Irish Setter
愛爾蘭蹲獵犬
Updated 2026-09-09
At a glance
The Irish Setter is, its partisans say, the most beautiful of dog breeds — a tall, elegant gundog in a brilliant mahogany coat, bred by Irish huntsmen to cover the wide, flat countryside at speed and 'set' when it finds birds. Irish are active, sweet-natured and outgoing, rambunctious redheads who are big kids at heart, eager to please and quick to make friends with people and dogs alike, with a devil-may-care sense of humour. They need plenty of daily exercise and their people's company, patient positive training, a brush twice a week — and, as a deep-chested breed, an owner who knows the signs of bloat.
Facts
| Size | Large |
|---|---|
| Height | 64–69cm |
| Weight | 27–32kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–15years |
| Breed group | AKC: sporting FCI: 7 |
| Role | Sporting |
| Coat | Medium coat |
| Shedding | 3/ 5 |
| Exercise | 90–180min/day |
| Can be left alone | up to 3 hours |
| Companionship need | 5/ 5 |
| Trainability | 4/ 5 |
| Barking | 3/ 5 |
| Good with children | 5/ 5 |
| Good with other dogs | 5/ 5 |
| Heat tolerance | 3/ 5 |
| Cold tolerance | 3/ 5 |
Health
This page is general information compiled from published sources. It is not veterinary, legal or purchase advice. Dogs vary within a breed — talk to a vet or a reputable breeder about the dog in front of you.
Health notes are not veterinary advice. Conditions listed are those reported for the breed, not a diagnosis of any dog. Always consult a veterinarian.
Hip dysplasia
Commonly reported in the breed; breeders screen hips by X-ray. Ask your vet about hip screening and about keeping your dog lean and fit.
Elbow dysplasia
Commonly reported in the breed; breeders screen elbows by X-ray. Ask your vet if you notice front-leg lameness, especially in a growing dog.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
An inherited eye condition reported in the breed; DNA tests and eye examinations are available. Ask your vet or breeder about eye screening.
Inherited eye conditions
Various inherited eye conditions are reported in the breed; annual eye examinations by a veterinary ophthalmologist are recommended for breeding stock. Ask your vet about eye screening.
Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus)
Deep-chested dogs of this breed are at risk of bloat, a life-threatening emergency. Ask your vet about the warning signs and prevention options.
Hypothyroidism
The parent club lists autoimmune thyroiditis among the breed's screening tests (an OFA thyroid evaluation) and notes that breed-specific thyroid reference ranges are being established. Ask your vet about thyroid testing if you notice weight gain, lethargy or coat changes.
Canine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (CLAD)
CLAD, an inherited immune deficiency, is reported in the breed; the parent club and the Royal Kennel Club both list a DNA test, and the KC requires imported dogs to be tested. Ask your breeder whether the parents were tested.
Epilepsy
Idiopathic epilepsy is reported in the breed. Ask your vet promptly if your dog has a seizure.
Cancer
The parent club lists haemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, osteosarcoma and gastric carcinoma among cancers seen in the breed. Ask your vet about regular check-ups and about any new lumps.
Behaviour
Rollicking redhead
The AKC calls Irish Setters outgoing dogs who enjoy making friends — rambunctious redheads, big kids at heart, eager to please and responsive to patient, positive training, but not to heavy-handed corrections — and says their sensitive nature makes them naturals as therapy and assistance dogs; its trait chart scores affection, children, other dogs, energy and playfulness all 5/5. The CKC describes a sweet-natured, trainable companion with a rollicking personality, a devil-may-care attitude and an undeniable sense of humour.
Plenty of exercise — prefers play to work
The AKC says Irish Setters, like most sporting breeds, need plenty of daily exercise in the form of long walks and play sessions with their owners — they love to be with their people — and appreciate a job: obedience, tracking, agility, rally, dock diving and flyball. The CKC says this is a breed that definitely prefers play over work, a true sporting dog that loves action and is best suited to suburban or country living with lots of safe room; the Royal Kennel Club puts its exercise need at more than 2 hours a day.
Energy and exercise
Energy level is rated 5/5 (very high) on the AKC breed-trait chart. The Royal Kennel Club puts its exercise need at "more than 2 hours per day".
Training and barking
AKC trait chart: trainability 4/5, barking level 3/5. Individual dogs vary; early socialisation and reward-based training are recommended for every breed.
Official guidance
Summaries of official documents are ours; the source is linked. Breed standards, laws and licensing rules change — check the issuing body for the current version.
American Kennel Club — Irish Setter
Breed overview, breed-trait chart, history, official standard summary and health notes from the AKC and the national parent club.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
Canadian Kennel Club — Setter Irish (Sporting Dogs)
Origin, temperament, activity level, height/weight, coat and grooming as described by the Canadian Kennel Club.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
The Royal Kennel Club — Irish Setter
Breed characteristics (size large, exercise more than 2 hours per day, lifespan over 10 years), plus the recommended pre-breeding health schemes and DNA tests.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
FCI nomenclature — Irish Red Setter (standard no. 120, group 7)
FCI breed nomenclature entry with the official breed standard PDF in English, French, German and Spanish.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
What owners say
Owner advice is quoted from public community posts and reflects those owners' opinions, not PocketPaw's position. It is unverified and not a substitute for professional advice. Each item links to where it was said.
“The parent club's 'This is the Irish Setter' page describes a fun-loving, playful and affectionate dog with a rollicking temperament — mischievous and independent though eager to please, with hunting instincts still strong, not aggressive but sure to energetically announce all comers. It says one of the primary requisites for owning one is the time and the facilities to exercise it often — daily walking or running and an ample fenced yard — that an Irish follows its nose and cannot be trusted off lead until mature, if ever, that it should be trained with love and firmness and never harshness, that it is naturally clean and house-trains quickly, and that it matures slowly and keeps some of its merry Irish character forever. The club's health pages recommend OFA or PennHIP hips, thyroid evaluation and DNA tests for the two forms of PRA and for CLAD, and educate owners about bloat.”
— Irish Setter Club of America — This is the Irish Setter via breed clubWorldwide2026-09-09
Sources
- [1]Irish Setter — Dog Breed Information — American Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [2]Setter Irish — Choosing a Breed — Canadian Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [3]Irish Setter — Breeds A to Z — The Royal Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [4]Irish Red Setter — FCI standard no. 120 — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [5]How do I help my dog adjust to spending time alone? — The Royal Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [6]Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs under primary veterinary care in 2016 (Hall, Carter & O'Neill, Scientific Reports 10:9128) — Nature / Scientific Reports (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [7]This is the Irish Setter — Irish Setter Club of America — Irish Setter Club of America (public breed information) (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [8]Common Concerns & Diseases — Irish Setter Club of America — Irish Setter Club of America (public breed information) (Accessed 2026-09-09)
Still have questions?
Ask owners on the PawMunity forum — every breed has its own board.
Breed data compiled by PocketPaw from the sources credited on each entry. Text and layout © 2026 NextPath Solutions Limited. Please link to a page rather than copying it.