The elegant English Setter is one popular gun dog that’s been dominating the hunting scene for centuries. It is proven as an excellent bird game setter and is with the same family as the Irish Red and White Setters, Irish Setters, and Gordon Setters which are fantastic hunting dogs as well. This dog is called “setter” because of its sitting-like position when it finds a bird game to be hunted.

The English Setter is distinct for having a flat, silky and lightly wavy coat that gently wraps around its body. This coat is speckled with color combinations called “belton”. These are the blue belton (white with black specks), orange belton (white with orange specks), lemon belton (white with orange flecks and nose is light), liver belton (white with liver flecks) and tricolor (blue or liver belton with tan markings on face, chest and legs).

The long hair of this dog covers its pendant ears, legs and tail like a fringe. Its velvety coat wraps around its body to emphasize its slim and elegant body. This coat is just in perfect thickness to allow the dog comfort whether in a cold or humid temperature.

This dog has two types namely the field or hunting type and the bench or show type. The hunting type has a shorter length of coat and requires a little grooming while the show type has a longer and more flowing coat that requires regular grooming. This dog is an average shedder and needs dry shampooing or bathing when necessary.

The English Setter is a gentle and sweet-natured breed that is excellent especially around children. It loves to please its master; it is calm and friendly that people call him a “gentleman by nature”. This breed is very intelligent and can do tasks that other dogs can perform except maybe herding.

In Stanley Cohen’s The Intelligence of Dogs, this breed ranks 37th and it is proven indeed that the working and obedience ability of this dog is above average. This dog is highly active and should be placed in the care of a family that has active tasks to do as well or better yet, this dog can do very well with a hunter for a master. This dog is suitable to live in a house that has an ample-sized backyard because this dog requires daily jog or brisk walk everyday.

This dog may be highly trainable but it is mischievous and strong-willed at times, too. Never apply harsh criticisms or negative reinforcements in training the English Setter because it is highly sensitive. It is best to reinforce this dog with positive remarks only or else, it will refrain from doing tasks for fear of displeasing the master.

The English Setter was first developed in France in the 15th century and was only brought to England in the 18th century. This dog originated from the crosses of Spanish Pointer, Water Spaniel (large) and Springer Spaniel. It was Edward Laverack and Purcell Llewellin that made this breed better in terms of appearance and characteristics and in fact, there exists today a separate Llewellin and Laverack bloodlines for the English Setter.

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