English Setter Dog Breed Profile
The English Setter was bred to flush out the birds
after giving a quiet alert to its Master that it had
found a covey. Through the years it has kept this instinct
strong.
The history of the English Setter, a hunting dog, is
very ancient. It is one of the oldest known hunting
breeds. It was written about as early as the fourteenth
century as a specific "setting" dog. Typically a "Setter"
will seek out a covey of quail or other birds and freeze
in place when it finds them. The "set" is a freezing
in place and they will not give chase after the prey.
One might compare this to an "alert" as the term is
used for example in the area of Search and Rescue. The
dog thus gives an obvious display to the hunter that
it has come upon a covey or group of birds. On command
of the hunter the Setter will then flush out the birds.
This breed should not go after rabbit or other game.
The English Setter is "long on leg" and rather tall
and rangy. The coloring is quite unusual, a roan/brindle
combination known as "Belton" in varying shades of blue,
red, tan, lemon, or black with white. The term "Belton"
actually comes from a village in England where one of
the founding breeders of the Setter , Mr. Edward Lavarack,
developed his stock.
Through his careful breeding program a very useful hunting
dog was perfected. The dog is muscular and lean, with
a well developed nose for smelling out the birds, well
angulated in the rear and with strong legs built for
ranging across rugged land. The instinctive "setting"
of the dog is of course natural to the breed. The coat
should be slightly wavy and long and silky. Natural
oils within keep the coat free of brambles and weather
resistant.
The English Setter is relatively free of heritable disease
except for hip dysplasia. This condition is not as prevalent
in this breed however as it is with many of the other
larger breeds, so in general it is a healthy dog. Occasional
bathing and regular brushing are necessary and the English
Setter does need plenty of exercise, for it is a working
breed and very active.
For many years in England the Setter was kept within
the home as a family pet besides being the Master's
hunting dog. It was expected to be friendly and loyal
with an even and non aggressive temperament. They should
be affectionate and loyal and accepting of strangers
and other dogs, for often they are required to work
in the field with a variety of hunters and dogs. They
should also be placid and settle quietly when in the
house, not being "wild" and overly active.
The English Setter is a highly intelligent dog and should
be an easy dog to train, anxious to please, willing
to work for many hours in the field and also be quietly
reserved in the home. Although there are still careful
breeders who work hard to maintain this stable temperament,
there are also an abundance of breeders who do not strive
for this goal. Consequently there are some Setters today
who do not posses good temperament, and the person who
is seeking a puppy of this breed would do well to investigate
the source of the breeding.
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