Mary Allen
The athletic English Setter is beautiful, smart – and a passionate hunter. If you are considering sharing your life with a specimen of this breed, you should have plenty of time for shared adventures in nature and a solid base of know-how and experience around dogs.
The English Setter is a very sporty and active dog, which you can also see from his looks: he looks dynamic and elegant. When romping around in the woods and fields, the floppy ears fly around – a setter in its element radiates pure joie de vivre. While males are between 65 and 68 cm tall, females can reach a height of 61 – 65 cm at the withers. Animals from working lines are often slightly smaller. English Setters weigh around 25 to 30 kilograms. The long, silky soft and slightly wavy coat can be white with black, orange, lemon, or liver brown according to the standard. There are also spotted, spotted, or tricolor English Setters. However, the basic color is always white.
#1 The English Setter is one of the friendliest hunting dogs: It is lovable, good-natured and has a high degree of social compatibility with humans and animals.
That is why he is also suitable as a family dog, as long as he can live out his sporting ambitions.
#2 The four-legged friend, who loves children, is a gentle and patient companion.
Many setters are toddlers themselves, love games, and frolic around with flying ears. Basically, there can be a lot going on in his home - the English Setter likes visitors as well as the company of other dogs and can also make friends with cats if he gets to know them as belonging to his pack.
Outside of their own four walls, the English Setter usually quickly transforms from a sociable cuddler to a passionate hunter who misses nothing - this can also apply to the neighbor's cat, for example. Always keep your four-legged friend's strong hunting instinct in mind when you are out and about with him.
#3 English Setters are smart and enjoy learning – the best basic prerequisites for successfully raising this four-legged friend. For all its gentleness, the English Setter is still stubborn to some extent.
So that he does not enforce his stubbornness, this hunting dog needs clear structures and rules that offer him orientation and in which he then likes to fit in. With this dog, exceptions can quickly form the gateway to new rules from the perspective of the four-legged friend. So be sure to be consistent with all family members when training this dog. Please do not forget: Only a well-exercised English Setter is easy to train - because if he does not have enough opportunities to exercise and hunt, he will seek them out himself. The upbringing requires a high degree of consistency in combination with sensitivity because the English Setter can be a stubborn sensitive little one. Dog experience is recommended. Inquire in good time at the dog schools in your area whether they have appropriate offers and experience with hunting dogs.