Irish Setter

Breed overview

The Irish Setter (sotar rua, literally 'red setter') is a setter, a breed of gundog, and family dog originating in Ireland. The term Irish Setter is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognised by the American Kennel Club as well as the field-bred Red Setter recognised by the Field Dog Stud Book. The breed is known for having a friendly and gentle temperament.

• Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
• Country of origin: IrelandBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

• One of the first references to the 'Setter,' or setting dog, in literature can be found in Caius's De Canibus Britannicis, which was published in 1570 (with a revised version published in 1576).
• The description of the work undertaken by this early pillar of the breed resembles the working behaviour of modern Irish Setters.
• Of this early dog, Caius went on to write: "The most part of theyre skinnes are white, and if they are marcked with any spottes, they are commonly red, and somewhat great therewithall." If this is the case, it is safe to assume the solid red colouring of today's Irish Setter came about by selective breeding practices.
• Further reference to setters in early literature can be found in The Country Farme by Richard Surflet and Gervase Markham, published in 1616.
• The breed standard for the modern Irish Setter was first drawn up by the Irish Red Setter Club in Dublin and approved on 29 March 1886.

Size and appearance

While show dogs often reach 70 lb (32 kg), the Working Red Setter is generally around 45 lb.

• Height reference: Up to 62 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
• Height reference: 55 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
• Height reference: Up to 67 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
• Height reference: 58 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.

• Coat layers: double
• Coat length: long
• Height category: tall

Personality and behavior

Being shy is not a part of its temperament.

• Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.27 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.24 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.57 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.54 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Energy (C-BARQ mean): 2.84 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.23 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.40 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.54 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.09 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.61 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.32 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.29 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.82 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.
• Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.60 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Irish Setter.

Exercise and activities

The Irish Setter was bred for hunting, specifically for setting or locating and pointing upland gamebirds. They are a tireless, wide-ranging hunter, and well-suited to fields and wet or dry moorland terrain. Using their excellent sense of smell to locate the mark (or bird), the Irish Setter will then hold a pointing position, indicating the direction in which the bird lies hidden. The Irish Setter was brought to the United States in the early 19th century.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

• Coat layers: double
• Coat length: long

Health and lifespan

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12.9 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for all purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

Breed history

One of the first references to the 'Setter,' or setting dog, in literature can be found in Caius's De Canibus Britannicis, which was published in 1570 (with a revised version published in 1576). It would be incorrect to assume the dog described above in any way resembles the Irish Setter (or any setter) as we know the breed today. Caius was referring to a type of setting spaniel, most likely now extinct. The description of the work undertaken by this early pillar of the breed resembles the working behaviour of modern Irish Setters.

Clubs and further reading

• Irish Setter Club of America, Inc.
• Irish Setter - article and references

Sources

1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
3. File:Can Setter dog GFDL.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Can Setter dog GFDL.jpg - Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez ( Lmbuga Commons )( Lmbuga Galipedia ) Publicada por/ Publish by : Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Can_Setter_dog_GFDL.jpg. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.
4. Irish Setter - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Irish Setter, revision 1380046631. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irish_Setter&action=history
5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.