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English Setter: Training, Personality, Exercise, Health
About English Setter
Country of Origin, History of English Setters
The first setters were a cross of a Spanish pointer with a French pointer in France in about 1500. The English Setter was developed in the early 1800s by Sir Edward Laverack and many of the show dogs are from the Laverack Setter line. A famous hunting strain was developed by Llewellin and called the Llewellin Setter.
The word ‘setter’ means ‘almost sitting’ which refers to the position of the dog when he has discovered game. The English Setter is quick, energetic and quiet. He has an excellent nose for game. His coat keeps him comfortable in all types of weather.
The English Setter is a hunter, tracker, retriever, and pointer. He is good in obedience and agility. And he makes a good watchdog.
English Setter Tools
Breed Selector Tool - is the English Setter the right breed for you?
Is the English Setter the right breed for you and your family?
Find out by using our Free Dog Breed Selector Tool
Check Your English Setter's Learning Style
Are you aware dogs also have a learning style that can greatly affect their ability to housetrain as well as be trained correctly. Evaluate your English Setter's learning style and personality using our free Learning Style tool so that you are better able to provide him with the proper English Setter training methods.
Is your English Setter dominating over you?
Does your English Setter bark unnecessarily? Does your English Setter come to you when you call? Download a FREE Report on Dog Dominance for you and your English Setter and learn how to control your dog.
Do you make these mistakes with your English Setter?
Are you inadvertently snow-balling bad behavior in your English Setter? Evaluate your Dog Training Style from our Free Tool and learn how best to deal with your dog.
English Setter Calorie Calculator
Do you know how many calories your English Setter needs every day and how many cups of food you should be giving it every day? Click here to use our English Setter Calorie Calculator.
A General Appearance of the Dog
The English Setter has the typical setter profile with a coat that is white with speckles. The setter profile is tall, long and lean. It has a deep, but not wide chest with more fur than the rest of the body. The head of the English setter is long and the muzzle is about half the total head length and somewhat square with a black nose. The ears hang down but are not any more furry than the rest of the body. The eyes have a sweet and interested expression and are usually hazel in color. The tail is up making a curve that ends about the same height as the top of the head. The tail, ears, legs and underside are well feathered. This is a very striking and elegant dog.
The field type is a bit smaller and lighter than the show type. Field types are also much more active than show types.
Coat Color
The coat is what all over and then has speckling of blue, lemon, orange, or brown. The speckling may be more or less heavy and the markings can be of any size. Some dogs are tri-colored – blue, white, and brown.
Coat Type
These dogs have long hair which is flat, silky, and a bit wavy.
Height
Males: 24 - 27 inches
Females: 23 – 26 inches
Weight
Males: 55 – 80 lbs
Females: 45 – 70 lbs
Do not overfeed these dogs as they tend to gain weight easily. They need to look lean.
Free English Setter Training Secrets
Free Course on English Setter Training & Obedience
Stop All Bad Behavior, Excessive Barking and Biting
English Setter Personality Traits
Temperament of the Dog
The English Setter has a sweet personality. He is gentle with children and makes a great companion dog for families or singles. This is an overly friendly dog, but he will bark to announce the arrival of all of his perceived 'friends.' The English Setter is extremely active with the field setters being more active than the show setters.
An English Setter enjoys lots of companionship with people and other dogs. Running, leaping, sniffing, roaming, and retrieving are greatly enjoyed several times a day. It loves to play with other dogs and is happy getting exercise in this way. A fenced dog park is a good option if you do not have other dogs or cannot arrange 'play dates' with people who have similarly sized, energetic dogs like setters, retrievers, or pointers.
English Setters are roamers, so a secure fence is necessary. The fence may have to be six feet as they are also jumpers and it may need re-inforcement at the base as they are diggers. The English Setter can be quite vocal, so must be taught early in life when to bark and how to be quiet when told. (A few are droolers but not as much as Mastiffs.)
Better suited to an indoor or outdoor lifestyle?
The English Setter likes to live inside with the family but go outside often for a play time.
Are they suited to homes with kids?
English Setters are good dogs for homes with children as they are gentle and love children. They are tolerant, almost placid. Mild-mannered and sensitive, they 'mother' children. However, they want lots of active exercise outdoors.
Training
English Setters can be willful, even stubborn, so starting obedience training early and continuing for about two years with periodic re-inforcement for the life of the dog is necessary. Housetraining can be difficult with setters. Never be harsh with this sensitive breed.
Free English Setter Training Secrets
Free Course on English Setter Training & Obedience
Stop All Bad Behavior, Excessive Barking and Biting
English Setter Activity Level
How active is the Breed?
English Setters are a very active breed throughout their lives. If not sufficiently exercised, they will be hard to handle. They are very rambunctious and love to run outdoors.
This breed is not recommended for apartment living.
Exercise Need
This dog needs to run free in
a safe area (huge field with not roads close by
or a large fenced area) every day. Long, brisk,
daily walks are absolutely necessary if runs are
not an option. Dog parks are a good option. Play
dates with other dogs in fenced yards will be greatly
appreciated.
Grooming
English Setter’s coats only need occasional brushing and combing. The slickness helps them not to get burs and mats as easily as many other dogs; however, if they are in tall grass and underbrush, their coat should be checked. Be sure to use monthly flea and tick preventive.
They shed twice yearly and need extra brushing at those times.
Trim the feet (especially the bottom) and clip the nails monthly.
Baths are needed from time to time.
Free English Setter Training Secrets
Free Course on English Setter Training & Obedience
Stop All Bad Behavior, Excessive Barking and Biting
Health and Care
Do not overfeed the English Setter. He tends to gain weight easily. He should remain thin so that his ribs can be felt (and seen).
Genetic Problems
Hip dysplasia is about the only genetic problem of this breed.
Breeding the Dog and any Cautions
The female English Setter is prone to false pregnancies.
Litter Size: 6 -10
Life Span: 10-12 years.
National Breed Clubs
National Breed Clubs
British – English Setter
Association – www.englishsetterassociation.co.uk
US – English Setter Association of America
- www.esaa.com
Other Recognition: CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, ANCK, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Rescue Link: www.esaa.com/rescue.html
Group: AKC Sporting Dog Group, KCGB Gundog Group
AKC Popularity Ranking: 94
Also Known As: Laverack Setter, Lawerack Setter, Llewellin Setter, Llewellyn Setter
Train Your English Setter To Listen To You
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Sign up for our Free English Setter Mini Course to have a housebroken, obedient dog that happily comes to you every time you call.
You'll learn new commands to obedience-train your dog as well as how to housebreak your dog in 6 days or less.
You'll also learn how to eliminate bad habits like barking, nipping or biting, jumping, or pulling on the leash.Here's just s small fraction of what else you'll learn in the course:
How to lead and think like a pack dog - the new psychology.
3 dangerous mistakes that most English Setter owners make when they are trying to potty train their dogs.
The 2 main reasons why your dog barks excessively and how to control its excessive barking.
How to obedience train your English Setter to permanently end behavioral problems like Jumping, Aggression, Pulling on Leash.
A surprisingly easy way to teach your dog cool new tricks.
How to improve your dog's lifespan and keep it from getting overly heavy with a healthy and nutritious diet.
Getting Pro help fast - how to get access to our expert trainers when you need them most.
One hidden psychological trigger that all English Setters have... that practically allows you to "analyze" and "control" your dog's every action.
Priority access to the free online seminars conducted by our training experts.
Whereas other dog training related web sites and books offer generic information for dogs in general, ours is the ONLY web site that offers English Setter information specifically, from a renowned panel of experts - because as you probably know, English Setters have their own special training requirements that other dogs don't have.
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