We invite you to get to know the English Setter better, a very special dog for many reasons and very different from the rest. If you want to have one that shares your life, we will tell you all about its variants of color, character, characteristics, care, health and curiosities.
Origin of the English Setter
In ancient times, English Setter dogs were called Index and the origin of these animals was approximately in the middle of the 14th century, it is for this reason that it is said that they are probably one of the oldest hunting dogs.
It used to be used by man to accompany them on its hunting days and thus considered a useful dog for hunting birds, since he was incapable of emitting any kind of noise with his feet or his mouth when chasing his prey.
When it was in search of them he would remain completely still and silent, without taking another step and staring at the place where his prey was, moving by laying his abdomen on the ground and crawling forward.
On the other hand, Edward Laverack is considered the father of the English Setter, since he was one of the first to train this breed, in addition to investing time, knowledge and resources to make it known.
This breed of dog got its name due to a common practice they have of perching or crouching, just at the time they were finding birds so that hunters could catch them.
At present, English setters are used as hunting dogs, in addition, they are excellent family companions, since they are very affectionate, they love their human family very much and they can get along very well with the other pets that live in the environment.
Characteristics of the English Setter
This dog has a fairly calm, friendly and passive personality, as well as being very faithful and intelligent, which makes the Setter a wonderful dog to adopt as a pet. Some of its most notable features are the following:
- It is a medium-sized dog that has a very elegant, beautiful and athletic walk.
- They are usually very intelligent and even have their natural hunting instincts.
- They can live between 10 and 12 years.
- Its head has a long and light structure, where its skull is less wide between the ears than that of the Pointer dog and less rounded at the back.
- They have a long, straight snout with a slight depression at the end of the nose.
- Their jaws are of equal length, strong and long.
- They have dark eyes.
- Their low ears are set very back, they are quite long and hang along the cheeks.
- It has a long, muscular neck.
- Its chest is wide, proportional to its depth.
- The ribs are rounded, the loin is quite short, and the hips are slightly flexed.
- Compact and short feet, with tight toes, short and thick nails.
- Its tail is positioned at the height of the back line, although it is low and slightly turned at the tip, but without exceeding the curve.
- Its coat is very fine and silky, although it is also slightly wavy.
These dogs can be found with a coat in different shades, highlighting the brown English setter dog, in addition to the black and white setter .
Although, there are also what have a white and lemon, white and orange, white and brown, black and tan fur, the black English setter and even the tricolor English setter .
Education and Sociability
When it is a puppy English setter, it is just when we should train them, since they are highly intelligent dogs and during this age they are capable of learning almost everything we teach them, quickly and easily.
However, we must emphasize that they are not easy to train , due to how easily they can be distracted when they are in places outside the home. Although, it is true that the English setter is always ready for learning and discipline.
The English setter dog has a great advantage, and that is that it has an excellent memory. So we could say that it is a very easy dog to train, only that you must have a lot of patience.
Once the puppy is adapted to its new family and environment, it still has a lot to learn to become the balanced, sociable and calm adult dog that we all want.
A breed of dog that can learn from the moment of its birth, taking every experience to improve its development. Socialization must also be a fundamental part so that this intelligent dog can grow mentally healthy.
When it is still a puppy, it is one of the most important stages in the dog’s life, as it is more open to accept and assimilate new stimuli and new experiences.
Character of the English Setter
The English Setter is a working dog, which can run quickly and silently, in addition, it has an extraordinary sense of smell and its coat keeps it warm all the time, whether in hot or cold climates.
They are not suitable to have them in apartments without leaving hardly, because they have a lot of energy and they need to do a lot of exercise. Therefore, it is recommended to have them in houses or places with enough space where they can run.
The English setter is a breed that shows a lot of love for people, especially its breeders, as well as being extremely tolerant animals. This breed can become a great friend to a family, as well as it can be an excellent hunting dog.
The English Setter dog breed , unlike the Irish, are not very funny and are not usually so indifferent to strange people, as is usual in their brothers, the Gordon Setters.
The English Setter is very affectionate, kind and gentle, also devoted to its family and is dedicated to getting along very well with the little ones in the house.
In general, it is an excellent guardian in homes, as it is always alert to everything that is happening and when a stranger approaches its home, then the English Setter barks to warn its presence.
It should be noted that when a stranger comes home, after it is introduced to the dog and he himself can detail it well, then he will accept it with the best attitude and he will be able to be calm with the stranger at home.
That is why English setters are usually very quiet inside the home, however, outside they are very noisy, in addition to running and having fun with everyone they find to play, whether they are people or other dogs.
Diseases and Health
Setters can live for about 12 years on average, they are very strong dogs and excellent for hunting. Even so, it is not recommended that they do very intense days of exercises, since they could injure themselves.
They are very tolerant of heat, but without trying too hard, which means that they should not exercise when the temperatures are very high. The good news is that the Setter has the advantage of having an undercoat that protects it from the cold.
These dogs are usually prone to obesity, so in the best conditions they should always be kept active, in addition to providing them with a healthy and balanced diet.
Among the most common diseases that these dogs can contract, we can mention otitis, cancer, congenital deafness, atopic dermatitis, hip and elbow dysplasia.
Breeding and price of the English Setter
The price of the English Setter can always vary depending on its age, its origins and the sex of the specimen.It should be noted that a specimen of a pedigree English Setter can cost from around 801.04 dollar, while those of more recognized lineages can easily exceed 2288.69 dollar.
On the other hand, if we talk about what we need monthly for their maintenance, we mean approximately 57.22 dollar, between food, care and visits to the vet.
10 Curiosities about the English Setter
- The English Setter can be a bit stubborn.
- Harsh training techniques should be avoided.
- This dog knows how to be very generous and returns all the love it receives.
- They have a tendency towards independent decision making.
- They are said to have excellent hunting instincts.
- According to what Edward Laverack wrote in his book “The Setters”, the English Setter is an improved spaniel.
- This breed of dog was brought to England, where different strains were separated.
- There are specimens of a great variety of colors, even mixed tones.
- In 1890 the first club of this breed was founded, called the English Setter Club.
- At present, two lines of this species are considered, where the first are larger and with enormous fringes, good for beauty contests. While the others are smaller and excellent for work in the field.