English Setter Dog Breed

The English Setter was developed as the next stage in the refinement of early generations of setter dogs namely the "Setting Spaniel" a dog breed that was highly adept at sitting (setting) quietly once it had located the game-birds whilst awaiting the arrival of the hunter. These types of sporting dogs were very popular before the advent of the shot gun when game-birds were still downed with nets.

In early 19th century England the race was on to develop the ultimate and most refined setter dog. At that time there were several different lines of setter dogs in existence but eventually two individuals distinguished themselves from the fray as founding contributors to the development of the modern English Setter. The first individual who is largely considered the true founding father of the English Setter as we know it today was Sir Edward Laverack. The other person largely associated with the development of the English Setter dog breed was Purcell Llewellin.

Edward Laverack began earnest development of the English Setter breed in 1825 with a pair of dogs that originated from kennels in Carlisle. Purcell Llewellin on the other hand borrowed from Laverack’s English Setter stock and crossed them with unrelated English Setters. Mention of unrelated English Setters within this context refers to the fact, as previously mentioned, that there were several different types of setter dog to be found in England during that period. These different lines of setter dogs variously went by the following names: Anglesea Setter, Featherstone Setter, Ryman Setter, Old Hemlock Setter, Newcastle Setter, Laverack Setter and the Llewellin Setter.

Thus quite literally the Laverack Setter and to a slightly lesser degree the Llewellin Setter dogs consolidated the English Setter dog breed as it is known today. Purcell’s breeding program focused mainly on field ability of the dogs and that was the guiding reason why he crossed Laverack Setters with other lines of setters. He was looking to breed the most capable field dog possible. Thus, though there is to this day only one English Setter dog breed, the English Setter dog broadly follows along the two lines that most contributed to its development; the Laverack English Setters and the Llewellin English Setters. English Setter dogs that evolved along the Laverack lines are the ones that conform to dog show standards while dogs along the Llewellin lines unsurprisingly excel at field trials.

Unlike the Golden Retriever the exact canine pedigree of the English Setter dog is unknown though it is not unreasonable to speculate that once one excludes the other setter dog lines from the mix the English Setter’s ancestry included the: Large Water Spaniel; Springer Spaniel; and Spanish Pointer. Although Sir Edward Laverack began his breeding program proper in 1825, in all likelihood the English Setter probably existed in one form or another as far back as the 1400s before firearms were recognized or indeed used as bona fide hunting tools.

English Setter Dog Temperament

The English Setter dog breed was developed as a hunter and thereby it is a lively and rather energetic dog that simply loves to run and indulge its hunting pedigree. This breed makes for a warm and affectionate dog that gets along admirably with children, other pets as well as dogs and even strangers; hence it makes for a lousy protection dog. To avoid the English Setter becoming destructive or a nuisance it is necessary to ensure that the dog gets a substantial dose of quite exhaustive exercise each and every day.

English Setter Dog Upkeep

The English Setter requires consistent grooming ideally at least every other day if its elegant coat is to remain in mint condition. As noted above this dog boasts a hunting heritage and thus in keeping with its hunting hardwired genetics, the English Setter requires plenty of daily exercise.

English Setter Dog Breed Form & Function

Like the other bird flushing and retrieving hunting dogs the English Setter was built to run effortlessly at a good pace for considerable distances. In appearance the dog is both elegant and athletic and during the chase covers the ground in an easy fluid motion with its head held high and a lively tail. The coat of the English Setter dog breed is flat with feathering along its ears, back of legs, underside, tail as well as below the thighs.

The Laverack strain of the English Setter, in keeping with their dog show heritage, tend to have more feathering, a deeper muzzle and are usually larger than the Llewellin strain. On their part the Llewellin English Setter dogs, are smaller, faster, more athletic in appearance, in keeping with their field dog heritage. The Llewellin strain also tend to have less elaborate coats than the Laveracks. When on point the Llewellin English Setters hold their tails straight up in contrast to the Laveracks that generally align their tails almost level.

English Setter Dog Characteristics

As is to be expected for a dog that was bred to hunt and run tirelessly for long distances the English Setter is athletic in build. The dog holds its head high when running and covers the ground in a fluid and effortless trot.

Color: The English Setter can have any one of a variety of colored specks against a white background, which colored specks may be any of the following hues: black, liver, tan, orange and lemon. Puppies are generally born completely white save for those puppies that are born with solid patches. The characteristic flecks (specks) on the coat of the English Setter dog breed are referred to as "belton" a term that was coined by Laverack in reference to the town of Belton where he loved to hunt.

WEIGHT

Approx: 25 – 30 kgs for both sexes; or more specifically:

Male: 60 – 65 lbs

Female: 50 – 55 lbs

HEIGHT: 24 -25 inches (61 – 63 cm)

HEALTH

Major Health Issues: Deafness; CHD; Elbow dysplasia; Hypothyroidism

Minor Concerns: PRA; OCD; Epilepsy (very rarely)

Recommended Tests: Hearing; Elbow; Hip; Eye and Thyroid.

Lifespan: 10 – 12 years

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