Irish Red Setter

Temperament:

Energetic, Playful, Companionable
Size: Medium
Height: 55-67 cm
Weight: 27-32 kg
Lifespan: 14 years
Coat: Longhair
Colors: Maroon
FCI Group: Pointing Dogs

The Irish Red Setter attracts many dog lovers with its beauty. Due to its gentle nature, it is often seen as a calm contemporary. Unfortunately, this cliché does not do him justice. The Irish Red Setter is a real bundle of energy. He definitely needs an equally dynamic owner to explore nature with him.

Irish Red Setter
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Characteristics

The Irish Red Setter is recognized by the FCI as an independent dog breed. It belongs to group 7, the pointing dogs. Within this group, it is in section 2, which includes the British and Irish pointing dogs.

The males reach a height at the withers of 58-67 cm, the females 55-62 cm. This makes the Irish Red Setter a medium-sized dog. At this size, the body weight varies between 27 and 32 kg. A healthy Irish Red Setter can easily reach an age of around 14 years.

Its small, expressive eyes are either hazel or dark brown. Its chestnut-brown coat is characteristic. Occasional small white patches are permitted, but black hairs are not allowed.

The smooth coat is moderately long and lies flat against the body. Exceptions are the head, the front of the legs and the tips of the leathers. Here the hair is short and fine.

The breed standard stipulates that the ears are set low and far back. They are medium-sized, but very fine.

This spirited breed wants to let off steam. This can be done by going for long walks or playing for hours on end. This valuable energy of the Irish Red Setter also makes it possible to get him interested in dog sports or even the companion dog test. Thanks to its particularly good nose, it is also suitable for training as a search dog.

If his need for exercise is regularly satisfied, he is the ideal family dog. It is not only fond of children and friendly, but also loyal and generally affectionate towards people. This is why it is not used as a guard dog.

However, if you take a closer look at its classification in the FCI, you will see that the Irish Red Setter is a born hunter. Running to his heart's content, roaming the woods and hunting is in his blood. A special characteristic of the Irish Red Setter is its pointing over long distances.

In short, the Irish Red Setter has a mind of its own. This is precisely why he needs an experienced, consistent hand that trains him with just as much empathy. Then, despite his pride, this dog will remain loyal to his owner.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

When choosing food, make sure that it contains high-quality ingredients, is balanced and meets your dog's requirements. Age, size or weight, activity and health status play an important role. You should follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the amount of food.

Treats should only be fed in moderation and deducted from the basic diet to avoid obesity.

Puppies can be fed 4-6 times a day. The number of meals should be gradually reduced to 2 per day until the dog is fully grown. A rest period should be observed after meals.

Fresh drinking water should be available at all times.

Health & Care

A long coat is a splendor, but also a lot of work. To maintain the silky coat of the Irish Red Setter, it is not only a balanced diet that is important. Regular combing and brushing are also essential. Grooming should be on the agenda once a day. On the one hand, it prevents stubborn tangles in the coat. On the other hand, grooming strengthens the bond with your four-legged friend. Long hair that hangs down on the belly and tail must be combed. The rest of the coat can be brushed.

The Irish Red Setter is one of the dog breeds that has no undercoat. This means that grooming must be carried out daily, but does not take up much time.

The hair between the toes also needs to be groomed. As soon as it grows over the toes, you should cut it so that no dirt gets stuck.

After a rainy day or a visit to the lake, you can leave the dirt in your dog's coat to dry. It can then be easily removed with a brush.

In addition to grooming, ear care is very important for the Irish Red Setter. As his ears hang downwards and the inside of the ear is not well ventilated, this is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Ear infections are therefore not uncommon.

Parasites also feel at home in the warm, moist climate of the ear. Special ear cleaning products are available to combat bacteria and parasites. These can be used if necessary.

Nobody likes toothache or tartar, not even dogs. That's why you should pay attention to your dog's dental care. You can get your dog into the habit of brushing its teeth regularly from an early age. This keeps teeth and gums healthy.

Suitable accessories

To groom the Irish Red Setter, the coat should first be treated with a brush. However, this is only recommended for the short parts of the coat. For the so-called "hangings", i.e. the long hair on the belly and tail, a long-toothed comb is recommended. This allows you to get through the coat easily and prevents matting.

To get to grips with the hair between your toes, you should get yourself a pair of thinning scissors. You can use them to cut the hair there regularly.

If you opt for active dental care, you can do this with a dog toothbrush and the right dog toothpaste.

If your dog only moves around a little on asphalt surfaces, you can help him to trim his claws. Use claw clippers to trim the claws. If you're not sure how to do this properly, your vet will be able to show you a few tricks. The same applies to tick tweezers, which you will probably also need.

You will also need the following basic equipment: collar or harness with lead, dog basket or dog mat as a retreat, water and food bowl, mild dog shampoo, transport box for transportation in the car and a first aid kit. Ask your vet what belongs in the first aid kit.

Origin & History

As the name suggests, the Irish Red Setter originates from Ireland. The breed goes back to a cross between the Spanish pointer and the French spaniel. In the course of the 18th century, the English Setter was also crossed in. This gave rise to the Irish Red and White Setter breed. Due to the popularity of dogs with pure red coats, pure red dogs were later selected for further breeding. This is how the Irish Red Setter breed came into being.

With the founding of the Irish Red Setter Club in 1882, breeding had progressed so far that pure red setters were also recognized. The club served to promote the breed, which was defined by the now established breed standard in 1886. The club organized field trials and exhibitions at regular intervals. This was the only way to ensure that the standards were implemented.

The breed was bred specifically for hunting birds, especially snipe. Due to its pointing ability, the dog indicates the prey to the hunter without scaring it away. Other hunting dogs such as terriers or greyhounds are not suitable for this. This ability of the setter made it one of the most popular hunting dogs in England at the end of the 19th century, especially among large landowners.

Although the Irish Red Setter is still used as a hunting dog, today it can be found in many households as an affectionate family dog.