The English Setter is a gun dog that is popularly known for being an elegant and excellent game bird setter. It is in the same family with the Irish Red and White Setters, Irish Setters, and Gordon Setters, which are excellent hunting breeds as well. This dog is named as setter because of its almost sitting position when it finds a game bird to be hunted.
This dog has flat, smooth and slightly wavy coat that drapes its body all over. This coat is mostly found speckled with a different color and this combination is referred to as a "belton". There are several beltons for this breed and they 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.
There are two types of the English Setter and these are the hunting or field type and the bench or show type. The hunting type has a shorter coat which requires a little grooming while the show type has longer and more flowing coat that definitely requires more grooming. This dog is an average shedder and needs to be bathed or dry shampooed 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.
This creature originally came from France in 1500s and ended up becoming popular in England during the 1800s. It supposedly came from crosses of Spanish Pointer, large Water Spaniel and Springer Spaniel. Edward Laverack and Purcell Llewelin are two separate breeders who are responsible for making the breed as beautiful as it is today and actually there are two varieties of this breed namely the Laverack and the Llewellin.
Related posts:
Customers Recently Purchased:
|
|
|
|
