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English setter

English Setter Breed of Dog:

English setter dogs are known to be one of the most elegant breed of dogs.



Categorized with some other very common gun dogs such as Irish red setters and Irish red and white setters, these dogs were originally bred for their endurance and athleticism. They are an easily recognizable breed and have a rather flat coat wit some light feathering that may vary in length. Putting the English setter dog up for any show will require a tremendous amount of grooming as the coat is one of the most unique features of the animal.



The tail, ears, underside and legs are all heavily fringed and require some substantial maintenance as well. History has shown that the English setter dogs were originally employed in hunting parties to help setting game birds. The dog was originally a mixture of other breeds such as a Spanish pointer, Springer spaniel and large Water spaniel to combine their qualities and create a bird dog that is extremely proficient in finding and pointing hunting enthusiasts to their prey.



After some very careful and calculated breeding over the course of many years, these dogs started to be classified into their own breed and have become extremely popular in various parts of Europe.

While the English setter dog makes for a very good companion, it can also be rather mischievous, especially during its younger days. Due to its hunting heritage, the breed is particularly accustomed to a tremendous amount of exercise on a daily basis and requires large open spaces. While they can adjust to smaller apartments, any lack of exercise could cause them to become stubborn or even destructive. They require a significant amount of attention and care while growing up, but are overall very affectionate dogs and thrive on company.

Due to their natural instincts, English setter dog training can be a little harder to impart, in spite of their higher levels of intelligence. If rained patiently, the dogs are able to accomplish any task that is the forte of any other breed with the exception of herding cattle and are known to be very sensitive to criticism. The owner needs to be strong but firm when dealing with the pet as they may tend to become overly dominated when being handled by a less than commanding individual. While English setter dog are a generally healthy breed they are prone to certain conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia as well as hypothyroidism. Feed your animal a good meat based meal. Some of the easily available commercial foods work well on English setters, but make sure you do a lot of research with people that have used a variety of products to identify the best one.

 
  Submitted on May 7, 2010  
 
 
 

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