The English Setter was bred to flush out the
birds after giving a quiet alert to its Master that it had found a
covey. Through the years it has kept this instinct strong.
The history of the English Setter, a hunting
dog, is very ancient. It is one of the oldest known hunting
breeds. It was written about as early as the fourteenth century as
a specific "setting" dog. Typically a "Setter" will seek out a
covey of quail or other birds and freeze in place when it finds
them. The "set" is a freezing in place and they will not give
chase after the prey. One might compare this to an "alert" as the
term is used for example in the area of Search and Rescue. The dog
thus gives an obvious display to the hunter that it has come upon
a covey or group of birds. On command of the hunter the Setter
will then flush out the birds. This breed should not go after
rabbit or other game.
The English Setter is "long on leg" and
rather tall and rangy. The coloring is quite unusual, a
roan/brindle combination known as "Belton" in varying shades of
blue, red, tan, lemon, or black with white. The term "Belton"
actually comes from a village in England where one of the founding
breeders of the Setter , Mr. Edward Lavarack, developed his stock.
Through his careful breeding program a very useful hunting dog was
perfected. The dog is muscular and lean, with a well developed
nose for smelling out the birds, well angulated in the rear and
with strong legs built for ranging across rugged land. The
instinctive "setting" of the dog is of course natural to the
breed. The coat should be slightly wavy and long and silky.
Natural oils within keep the coat free of brambles and weather
resistant.
The English Setter is relatively free of
heritable disease except for hip dysplasia. This condition is not
as prevalent in this breed however as it is with many of the other
larger breeds, so in general it is a healthy dog. Occasional
bathing and regular brushing are necessary and the English Setter
does need plenty of exercise, for it is a working breed and very
active.
For many years in England the Setter was
kept within the home as a family pet besides being the Master's
hunting dog. It was expected to be friendly and loyal with an even
and non aggressive temperament. They should be affectionate and
loyal and accepting of strangers and other dogs, for often they
are required to work in the field with a variety of hunters and
dogs. They should also be placid and settle quietly when in the
house, not being "wild" and overly active. The English Setter is a
highly intelligent dog and should be an easy dog to train, anxious
to please, willing to work for many hours in the field and also be
quietly reserved in the home. Although there are still careful
breeders who work hard to maintain this stable temperament, there
are also an abundance of breeders who do not strive for this goal.
Consequently there are some Setters today who do not posses good
temperament, and the person who is seeking a puppy of this breed
would do well to investigate the source of the breeding.
