Irish Setters

Nature 4 Minutes

Characteristics of the Irish Setter

Irish setters are the quintessential family dog, with a sweet and playful temperament that makes them ideal companions for owners of any age. They are highly intelligent and easy to train, whether you want to participate in a sport alongside them or just want them to walk by your side on a leash. They typically get along great with other pets and often make friends (human and otherwise) wherever they go. Irish setters are known for being highly affectionate with their family and open to meeting strangers wherever they go.

History of the Irish Setter

Irish setters were developed in Ireland to assist bird hunters before the advent of firearms. Setters are a group of dog breeds that use their keen sense of smell to detect birds and “set”—or take a low stance with their body nearly touching the ground. When the bird is flushed from its hiding spot, the hunter makes the shot, and the dogs eagerly retrieve the fowl.

Bird hunters in Ireland were searching for a bird dog that would move swiftly over the rather open terrain of the Irish countryside but retain the attentive and patient demeanor of prized hunting companions. In the early 1800s, hunters looked to spaniels, English setters, and Gordon setters to breed an eager, attentive, and quick bird dog.

The result was a red-and-white setter-type dog that became known as the Irish setter. Over time, further breeding resulted in a dog with an exclusively red coat with no patches of white. Today, a coat with traces of black is considered a fault in the breed’s appearance, though it isn’t a disqualifying factor for show dogs. The rich red of the Irish setter’s coat is equally eye-catching in the field or walking down the street.

With such striking good looks and an eager-to-please temperament, it’s no surprise that these dogs quickly began spreading across Britain and into the United States. While the Irish setter only appeared on the scene at the turn of the 19th century, this breed was one of the first nine breeds to gain early AKC-recognition in 1878. Along with the English setter and Gordon setter, the Irish setter was well on its way to becoming a popular dog breed in the United States for hunting and companionship.

Red setters, as they’re sometimes called by breed enthusiasts, developed into two sub-types: field and show. Show-type setters are the most common and represent the mental picture that most people have of an Irish setter—thick, flowing red coat, heavy bones, tall stature with long legs and body. The field-type setter has been intentionally bred to retain its working abilities and has the same characteristically red or mahogany coat, but features significantly less feathering, finer bones, and more compact stature.

What both types share is a strong drive to work and please their owners. Today, the Irish setter excels in the field, show ring, and family room. This breed has had the distinction of winning the Westminster Kennel Club’s Sporting Group competition 11 times. Irish setters rank within the top 100 most popular dog breeds in the United States. 

Irish Setter Care

Caring for an Irish setter is a rewarding experience. This dog breed is loyal and affectionate but also has a playful side that delights owners young and old alike. It could be said that these dogs have never met a stranger; they seem to warmly welcome everyone, so an Irish setter probably won’t make a suitable watchdog.

Exercise

To help this sporting dog maintain a balanced, happy disposition, you’ll need to plan on at least an hour of vigorous activity each day. These dogs love a brisk walk, going for a run, or endlessly retrieving tennis balls. Ideally, a fenced yard gives this breed a safe place to roam and romp, but it won’t replace the need for a daily walk or run.

Grooming

Caring for the Irish setter’s gorgeous red coat isn’t as time-consuming as you may think. Their coat will benefit from a couple of brushing sessions per week, as well as an occasional bath, but the coat is relatively low-maintenance despite its flowing appearance.

The undercoat becomes heavier in winter to keep the dog warm and sheds as spring approaches. Expect to ramp up your grooming while the coat is blowing out and use a slicker brush to remove loose hair and keep fur balls from flying. 

Training

An affable nature doesn’t mean that training an Irish setter is a hands-off experience. Like all dog breeds, this breed requires a consistent and positive approach to training. If you start with your setter in puppyhood, be sure to provide plenty of socialization with people of all ages and animals large and small. Keep in mind that the setter was born to flush game, so their prey drive can sometimes be activated by smaller household pets. However, this tendency can often be molded and contained with consistent training.

Red setters are very intelligent and quick learners. Aside from being a natural fit for field trials, they do well in flyball, dock diving, canine agility, and obedience. Their attentive nature and calm demeanor also make them well-qualified as therapy or service dogs. However, the breed’s natural affinity for human companionship means that they can be prone to separation anxiety. Compared to some other dog breeds, they don’t tolerate being alone for extended periods particularly well, so they won’t be a good fit for someone who spends most of their day outside the home.

SOURCE: The SPRUCEPETS

Unknown's avatar

Published by pat frederick

Published

121 thoughts on “Irish Setters”

    1. Morning, Pat! Temp here is 42 and who knows what will follow. I give up on trying to “predict” anything with the weather.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Nope, haven’t seen him for 2 days now – I am convinced he has another home somewhere around here. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be in the good condition he’s in now – his congestion is gone, no discharge from eyes/nose, no scratching at his ears. And he had lost no weight at all during the time he was gone. I am his “get-away” spot! LOL

          Liked by 1 person

      2. Periodically go thru your kid’s toys and put half of them in a garbage bag then hide it in the attic/basement/garage…wherever. After 3-4 months, bring them out again and switch them with the current toys. They’ll get all excited about the “new” old toys again.

        Liked by 2 people

  11. “Judge orders FBI to provide Covenant shooter’s manifesto to news outlet”

    By Ben Whedon, Published: March 15, 2024 10:08pm

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “A federal judge ordered the FBI to provide Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale’s manifesto and other documents for a private review as part of a lawsuit from Star News Digital Media Inc., the parent company of The Tennessee Star.

    “The court’s order today is a significant victory for the public’s right to know about the motives of Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who murdered six innocent Nashvillians at the Covenant School on March 27, 2023,” Tennessee Star Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy said.

    Star News sued the FBI in May 2023, claiming the bureau had violated the First Amendment by rejecting multiple Freedom of Information Act requests for the manifesto. Hale’s March 2023 massacre targeted the Covenant School and resulted in the deaths of three students and three faculty members.

    “The court also finds that the significant public interest in both the requested materials and the law enforcement objectives asserted by the FBI support in camera review and that no showing has been made that the requested materials will be so voluminous that they would pose a significant danger to judicial economy,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger in the Friday order.

    In November of last year, conservative commentator Steven Crowder published leaked pages of the manifesto that included a number of anti-white writings. Hale was a biological female that signed the journal entries under the name “Aiden.”

    Liked by 1 person

  12. “Supreme Court rules public officials in some situations can block social media followers”

    By Joseph Weber, Published: March 15, 2024 11:29am

    ENTIRE ARTICLE @ Just The News: “The Supreme Court ruled Friday public officials can block social media users in certain circumstances, dismissing  challenges brought against local government officials who blocked followers critical of them on Facebook.

    The high court ruled 9-0 with the unanimous opinion written by Trump-appointed Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

    The court in its ruling set a clearer standard for when public officials are state actors online and when they can have more control over their social media presence, according to CNN.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. EXCERPT: “The ex-CNN anchor sent over an astronomical wish list to Elon Musk during contract talks to host a show on the billionaire’s social media platform X – including a free Tesla Cybertruck, a $5 million upfront payment on top of an $8 million salary, an equity stake in the multibillion-dollar company, and the right to approve any changes in X policy as it relates to news content, according to a document reviewed by The Post.

      Lemon — who was expected to air an interview with Musk for next week’s debut episode on X — had also demanded a private jet flight to Las Vegas, a suite for him and his fiance, and that the company pay for their day drinking and massages, a source with knowledge of the situation said.

      Musk agreed to do the interview with Lemon despite the fact that he was aware of some of Lemon’s outlandish demands, sources told The Post….”

      https://nypost.com/2024/03/15/media/don-lemon-demanded-tesla-cybertruck-5m-advance-equity-in-x-before-elon-musk-canned-him-sources/

      Liked by 1 person

  18. “What a wonderful idea! Old, chipped and cracked bricks are made into beautiful books by Light Reading, a shop in Melbourne, Australia.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. we went to the PO and then to take a short drive so i could talk to my mom for a bit.
        her podiatrist and her general physician are convincing her that she’s diabetic. even though the general MD has not done blood work to determine specifically that she is.
        they keep asking her if she’s taking her sugar and that she should watch her sugar.
        i keep telling her to tell them that if they’ve done blood work to determine that, then she is entitled to free diabetic classes and a free meter and strips to test. she has no actual diagnosis to get that stuff.
        but yet every time we talk, she tells me she is pre diabetic. sigh
        when i go and test her sugar with my meter and supplies…she is NOT diabetic

        Liked by 1 person

  21. eilert (@guest_1250505)

    Online

    March 16, 2024 11:10

    Supreme Court Case Filed!
    Read the case and support this athttps://t.co/fyBOG08ZBB https://t.co/iccBmH5uwu

    — Mike Lindell (@realMikeLindell) March 15, 2024

    Kurt Olsen breaking down the evidence in the petition to the US Supreme Court.

    Investigators found plain text encryption keys in the machine databases via an open records request.

    They found a Rijndael key, an X.509 Security certificate and HMAC key

    Kurt Olsen breaking down the evidence in the petition to the US Supreme Court.

    Investigators found plain text encryption keys in the machine databases via an open records request.

    They found a Rijndael key, an X.509 Security certificate and HMAC key@BehizyTweets… pic.twitter.com/8AidUlwJAZ

    — CannCon (@CannConActual) March 15, 2024

    The filing from Home | Lindell Offense Fund
    (Note
    This was leaked by the defense and SCOTUS has yet to acknowledge thisIf you have the X.509 private encryption key you can decrypt the election data and replace it with your own data, without being detected)https://electioncrimebureau.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/23-_PetitionForWritOfCertiorari.pdf

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Just The News: “Multiple shootings outside Philadelphia on Saturday resulted in the deaths of three people as the search for the suspect is ongoing. 

    A shelter-in-place order was issued due to a shooting in a suburban Philadelphia township, resulting in the St. Patrick’s Day parade being canceled. 

    NBC News is reporting that the suspect in the three deaths is 26-year-old Andre Gordon. Gordon also reportedly carjacked a driver at gunpoint.

    The shelter-in-place was ordered around 9:30 a.m. near Sesame Place and a local mall. Police believe that Gordon knew the three people shot, according to NBC. This is a developing story……“

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Ron B

    Ron B

    March 16, 2024 11:59 am

    Reply to  R Green

    Judge Jeanine Pirro of Fox News said that all discovery in NY must be handed over to the defense within 15 days of arraignment, which happened months ago. She says this now should cause the case to be dismissed as a fragrant violation of state law.

    The documents from the Feds were already available to SDNY when they decided not to prosecute Trump. For Bragg to now bring them into his case is so out of bounds that he should be sanctioned by the court.

    Last edited 36 minutes ago by Ron B

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Bad Kitty Unleashed 🦁
    @pepesgrandma
    🔥Breaking! A Bad Kitteh rare find and a chance to stop Zuckerbucks 2.0 before it starts! Part 1 of 3

    The CTCL group (Zuckerbucks in 2020) has snuck back into our 2024 elections shielded in total secrecy while partnering with Arabella New Venture Fund.

    (Recall that Arabella is a money handler for Soros Democracy alliance.)

    The @FDRLST
    recently exposed this new Cities Forward election funding scheme. But Cities Forward said that it wasn’t going to reveal its funding or connections until November? You know election month? Ha!

    And I certainly don’t believe that Claire Woodall, of WI elections doesn’t know who they are because she had worked with them before. So, due to all this secrecy, I’m going to reveal everything for them.

    Part one will be what the Federalist found. Part 2 will reveal the CTCL and Arabella connections. But there’s a whole lot more to this tangled web, and that’s what part 3 is for. Nobody is getting off easy here.

    The Federalist story:

    “Cities Forward, a virtually unknown nonprofit organization that markets itself as a “nonpartisan effort focused on helping cities around the country make participation in the democratic process a priority.”

    You know I just don’t like what Arabella and CTCL has their hands on here:

    Milwaukee is expected to use the funds from the group to pay for:

    – New tabulators
    – Text messaging service that “would allow the city to reach registered voters to CORRECT MISINFORMATION
    – Voting machines that can digitally generate a ballot for any voter in the city and then print a paper copy
    – Over 200 Android smartphones
    – Etc

    Trevor Ostbye will be in part 3. There’s more about Trevor than in the article, but he’s just icing on the cake.

    “According to Urban Milwaukee, Cities Forward is spearheaded by Trevor Ostbye, who previously worked at the Omidyar Democracy Fund.”

    (Democracy Fund is a Soros Democracy Alliance partner.)

    Part two will be the real goodies, so stay tuned! I believe this is just the start of this funding scheme so let’s see if we can stem it off NOW.

    https://thefederalist.com/2024/03/13/mil

    Liked by 1 person

  27. so hubby and i just completed a project! LOL

    we bought decals for the tub he showers in. they are not easy decals–you know willy nilly adhesive ducks…oh no. these are squares that when precisely placed resemble a grill over water

    we used 8 instead of 6 and hubby had all his square and angle tools in the bathroom. i probably would have half assed it …but it had to be perfect in that (his) tub…LOL

    Liked by 1 person

  41. Oversight Committee

    @GOPoversight

    🚨THE WHITE HOUSE IS PANICKING🚨 President Biden wants our impeachment inquiry to end, but that’s not for the subject of the investigation to decide. This is just more obstruction from the Biden White House. The White House is OBSTRUCTING Congress from obtaining the following: ▪️ All drafts of then-Vice President Biden’s speech delivered to the Ukrainian Rada in Dec. 2015 ▪️ Joe Biden’s emails with his family’s business associates where he used an alias ▪️ Interviewing current and former White House staff about President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents ▪️ Interviewing a current Biden Administration official about his knowledge of possible FARA violations related to Burisma The White House wants to HIDE the evidence we’ve unearthed about the Bidens’ corruption: ▪️ The Bidens and their associates raked in over $24 million from 2014-2019 by selling Joe Biden as “the brand” ▪️ Vice President Biden dined, attended meetings, spoke on speakerphone, and had coffee with his son’s foreign associates ▪️ Joe Biden has met with nearly ALL foreign associates funneling his family millions ▪️ Witnesses’ testimonies reveal Joe Biden not only knew of and participated in, but enabled the Biden “business” and he was used to close deals with Russian and Chinese entities ▪️ President Biden has lied nearly two dozen times about his family’s business dealings We will not be intimidated by the White House. We will continue to obtain facts for the American people and deliver accountability.

    Liked by 1 person

      2. It’s the story of Solomon and the two women who both claimed a baby was theirs because one woman’s baby had died and she wanted the other woman’s baby.

        Solomon told his soldier to cut the baby in half and give each woman half a baby.

        The real mother said, No! Don’t kill the baby – give it to the other woman. 

        Then Solomon knew who was the real mother and gave her baby back.

        Liked by 1 person

  44. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

      1. LO.l I know. I had the firefighters drop by. They do the inspection of the smoke detectors and man the beagle got all the loving!

        Pretty dogs but man So much hair.

        Liked by 1 person

  49. Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.