I have had my taste of gundog and I have to say I LOVE it! OK so I'm having some trouble with the recalling from birds but I'm getting there. I have always loved Irish Setters - but do setters in general make good pets?
Yes and no, depends if you want to put up with puppy antics long term....? The English are wonderful dogs, immensely friendly they love everyone and everything! Some do have a high prey drive and they do have recall issues, but it is possible to train recall. I have rabbits and piggies indoors and they get on well with them. They love cuddles with their mummy and are oversized lap dogs. But they remain puppies really forever and are incredibly norty!! I have one Irish and she is the only one I have had... but I will have another, she has recall, she is a fantastic girl, so friendly, again loving everyone and everything!! She isn't so puppyish as the English and isn't so independent... we named ours a velcro dog. No idea about the Gordons, but will watch with interest as I want one!!;-)
I love the look and character of ALL the setters, especially the Irish and Gordon's, they are all on my wish list for the future, so this thread will be very informative, the only thing I have doubts on is their recall, as they all seem to be "rangy" dogs, some more than others.........also love the "Red and White,!!
I've owned, shown and bred both the English and the Irish. I have to admit that the English are my no.1 breed, closely followed by the Irish. They are wonderful to live with, albeit very naughty, and my English have always been naughtier and more destructive than my Irish, they are also worse offlead than the Irish. I suppose what I love about them, apart from their stunning good looks and wonderful temperament, is that you never know what they are going to do from one day to the next....they can be as good as gold and then next day trash the place, but you can't be cross with them because everything is a game to them. If you want a dog that loves being part of a family you can't go wrong with a setter.
I've never had one, but I regularly meet two different ladies with an Irish Setter each on our walks. Interestly they both say that while lovely, they are the dimmest dogs (their words not mine! ) the have ever owned and one isn't let off the lead at all. I think English and Irish Setters are stunning in the flesh, but being a massive gundog breed fan I've come to expect a certain attitude from gundog types...good focus, biddable, drive, eagerness, quick response, and Setters don't really tick any of those boxes based on what I've seen. I've also never seen one being worked -- is there a reason for this?
I would say the English have the worst recall, it is trainable, if they wish to do it!!;-) The Red and Whites can have temprement issues, so you must research breeders... as I know you would!!;-)
There is the show type English - Laverack and then the smaller workers the Llewellins, most people see the show type.
The English have two different types, one for working and one for show, there are some people that work their show type but the last full champion was my Bailey's grandmother and he would be 14 now so it was a fair while ago. My show strain have always had the birdiness about them, but they will catch them in fill flight but then run off with them, they wouldn't return and hand them to me...bloomin good job too as I'm scared of birds
Hi Jackie The Irish aren't as bad as the English and, from what friends have told me that have both, the Gordon's are quite good at recall. I don't know much about the red & whites other than they don't have the same temperaments as the English and Irish and they do have to be health tested for more things than the others...VWB comes to mind. I do know of a couple of good breeders of the r&w so could put you in touch if you ever felt the need ;-) Mind you, I know of some excellent breeders in all the setter types...you could say I'm a bit of a setterholic
I would also add once hooked setters, any type, are very addictive and sadly once hooked there is no known cure, except having more!!;-)
Most definitely yes - as long as not from working lines possibly! Have had either an Irish, English or Gordons (sometimes all) for 20 years now! Gosh didnt' realise that long - I can't imagine not having more than one! The Irish - still love them and one day would love another - recall is pretty good for them - definitely trainable - I did agility with my girl and obedience and she was superb at both - many people do well at agility with them! Probably bit more high maintenance and needy out of all but temperaments are fantastic - great with kids! mine grew up with Sacha and I couldn't fault her with them. The English - the cuddlemonster and such sweethearts - melting expression can't ever tell them off - took the longest to housetrain - hardest to train - not because they can't they just do when they want - weigh up what's in it for them LOL (I tried agility with one - and she just got bored - didn't see the point in doing over and over again! - can have the highest prey drive - Charlie will jsut sit in the garden watching the birds all day long - most independant on walks! last to come back - when he is finished and ready! - BUT ADORABLE!!! everyone loves Charlie! - love to curl up with you! The Gordons - they have my heart out of all of the setters really - well I have three! - find them the easiest to train - love their characters I swear they read my mind! - want to please you - tend to be one person dogs but having said that Connor will work for Jess and me but we made sure from an early age - Max however is a mummys boy and will do work for Jess to a certain point before mummmmm! - some can be shy but once they get to know someone - others just want to see EVERYONE - they are very in your face Gordons - oversize lap dogs! - they are entertaining characters (as are all really) absolute clowns - love human and canine company - noisiest from my point of view - love to chat!!! - slowest to mature - physically as well as mentally! They all love people! They all can be stubborn. They all don't mentally mature!!! Mine are happy to walk forever but also will make do with a shorter walk - they are able to chill and not always on the go ! Setters are FABULOUS pets from my point of view ! For a first time setter owner I would probably steer them to the Irish or Gordon - I just think the English recall is something not to be taken likely - I know many people aren't keen on letting off - I too won't if I don't think its safe or if Charlie has left his recall head at home! (quite often). Setters love free running and large open spaces for them are a must - wouldn't suggest them living in a busy town with no countryside nearby! Sorry I've done it again got carried away but you probably can tell we love our Setters! I don't have any experience of the red/whites sadly.
Gosh they are so not the dimmest dogs - you get what you put in with a Setter!!! They don't have perfect recalls all of them but never letting off lead for a setter that is very sad really but would question what work the lady has put in but then not knowing this hard to argue! They are definitely biddable... they tend to think before reacting possibly - and some lack drive. I know quite a few that work their Gordons; partaking in field trials/grouse counting/beating. Some winning top awards - we have had Dual Ch in the breed as well. So many clubs provide HPR training but don't allow for the pointers/setters. Plus you need the right type of land to work them/train them. I hope to do a training day this year with Maxy or Connor but depends when and where it is - usually its a fair trek. I do agility with the Gordons and they do pretty well. I did with my Irish (as well as obedience) so would never say they are dim!
I've seen the iffy side of R&Ws - not very good with others dogs, but have also seen a nice yet slightly timid one too. My Dad remembers when he had to look after some irish setters while the breeder was away, apparently they were in your face soooo much that they became really quite annoying and just would not leave him alone for a second they were just manic that was a long time ago tho. I have only seen pics and video of the working type and OMG some of them can fly - they are so quick.
I know who to come to , if i ever decide on a setter, with you lot here;-) its funny when one ventures into a new breed how out of it you feel, I could direct anyone to a good Boxer breeder , but other breeds you feel like you are venturing into the unknown:? Will not be getting anther dog till Millie has gone and that hopefully will be a few yrs yet, but do fancy a change, but never say never, as I cant see myself without a Boxer, but hey ho, we see what life brings, But this thread is good, gives me an insight to some of the breeds I woudl love to own.;-)
So basically from what you are all saying I have a setter in a ESS x lab body I do like the look of Gordons and Irish. So from what you're saying - as long as I pick from a show line, I should be OK when picking a future setter. You don't see many setters these days, at my parents there was a beautiful Irish Red puppy. And the other week, I did see an English puppy, he was only 13 weeks and small too, but I bet that would be different now. Thanks for your replies it will be a few years before I get a Setter though. I will be dipping my toes into a few breeds - I don't like the idea of being a person with one breed - I couldn't do it lol.
