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Breeds 101: Meet the Irish Setter

By Wesley Coburn

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 14: Irish Setter Grand Champion Shadagee Caught Red Handed, winner of the Sporting Group, is handled by Adam Bernardin at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 14, 2012 in New York City. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was first held in 1877, is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the U.S., second only to the Kentucky Derby. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 14: Irish Setter Grand Champion Shadagee Caught Red Handed, winner of the Sporting Group, is handled by Adam Bernardin at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 14, 2012 in New York City. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was first held in 1877, is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the U.S., second only to the Kentucky Derby. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images) /
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The Irish Setter is one of the most beautiful of the Sporting Group dogs.

The Irish Setter is a gorgeous dog to look at, and a well-rounded gun dog for hunting that is good with children as well.

Still, it’s not all that common, ranking at No. 77 in the American Kennel Club‘s most recent rankings (see the most popular dogs of 2018 here).

According to the AKC’s Breed Standard, the ideal Irish Setter ‘is an active, aristocratic bird dog, rich red in color, substantial yet elegant in build.” They are also extremely graceful and well-proportioned, described as “sweet-natured and trainable companions” at home when not in the field.

Male Irish Setters usually stand about 27 inches at the withers (shoulders) and weigh around 70 pounds, while females stand about 25 inches and weigh around 60 pounds.

Since they were bred as a hunting companion, of course they would fall into the Sporting Group when it comes to competition in dog shows, where they became fan favorites due to their glossy red-hued coats, which are double-layered and need fairly frequent brushing to keep tangle-free.

They live around 12-15 years, which translates to something around 75-90 when converted into dog years.

According to the breed’s Wikipedia page, setters of some type have been recorded in literature dating back to around 1570, though it’s likely the modern breeds of setters have come from an original prototype that’s now extinct.

They are an active and generally obedient breed around the house, though they need activity to keep from getting bored. Kids and other dogs are typically welcomed, though cats might be a different story, and they are sometimes used as therapy dogs.

In the field, as a hunter the Irish Setter points out where the birds are and flushes them out of their hiding places. (Apparently the Pointers don’t do this for birds, but instead specialize in small game. Wes did not know this as he isn’t a hunter.)

Though a generally healthy breed, some Irish Setters are gluten-intolerant, which is a hereditary genetic problem.

When it comes to pop culture, young adult author Jim Kjelgaard (very much a Jack London type) wrote a trilogy of novels around Irish Setters in Big Red, Irish Red and Outlaw Red, and a member of the breed is featured in the colossal Stephen King novel The Stand.

Presidents Harry Truman and Richard Nixon both owned Irish Setters as First Pets. They were also popular as a joke in 1960s sitcoms, particularly Green Acres.

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Finally, they are the mascot of the sports teams of New York City-based Division II-level Pace University Setters.

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