English Setter
The flecked coat pattern has its own name, belton, after a village in Northumberland. One of the oldest gundogs, and it crouches to mark birds rather than standing tall.
Photo by SheltieBoy, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The English Setter is the oldest of the setting breeds, developed over four centuries in England to find birds and then crouch, or set, so a net could be thrown over both dog and covey. The crouch predates the gun.
The coat is flecked in a pattern called belton, named after a Northumberland village by Edward Laverack, who established the modern breed in the nineteenth century, and the flecks come in blue, orange, lemon and liver.
Temperament
Gentle, sociable and famously mellow for a gundog. English Setters are good with children, friendly with other dogs and strangers, and they are among the softest of the sporting breeds.
They are sensitive and do not tolerate harsh handling. They are also slow to mature and stay boisterous for two or three years. Show and field lines differ in energy, with field bred dogs considerably more driven.
Care and grooming
The silky feathered coat needs brushing two or three times a week, with attention to the feathering behind the ears and legs where it mats. Moderate shedding.
Hip and elbow dysplasia, congenital deafness and hypothyroidism occur, and BAER testing of puppies is worth asking about. Ten to twelve years is the expectation.
Living and exercise
Ninety minutes to two hours a day with room to range. This is a hunting dog with genuine stamina.
They are affectionate house dogs once exercised and difficult ones when they are not. They do badly kennelled alone and want to be with their family.
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