Come on guys spill, apart from the well known recall issues that plague those of us with setter-itis what are they like to live with, train etc... I've heard they are scatty but living with a highly strung irish are they really any worse? I need anecdotes, an estimate on how often their lives are threatened on a daily basis by you all, Chester can get up to about half a dozen on a bad day , but also the good points, those of you with more than one must have your reasons!! Enquiring minds want, maybe need, to know ;-) !!!
Well I started with one and ended up with 10 of the little darlings, there is simply no other breed for me and, when we move, I have permission to have as many dogs as I want...but so long as they are English Setters!! The permission comes from a previous anti-dog person who has also been smitten with these lovable rascals. On a serious note, they do have recall issues, but there are possibly other breeds that have worse issues than that, so long as you are aware of their naughty ways...and each one has their own little foibles, then you won't have a problem. I've never known such an affectionate breed, other than the Irish Setters, of course, but the English just seem to have that little bit extra character that endears you to them. Most people I know that have had an English will always have an English from then on, they may have other breeds also, but they have to have at least one English in their lives Hope this helps and that I haven't put you off them
Have to agree with Sheree - so affectionate - and such delightful dogs to live with - at home Charlie is the easiest dog to live with. He is quiet, he is happy to do his own thing - he is chilled... He walks nicely on the lead.. the gordons are still in a hurry! but he wasn't the easiest to train - he is very independant and they are so smart! but they think about what's in it for them - he's distracted easily He's overfriendly with everyone dogs and human alike! I wouldn't swap him for the world and he is always so happy to see us - we could have gone out the room for a second and its like he's meeting us for the first time.... if I could just crack the recall!!! LOL! perfect dog really!
Agree with Sheree and Rachel, they are such a happy and friendly breed. Everyone is their friend, which is a problem when it comes to recalling them!! They use their intelligence wisely and can be so darn stubborn. One of mine has separation anxiety and cannot be left, even though he has the others... Deacon sees everyone and everything as a lifelong friend!! He is such a happy boy! They are delightful puppies, though willful and so darn norty!! Mine all tried the patience of a saint, but would I have another??? Hell yeah!!
Thank-you ladies, knew you'd all have good info!! Haven't put me off at all, they sound like a combination of Chester and Griffin with the high intelligence and independence but the super friendliness. They sound wonderful, can understand why you'd have a constant english in all your lives.
So are you getting one Jess? ;-) Henry will be 2 next week and his stubborn streak is really coming out...when we are on our walks his dad will call him, whereas he used to rush back with excitement he looks out of the corner of his eye, wags his tail but carries on with whatever he is doing, and only comes back if Clive starts jumping up and down, whoop whooing and making a fool of himself, but sometimes he could be doing that for a few minutes before Hen returns...(I have no idea who told him to do that and to never stop the command once he has started ). Hen is more likely to return to me but he will make me wait also...little monkey. If we have sweeties then the return is immediate, if we run out of sweeties he will look to see if you have anything for him, then turn a deafun if he can see your hands are empty It's a breed trait unfortunately
I found one accidentally, he was an orange belton called Sebastian, and he has the square head that I love so made an enquiry but he's been reserved over the weekend :-( , it's fab that he's found a good home but he was so lovely! It's got me googling though which is so dangerous since there's a gorgeous english-x girlie in dorset.
i love english setters. we have a couple that come into work. an orange one called tango and a blue one called monty i love monty. last time he was in for nearly 3 weeks, and he completely stole my heart i let him follow me everywhere (not really meant to do that but i knew he couldnt get out anywhere) and i would always give him extra cuddles definately made me want one
Well, I agree with what everyone else has said, they are stuborn, intelligent, norty, sweet, loving, loyal did I say norty, they are usually thieves, and very good at it, soon learn it's wrong, so wait for you to go out of the room, and quietly pinch something off the work surface, the other day I was hoovering, Kyesh was in his cage with the door shut, about half way through Kyesh was going mad, eventually I went down to see what all the fiss was about there is Jaz licking his lips, had got a plastic container, opened it and nafled the contents, at least a LB of soft dark brown sugar, he was sticky from his nose right down to his feet, but between them he was clean by bedtime. Oh and did I mention they are norty. But they make you friends easily because nearly everyone stops you to give them a stroke. For me they make my life worth living.
