Dubbed as an elegant sporting breed, the English Setter is one of the prime breeds that are being used as a gun dog that efficiently points and retrieve bird games. This dog is in the same family as the Irish Red and White Setters, Irish Setters, and Gordon Setters. The term “setter” is used to describe the dog’s almost sitting position when it has found a game.
This breed possesses a flat, moderately wavy and silky coat that drapes its body elegantly all over. It is well-known for having a color-speckled coat which is called uniquely called “belton”. These combinations are blue belton (white with black specks), orange belton (white with orange specks), lemon belton (white with orange flecks and nose is light), liver belton (white with liver flecks) and tricolor (blue or liver belton with tan markings on face, chest and legs).
The pendulous ears of this dog together with its legs and tail are lusciously covered with silky hair like fringes. The coat wraps its body in a way that accentuates its slender form and makes this dog even look more beautiful. The coat is not too dense or too thin but just enough to make it comfortable in both hot and cold climates.
This dog has two types namely the field or hunting type and the bench or show type. The hunting type has a shorter length of coat and requires a little grooming while the show type has a longer and more flowing coat that requires regular grooming. This dog is an average shedder and needs dry shampooing or bathing when necessary.
The English Setter is sweet-natured and gentle especially to kids thats why people call him a “Gentleman by Nature”. This dog is also placid, amiable and gets along with people well. It is highly intelligent that it can do the tasks that other breeds do except herding.
Its working and obedience intelligence is proven to be above average that it ranks as 37th in Stanley Cohen’s The Intelligence of Dogs. This dog is infinitely active and loves to disperse its energy that’s why families should give this breed constant activities to get busy on. This dog can only strive well in a well-spaced house and a wide fenced yard, and that it needs daily exercise like walking, jogging or playing.
This dog is easily trained but it has a stubborn and mischievous side to it as well. At times like this, it is best to remember that the English Setter is extremely sensitive to criticism and negative reinforcements. It often becomes fearful in repeating a behavior in fear of angering the master and therefore, you should only encourage this dog with positive and gentle remarks.
This creature originally came from France in 1500s and ended up becoming popular in England during the 1800s. It supposedly came from crosses of Spanish Pointer, large Water Spaniel and Springer Spaniel. Edward Laverack and Purcell Llewelin are two separate breeders who are responsible for making the breed as beautiful as it is today and actually there are two varieties of this breed namely the Laverack and the Llewellin.
