Irish Red and White Setter

Red and white with a long working history

Red and white setters were established in Ireland before the solid red type became widespread. Their job was to locate game birds and indicate their position. The name setter comes from the dog’s “setting” behaviour. Early dogs crouched so hunters could cast nets over the birds. Hunting methods changed, while locating and indicating birds remained central skills.

The red setter became increasingly fashionable at dog shows in the late nineteenth century, and the red and white type almost disappeared. Dedicated breeders began rebuilding its numbers during the 1920s. Today the Irish Red and White Setter is recognised as a separate breed.

The coat has a white base with distinct red patches and longer, fine hair on the ears, chest, legs and tail. The international canine organisation FCI gives desirable shoulder heights of 62 to 66 centimetres for males and 57 to 61 centimetres for females. The strong body is built for sustained activity.

Many of these setters are friendly and lively with familiar people. Brief, varied lessons can help hold their attention. A bird taking flight from the grass may, however, be more compelling than a familiar cue. An adult should guide play with children. With other household pets, the individual dog’s previous experiences matter. Rabbits and guinea pigs should live in areas the dog cannot access, because chasing or grabbing them could cause serious injury.

Health

Britain’s Royal Kennel Club recommends hip and eye screening for breeding dogs, alongside a DNA test for CLAD, canine leukocyte adhesion deficiency. This inherited disorder affects white blood cells, which play an important part in fighting infections. Affected dogs can develop repeated serious infections, and the condition can be fatal even in young dogs.

The test distinguishes dogs without the tested variant, healthy carriers of one copy and affected dogs with two copies. A carrier is therefore not automatically ill. For breeding, the combination of both parents matters, because pairing two carriers can produce affected puppies. Before choosing a puppy, you should have both parents’ results and the resulting breeding decision explained.

Hip dysplasia involves instability of the hip joint, which can cause pain and later joint deterioration. A CLAD DNA test therefore does not replace hip screening or a specialist eye examination. For your own dog, repeated lameness, eye changes or unusually frequent infections should prompt a veterinary appointment. Fellfolio can keep findings and observations together so the previous course is available at later visits.

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