¶Table of Contents
¶Quick Facts
The Irish Setter is a medium-sized, energetic pointing dog from Ireland with a strong hunting drive and a breed ideal that emphasises an affectionate nature. On Get a Pet, the breed is called Irish Setter. In the Swedish Kennel Club's breed standard, it is called the Irish Red Setter; this is the solid-red breed, not the Irish Red and White Setter, which is a separate breed.
- Breed group: Group 7, pointing dogs
- Origin: Ireland
- Original purpose: To search for gamebirds, point them, flush the bird on command and retrieve after the shot
- Height at the withers: 58–67 cm for males and 55–62 cm for females
- Weight: Not specified in the breed standard
- Activity level: High; the breed needs both physical activity and tasks that engage its nose and ability to work with a handler every day
- Best suited to: An active home that wants to train regularly and can manage hunting drive, recall and a substantial need for movement
This is not primarily a companion dog with a fixed exercise schedule. The breed was developed to work across large areas, and that background is evident in its speed, stamina, independence and interest in bird scent.
¶Appearance & Coat
The Irish Setter should be athletic, balanced and built for fast, sustained movement—not heavy or excessively coated. According to the standard, males should stand 58–67 cm at the withers and females 55–62 cm. The standard does not specify a weight, so an appropriate body condition must be assessed on the individual dog.
The colour is a rich chestnut red with no black. Small white markings may be permitted under the standard, but an Irish Setter should not be confused with the separately recognised Irish Red and White Setter.
The coat is short and fine on the head, the fronts of the legs and the tips of the ears. On the rest of the body, it is moderately long and should lie as flat and free from curl or wave as possible. There is longer, silky feathering on the ears and legs, among other areas. The coat should enhance a functional dog, not obscure the body's outline or impede movement.
Coat care should be based on the dog's actual needs, not a fixed weekly schedule. Check the feathering, the coat around the ears and neck, and the hair around the feet after outings in rough ground. Gently work out developing tangles before they tighten, and remove seeds, twigs and dirt. This is not a traditionally clipped breed, but stray or tangle-prone hair around the ears, neck and feet can be tidied carefully. Excessive shaping does not belong to the breed's functional appearance.
¶Temperament & Personality
The Irish Setter's breed ideal is intense, intelligent, energetic, affectionate and loyal, but friendliness does not automatically make the breed easy. Its strong hunting drive and ability to work at a distance mean that a young or untrained dog can be fast, easily distracted and difficult to reach when the surroundings become more interesting than the handler.
When its needs are met, the breed can be calm and pleasant indoors and highly intense outside. This is a useful description of the breed's two modes, but it is not a guarantee for every individual. Inheritance, upbringing, recovery, training and the everyday environment all influence how a dog behaves at home.
An Irish Setter can suit a committed first-time owner, but not someone looking for a dog that is satisfied with ordinary lead walks and a little weekend activity. The owner needs to enjoy training even when progress comes gradually and be able to prevent hunting drive from becoming a safety problem.
Labels such as “hunting line” and “show line” are not enough to predict everyday behaviour. Instead, ask how the parents and adult close relatives behave at home, how they work outside, how readily they settle and what hunting or other working achievements they actually have. Variation can occur both between and within litters.
¶Training & Exercise
The Irish Setter needs substantial daily activity, but no single number of hours is right for every adult dog. Age, health, fitness, the individual and the content of the activity determine the load. A slow walk and a search exercise in open ground may take the same amount of time while placing very different demands on the dog.
The breed's original way of working explains what often motivates it: the dog searches quickly and systematically for gamebirds, points when it locates the game, flushes on the handler's command and retrieves after the shot. A companion dog does not need to take part in practical hunting, but everyday life should provide outlets for the same core traits through activities such as movement over varied terrain, scent work, search exercises, retrieving and tasks that require contact with the handler.
Build recall early in a quiet environment and increase distractions gradually. With this breed's hunting drive, a securely enclosed area or a long line is a safer intermediate step than taking a chance off lead. A long line should be attached to a harness and used well away from traffic. Off-lead freedom should come only when the dog can disengage and return even when scent, birds or movement compete for its attention.
For a puppy, short walks, play, environmental learning and simple cooperative exercises are better building blocks than an adult dog's workload. Increase the load gradually and allow plenty of sleep and recovery. The often-repeated “five-minute rule”—five minutes of exercise per month of age—has no scientific support as a universal model and should not replace an assessment of the puppy's size, development and response to the activity.
¶Health
For the Irish Setter, it is important to distinguish between conditions that may occur, formal Swedish breeding requirements and test results that are centrally recorded and displayed. A long list of diagnoses tells a puppy buyer less than documented results for the parents and an open account of health among close relatives.
- Hip dysplasia (HD): Parent dogs must have an official hip status before mating for the offspring to be eligible for registration under Swedish Kennel Club rules. The breed also has an HD index. The Swedish Kennel Club recommends that the parents' average index be above 100 at the time of mating, and the breed-specific rule states that dogs graded D or E should not be used for breeding.
- CLAD: Canine leukocyte adhesion deficiency is a serious defect of the white blood cells and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. The previous requirement for a DNA test or hereditarily clear status for litter registration was removed in 2014, but results can still be recorded centrally. The breed club continues to recommend testing foreign and imported breeding dogs whose status is unknown.
- rcd4-PRA: This is a specific, recessively inherited form of the retinal disease PRA. Following a decision in 2025, the Swedish Kennel Club records and publishes DNA results for Irish Setters in Hunddata and Avelsdata. The test shows the dog's status for the specific rcd4 mutation; it does not rule out other forms of PRA.
Ask the breeder to show the parents' registered hip results and explain the mating's HD index. Also request documented CLAD and rcd4 status and an explanation of how the results informed the mating. Check the information in the Swedish Kennel Club's Hunddata or Avelsdata rather than relying on verbal assurances. In addition, ask about recurring disease, mobility problems, eye problems and longevity in parents, siblings and older close relatives. This gives a more relevant picture than assuming that every individual will develop everything ever reported in the breed.
¶History & Origins
The Irish Red Setter was developed in Ireland as a working hunting dog, and the modern breed's history is closely tied to gamebird hunting. According to the breed standard, it descends from the Irish Red and White Setter combined with an unknown solid-red dog. A recognisable type existed in Ireland during the 1700s.
The Irish Red Setter Club was founded in 1882 and published a breed standard in 1886. This helped define the identity and characteristics of the solid-red breed. The first imported dogs arrived in Sweden in the 1890s, and the Swedish Irish Setter Club was founded in 1910.
At the core of the breed standard is a functional dog with speed, strength, stamina and a friendly expression. The history is therefore more than background: it explains why hunting drive, a need for movement and work with a handler remain central to life with the breed today.
¶Living with the Breed
The Irish Setter is best suited to an active home that can provide daily movement, training and recovery, whether the home is a house or a flat. A garden does not replace activity, and a flat is not automatically unsuitable. In a flat, quick access to suitable exercise areas, practical daily routines, noise levels and the dog's ability to settle become particularly important.
The breed can become a warm and close family member, but “good with children” should not be taken to mean risk-free. A large, fast and playful dog can knock over a small child without meaning to. Dogs and young children should always have an adult present, and the dog needs an undisturbed place to rest. Adults must remain responsible for walks, exercise and training.
Living with other dogs or cats depends on the individuals and how introductions are managed. Early exposure is no guarantee, especially with a dog bred to react to bird scent and movement. When introducing a cat, the animals should first have separate safe areas, the cat should have clear escape routes, and early meetings should be calm and use a barrier or lead. Do not leave them unsupervised until their relationship is well understood.
Time alone must be trained gradually. A young puppy cannot be left alone, and adult dogs also vary greatly in how easily they learn. Start with very short, uneventful periods when the dog feels secure and increase the duration only when it can relax. A home in which the dog will regularly be left alone for a full working day without help is a poor match.
Before buying, you should be able to answer yes to three questions: Does daily life have room for meaningful activity even on dark, rainy working days? Can you train recall and manage the dog safely before it is reliable off lead? Can the breeder show health records and describe the parents as individuals, rather than only by a line label? If any answer is no, it is sensible to choose a less demanding breed or wait.
¶Characteristics
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred |
| Aggressiveness | 1/5 |
| Child Friendly | 5/5 |
| Energy | 4/5 |
| Hair Shedding | 3/5 |
| Health | 5/5 |
| Intelligence | 4/5 |
| Grooming Needs | 1/5 |
| Learning Ability | 4/5 |
| Barking Level | 2/5 |
| Height | 55 – 67 cm |
| Weight | 24 – 32 kg |
| Life Expectancy | 10 – 15 years |
¶Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical temperament of an Irish Setter with family and children?
They are typically affectionate, playful, and people oriented, which makes them good companions for active families and respectful children. Their exuberant nature means they can be boisterous, especially when young, so supervision with very small children and consistent training are important.
How much exercise does an Irish Setter need each day?
This is a high energy gundog that generally needs at least 1.5 to 2 hours of varied exercise daily, including opportunities to run. Mental stimulation through training, scent games, or field work is also important, or they may become restless and develop nuisance behaviors.
Are Irish Setters difficult to train because of their high energy?
They are intelligent and eager to please, but their lively, sometimes scatterbrained nature can make them seem slow to mature and easily distracted. Training works best when it is positive, consistent, and kept interesting, with short sessions started early and continued well into adulthood.
What are the most common health problems in Irish Setters?
They have an increased risk of bloat or gastric torsion, hip dysplasia, certain eye conditions, and some inherited autoimmune or neurological disorders. Responsible breeders screen for known genetic issues, but owners should still plan for regular veterinary checks and be aware of early warning signs of bloat and joint disease.
How much grooming does an Irish Setter’s long red coat require?
The silky coat needs brushing several times a week to prevent tangles, mats, and debris accumulation in the feathering. Occasional trimming around the feet, ears, and tail, along with routine ear cleaning, helps keep the coat tidy and reduces the risk of ear infections.
Is an Irish Setter a good choice for apartment living?
They are generally better suited to homes where they can move freely and have easy access to outdoor space. Apartment living is possible only if the owner is very committed to providing multiple long walks, safe off lead running, and mental enrichment every single day.
Can Irish Setters be left alone during the workday?
They are highly people focused and can be prone to separation distress if left alone for long periods on a regular basis. If the household is out for full workdays, they will usually need a combination of gradual alone time training, midday breaks, dog walkers, or dog daycare to stay content.
Are Irish Setters good off leash and do they have a strong prey or hunting drive?
They were bred to work at a distance from the handler and often have a strong interest in birds and other wildlife. Reliable recall can be challenging and needs careful, long term training, and many owners use secure fields or long lines unless the dog has demonstrated solid recall in low distraction environments first.
What should I know about feeding an Irish Setter to reduce the risk of bloat?
It is generally advised to feed measured meals twice a day rather than one large meal and to avoid vigorous exercise for at least an hour before and after eating. Using a calm feeding routine and discussing bloat prevention, including the option of preventive gastropexy, with a veterinarian is sensible for this breed.
At what age do Irish Setters usually calm down and mature?
They are known for staying puppy like for longer than many breeds and often remain very lively until at least 2 to 3 years of age. With consistent training, appropriate exercise, and mental work, most develop better impulse control in adulthood while still retaining an active, cheerful character.¶Comparisons with other breeds
Compare Irish Setter with other breeds and see the differences in temperament, activity level, and care to make a confident choice. Show all comparisons
