Graceful, elegant gun dog or sweet and loving family companion? The English Setter is both! Sometimes called the “gentlemen of the dog world,” they’re an ideal combination of versatile hunting partner and gentle, affectionate pet. One look into those soulful eyes and you may be hooked for life.
Their Coat Coloring Is Distinctive
The English Setter’s silky white coat has unusual speckling, called belton, that’s a distinctive trait of the breed. They may be either orange belton (white with tan markings), blue belton (white with black markings), tricolor (blue belton with tan on muzzle, over the eyes, and on the legs), or the less common liver belton or lemon belton. Whatever color, they’re beautiful dogs.
They’re One of Four Setter Breeds
The English Setter isn’t the only Setter breed that the AKC recognizes. There are four types of Setters: the English Setter, Irish Red and White Setter, Irish Setter, and the Gordon Setter. Despite partially sharing a name, these breeds are all distinctly different.
They’re Superb Hunters
If you don’t hunt, you’ll still need to give your English Setter lots of exercise. These are athletic dogs, always up for a hike or a run. In fact, they may get you up and off the couch.
The Breed is at Least 400 Years Old
Developed in Britain with the other Setter Breeds, the English Setter was developed over four centuries ago. Their popularity grew in Britain, and then eventually the United States, as the need for gun dogs rose.
They Are Gentle and Affectionate
Their Name Comes From Their Purpose
The English Setter traces its long history back to the 14th century. Medieval English Setters would crouch on the hunter’s front legs to indicate the presence of birds. This laying-down position was called “setting,” hence the name “Setter.”
They are the Subject of a 19th-Century Book
The modern English Setter was developed in great part due to a man named Edward Laverack. He bred together two English Setters, “Ponto” and “Old Moll,” part of a 35-year lineage. He later wrote a book, “The Setter,” all about the breed, published in 1872.
They Are the Smallest Setter Breed
Out of the four distinct Setter breeds, the English Setter is the smallest, considered a “medium” dog where the Irish, Gordon, and Irish Red and White Setters are considered “large” dogs.
The AKC First Recognized the English Setter in 1878
The English Setter was one of the nine original dog breeds recognized by the AKC in 1878. These are called the “charter breeds.”
The First Setter Show
The first-ever breed-specific show for the English Setter happened almost 20 years before they became AKC-recognized. This show took place in an English city called Newcastle upon Tyne in 1859.