granted the request. It is claimed, by critics of the move, that the pressure was placed on the AKC by bench show enthusiasts who were unappreciative of the outcrossing efforts of the National Red Setter Field Trial Club, as well as some AKC field trialers following a series of losses to FDSB red setters. Working Irish Setter kennels today field champion dogs that claim lines from both the FDSB dogs and AKC dogs.
, the national bus company in Ireland
, uses the Irish Setter as its corporate logo.
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...
, a breed
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 gundog and family dog. The term Irish Setter is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognized by the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
as well as the field-bred Red Setter recognised by the Field Dog Stud Book
Field Dog Stud Book
The Field Dog Stud Book is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States having started registrations in and currently maintaining records from 1874. The Field Dog Stud Book currently registers around 5,000 litters each year and has registered several million dogs...
.
Appearance
The coat is moderately long, silky, and of a red or chestnut in color. It requires frequent brushing to maintain its condition and keep it mat-free. The undercoat is abundant in winter weather, and the top coat is fine. Their coats should also feather in places such as the tail, ears, chest, legs, and body. Irish Setters range in height from 25 to 27 in (63.5 to 68.6 ), males weigh 60 pound and females 53 pound. The FCI Breed Standard for the Irish Setter stipulates males: 23 to 26.5 in (58.4 to 67.3 ), females: 21.5 to 24.5 in (54.6 to 62.2 ).Irish Setters are deep chested dogs with small waists.
Temperament
Irish Setters get along well with children, other dogs, and any household pets, and will enthusiastically greet visitors. Even though they do well with household pets, small animals may pose a problem for this breed, as they are a hunting breed. Some Irish setters may have problems with cats in the house, and may be too rambunctious with small children. As the FCI, ANKC and UK Standards state, the breed should be "Demonstrably affectionate." As a result, Irish Setters make excellent companion animals and family pets.Irish Setters are an active breed, and require long, daily walks and off-lead running in wide, open spaces. They are, however, a breed with a tendency to 'play deaf,' so careful training on mastering the recall should be undertaken before allowing them off-lead.
Irish Setters enjoy having a job to do. Lack of activity will lead to a bored, destructive, or even hyperactive dog. This is not a breed that can be left alone in the backyard for long periods of time, nor should they be. Irish Setters thrive on constant human companionship. Irish Setters respond swiftly to positive training and are highly intelligent.
Though they are usually alert to their surroundings, Irish Setters are not well-suited as guard dog
Guard dog
A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
s, as they are not a naturally assertive breed.
Irish Setters are also widely used as therapy dog
Therapy dog
A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, people with learning difficulties, and stressful situations, such as disaster areas....
s in schools and hospitals. Therapy dogs are permitted in hospitals with special permission and can visit patients on the assigned floors. Recently Irish Setters have been used in the READ Programs. This is a venue where the therapy dogs are permitted in schools and then asked to sit with children as the students read to the Irish Setter. This process helps to enable the student the ability to read without being corrected or judged. Generally the Irish Setter will lie on the floor with the student as the student continues to read, in this calming and relaxed setting. Irish Setters are people dogs that do require to be with their humans.
Health
Irish Setters tend to be a very healthy breed. Problems that have been noted in Irish Setters include:- Hip dysplasia
- Progressive retinal atrophyProgressive retinal atrophyProgressive retinal atrophy is a group of genetic diseases seen in certain breeds of dogs and, more rarely, cats. Similar to retinitis pigmentosa in humans, it is characterized by the bilateral degeneration of the retina, causing progressive vision loss culminating in blindness...
(PRA) - EpilepsyEpilepsyEpilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
- EntropionEntropionEntropion is a medical condition in which the eyelid folds inward. It is very uncomfortable, as the eyelashes constantly rub against the cornea. Entropion is usually caused by genetic factors and may be congenital...
- HypothyroidismHypothyroidismHypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone.Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide but it can be caused by other causes such as several conditions of the thyroid gland or, less commonly, the pituitary gland or...
- Hyperosteodystrophy
- BloatBloatBloat is a medical condition in which the stomach becomes overstretched by excessive gas content. It is also commonly referred to as torsion, gastric torsion, and gastric dilatation-volvulus when the stomach is also twisted. The word bloat is often used as a general term to cover gas distension...
(a.k.a. gastric torsion) - OsteosarcomaOsteosarcomaOsteosarcoma is an aggressive cancerous neoplasm arising from primitive transformed cells of mesenchymal origin that exhibit osteoblastic differentiation and produce malignant osteoid...
- Von Willebrand's disease
- Patent ductus ateriosus
- Canine Leukocyte Adhesion DeficiencyLeukocyte adhesion deficiencyLeukocyte adhesion deficiency , is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by immunodeficiency resulting in recurrent infections. Leukocyte adhesion deficiency is divided into at least two subtypes: LAD1 and LAD2.-Characteristics:...
(CLAD) - Celiac diseaseCoeliac diseaseCoeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
It should be noted that Irish Setters are now one of the few breeds for which genetic tests have been developed to detect the presence of both CLAD and PRA
Progressive retinal atrophy
Progressive retinal atrophy is a group of genetic diseases seen in certain breeds of dogs and, more rarely, cats. Similar to retinitis pigmentosa in humans, it is characterized by the bilateral degeneration of the retina, causing progressive vision loss culminating in blindness...
(RCD-1).
Irish Setters life expectancy tends to be around 12 to 14 years.
History
One of the first references to the 'Setter,' or setting dog, in literature can be found in Caius's De Canibus Britannicus, which was published in 1570 (with a revised version published in 1576). Translated from the original Latin, the text reads:It would be incorrect to assume the dog described above in any way resembles the Irish Setter (or any Setter) as we know the breed today. Caius was referring to a type of setting spaniel, most likely now extinct. The description of the work undertaken by this early pillar of the breed resembles the working behaviour of modern Irish Setters. Of this early dog, Caius went on to write: "The most part of theyre skinnes are white, and if they are marcked with any spottes, they are commonly red, and somewhat great therewithall." If this is the case, it is safe to assume the solid red colouring of today's Irish Setter came about by selective breeding practices.
Further reference to Setters in early literature can be found in The Country Farme by Surflet and Markham, published in 1616. They wrote: "There is also another sort of land spannyels which are called Setters."
It is clear that, by the early 18th Century, the type of dog known as the 'Setter' had come into its own right. It is also clear the Irish had begun actively breeding their own type. For example, the de Freyne family of French Park began keeping detailed stud records in 1793. Other prominent landed Irish gentry also known to have been breeding setter lines at the same time include Lord Clancarty, Lord Dillon, and the Marquis of Waterford.
It was noted as early as 1845 that Setters in Ireland were predominantly either red, or, according to Youatt, "...very red, or red and white, or lemon coloured, or white patched with deep chestnut." Clearly, the preference for a solidly-coloured dog was having an effect on the appearance of the typical Irish-bred setter.
The Breed Standard for the modern Irish Setter was first drawn up by the Irish Red Setter Club in Dublin and approved on 29 March 1886. It consisted of a 100-point scale, with a given number of points awarded for each of the dog's physical attributes. The points system was later dropped; however, aside from some minor changes, the Standard remains largely unchanged today in most countries where the breed is formally recognised.
The Irish Setter was bred for hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, specifically for setting or locating and pointing upland gamebirds. They are a tireless, wide-ranging hunter, and well-suited to fields and wet or dry moorland terrain. Using their excellent sense of smell to locate the mark (or bird), the Irish will then hold a pointing position, indicating the direction in which the bird lies hidden.
"Red Setter" controversy
The Red Setter is a variant of the Irish Setter or Irish Red Setter. The Red Setter is a pointing breed of dogDog 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....
used to hunt upland game. Considerable acrimony exists between the partisans involved in the debate over this breed.
History
The Irish Setter was brought to the United States in the early 19th century. It commanded great respect in the field and was one of the most commonly used dogs among the professional meat hunter fraternity.In 1874, the American Field put together the Field Dog Stud Book
Field Dog Stud Book
The Field Dog Stud Book is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States having started registrations in and currently maintaining records from 1874. The Field Dog Stud Book currently registers around 5,000 litters each year and has registered several million dogs...
and registry of dogs in the United States was born. The FDSB is the oldest pure-bred registry in the United States. At that time, dogs could be registered even when bred from sires and dams of different breeds. At about this time, the Llewellin Setter was bred using blood lines from the Lavarack breeding of English Setter
English Setter
The English Setter is a breed of dog. It is part of the Setter family, which includes red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. It is a gun dog, bred for a mix of endurance and athleticism.- Appearance :...
and, among other breeds, bloodlines from native Irish Setters. Around the same time, the red Irish Setter became a favorite in the dog show ring.
The Irish Setter of the late 19th century was not just a red dog. The AKC registered Irish Setters in a myriad of colours. Frank Forester, a 19th-century sports writer, described the Irish Setter as follows: "The points of the Irish Setter are more bony, angular, and wiry frame, a longer head, a less silky and straighter coat that those of the English. His colour ought to be a deep orange-red and white, a common mark is a stripe of white between the eyes and a white ring around the neck, white stockings, and a white tage to the tail."
The Setter that was completely red, however, was preferred in the show ring and that is the direction that the breed took. Between 1874 and 1948, the breed produced 760 conformation show
Conformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
champions, but only five field champions.
In the 1940s, Field and Stream magazine put into writing what was already a well-known fact. The Irish Setter was disappearing from the field and an outcross would be necessary to resurrect the breed as a working dog
Working dog
A working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
. Sports Afield chimed in with a similar call for an outcross. Ned LaGrande of Pennsylvania spent a small fortune purchasing examples of the last of the working Irish Setters in America and importing dogs from overseas. With the blessing of the Field Dog Stud Book
Field Dog Stud Book
The Field Dog Stud Book is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States having started registrations in and currently maintaining records from 1874. The Field Dog Stud Book currently registers around 5,000 litters each year and has registered several million dogs...
, he began an outcross to red and white field champion English Setter
English Setter
The English Setter is a breed of dog. It is part of the Setter family, which includes red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. It is a gun dog, bred for a mix of endurance and athleticism.- Appearance :...
s. The National Red Setter Field Trial Club was created to test the dogs and to encourage breeding toward a dog that would successfully compete with the white setters. Thus the modern Red Setter was born and the controversy begun.
Prior to 1975, a relationship existed between the AKC and the Field Dog Stud book in which registration with one body qualified a dog for registration with the other. In 1975 the Irish Setter Club of America petitioned the AKC to deny reciprocal registration, and the AKC granted the request. It is claimed, by critics of the move, that the pressure was placed on the AKC by bench show enthusiasts who were unappreciative of the outcrossing efforts of the National Red Setter Field Trial Club, as well as some AKC field trialers following a series of losses to FDSB red setters. Working Irish Setter kennels today field champion dogs that claim lines from both the FDSB dogs and AKC dogs.
Appearance
The modern Red Setter is smaller than his bench-bred cousin. While show dogs often reach 70 lb (32 kg), the working Red Setter is generally around 45 lb (20.4 kg). The coat is less silky and the feathering is generally shorter. The colour is lighter, with the working dog found in russet and fawn colours. The Red Setter often has patches of white on his face and chest as the Irish Setter of old did. There have been efforts to rekindle the field abilities of the true type Irish by a handful of dedicated breeders in California and elsewhere with some success. More than a dozen AKC Dual Champion Irish Setters have been made, evidence of the big red's native ability when proper traits are selectively sought in breeding.Fictional Irish Setters
- Dixie in The Fox and the Hound 2The Fox and the Hound 2The Fox and the Hound 2 Soundtrack Album is the album containing songs from Reba McEntire, who was the voice of Dixie in the film, as well as other well-known artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Chip Davis and Little Big Town. Composer Joel McNeely has a few score tracks on the album: "Depressed...
and The Fox and the Hound 3The Fox and the Hound 2The Fox and the Hound 2 Soundtrack Album is the album containing songs from Reba McEntire, who was the voice of Dixie in the film, as well as other well-known artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Chip Davis and Little Big Town. Composer Joel McNeely has a few score tracks on the album: "Depressed...
Miscellaneous
Bus ÉireannBus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
, the national bus company in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, uses the Irish Setter as its corporate logo.
Notable setters
- Alex the DogAlex the DogAlex the Dog was the advertising mascot for Stroh's beer in the 1980s and precursor to Budweiser's Spuds MacKenzie. At the peak of his career, Alex appeared in parades, on Good Morning America, and the Today show. He even inspired a series toys, posters, cologne, shampoo and hand lotion...
from the Stroh's beer commercials (half Irish Setter, half Golden RetrieverGolden RetrieverThe Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
) - Big RedBig Red (film)Big Red is a 1962 American family-oriented adventure film from Disney Studios. Based on a 1945 novel by American author Jim Kjelgaard and adapted to the screen by American screenwriter Louis Pelletier, the film starred Walter Pidgeon....
, book and movie character - Chauncey, fictional dog of Duck Phillips in Mad MenMad MenMad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
- Garry Owen, pet of Maine Governor Percival Proctor Baxter
- King Timahoe, pet of Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
- Kojak, fictional dog in the Stephen King novel The StandThe StandThe Stand is a post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel by American author Stephen King. It demonstrates the scenario in his earlier short story, Night Surf...
- Mike, pet of US President Harry Truman
- Milord, a red Setter which was Alexander II, tsar of RussiaAlexander II of RussiaAlexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
's favorite dog - Plunkett, the only Irish setter depicted in George EarlGeorge EarlGeorge Earl was a painter, primarily of sporting dogs and other animals. He was also the father of Maud Earl and Percy Earl, and the brother of Thomas Earl, all three of whom were also animal artists....
's mythical painting of "A Field Trial in the Eighties" - Shannon, pet of Beach BoyThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
Carl WilsonCarl WilsonCarl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
, whose death became the subject of the 1976 song by a friend, Henry GrossHenry GrossHenry Gross , is an American singer-songwriter best known for his association with the group, Sha Na Na, and for his hit song, "Shannon".-Early years:... - T-Bone, mascot for the Pace UniversityPace UniversityPace University is an American private, co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus university in the New York metropolitan area with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York.-Programs:...
Setters sports teams - Thunder, first mascot for the University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
Thunderbirds sports teams