Irish Setter - born athlete and gregarious hunter

Irish Setter - born athlete and gregarious hunter

The Irish Setter is one of the most popular hunting dog breeds. The delightful, mahogany shade of the coat gives this dog a special charm. It is an extremely friendly, active, affectionate and loyal companion. He is characterized by intelligence, exceptional patience and dedication.

Irish Setter

Irish Setter - the history of the breed

The first mention of a representative of the Setter breed is in the book "De Canibus Britannicus", published in 1570. However, the Irish Setter, as an independent breed, was formed much later, at the turn of the 29th and 1886th centuries. At that time, this breed was already widely known and effectively used by hunters in their homeland (Ireland). The Irish nobility had their own nurseries, developed breeding and conducted planned selection. The Irish Setter is believed to be the result of the crossing of Spanish Pointers, Irish Water Spaniels, English and Scottish Setters. The breed standard, approved on March 7, 2.2 by the Irish Setter Club in Dublin, remains virtually unchanged to this day. According to the FCI classification, the Irish Setter belongs to Group XNUMX - Pointers, Section XNUMX - British and Irish Pointers and Setters.

Description

Irish Setters are dogs of considerable size. The males are between 60 and 70 cm tall and weigh around 30 kg. Females measure from 55 to 62 cm and weigh about 27 kg.
The Irish Setter is a graceful and elegant quadruped. It is distinguished by a very attractive mahogany coat, a proud posture, and an intelligent and cheerful expression of the face. It has a narrow head and an elongated muzzle. It has medium-sized almond-shaped eyes. The ears are small, pendulous, set low, covered with long hair. The low-set tail (also covered with long hair) is straight or saber-like in shape and never rises high. The limbs are straight, muscular and quite long.

The Irish Setter's coat is smooth, silky, shiny, and may be slightly wavy. The cover does not have an undercoat. The hair is longer on the ears, abdomen, bangs, tail and forelimbs than on the rest of the body. The color of the Irish Setter can range from mahogany to maroon. Small white markings on the chest, muzzle or forehead are allowed.

Irish Setter - character and personality

The Irish Setter is very social and needs constant attention. She doesn't take loneliness well. He is friendly, kind, cheerful and affectionate. Doesn't show aggression. She loves children, loves to spend time with them and play various games. Gets along well with other pets, including cats. For smaller animals, however, its hunting instincts must be taken into account. Due to its openness, high resistance to stressful stimuli and the lack of tendency to aggressive behavior, it is often used in canister therapy classes in health and care facilities.

The Irish Setter is a versatile hunter. Thanks to his sharpened instincts, he can easily track and find game. He is a born athlete, runs fast, is endurance and agile. He loves water and swims perfectly. He has a lot of energy and needs long walks, jogging, exercise, active play and constant mental stimulation. Daily exercise is essential not only for play, but also for your dog's well-being and proper development.

Health

Overall, the Irish Setter is a healthy breed, but there is a group of medical conditions to which this breed is more prone to.

The most common diseases include:

  • retinal atrophy
  • gastric twist (acute expansion of the stomach)
  • neoplastic diseases (melanoma, tumors of the sebaceous glands)
  • gluten enteropathy
  • corneal ulcer
  • elbow and hip dysplasia
  • epilepsy
  • Hypothyroidism.

Irish Setter breeds live an average of 12-14 years.

Irish Setter - care

The Irish Setter's coat is long, hard and slightly wavy. To remove dirt and dead hair, it should be brushed at least once a week. It is best to use special brushes for casing care. To preserve the natural oils that protect your pet's coat from dust, dirt and make it water-repellent, avoid frequent baths. During care, it is worth using a special shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin and a balm that will make the coat shiny and silky.

Routine procedures should include regular ear cleaning (setters tend to infection and irritation of the ear), rinsing the eye area, and caring for the teeth. The claws of your pet should be short. If they are not rubbed naturally during walks, they should be regularly trimmed with special clippers.

Worth knowing!

An Irish Setter puppy, until four months of age, should not climb stairs alone, so as not to damage their developing organs. During this period, it should be carried on your hands.

The Irish Setter has a relatively fast metabolism, meaning that its food energy requirements are greater than that of a similar-sized but less active breed. At the same time, he does not tend to gain weight, usually only eats as much as he needs. However, it should be taken into account that representatives of this breed tend to be allergic to food. You should therefore choose your food carefully and avoid frequent changes to your diet.

The Irish Setter is a very intelligent and quick-witted dog. He matures quite late, however, and generally remains a mischief until the age of three. Therefore, in the course of training, both patience and persistence are necessary, and the main educational method should be love supported by praise.


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