Why the breed exists
The English Setter's name describes its original job. Long before shotguns could reliably hit birds in flight, 'setting' dogs quartered a field, found game by scent and then crouched — set — so the hunter could drop a net over the covey. When guns improved, the dogs were asked to stand and point instead, and nineteenth-century breeders, Edward Laverack best known among them, refined the type. Form follows function throughout: a long, easy stride for covering ground all day, a nose carried high to catch scent on the air, and a feathered, flat coat whose white base with flecks of colour — 'belton' — made the dog visible against heather and stubble. It was one of the first breeds AKC recognised, in 1878.
Two strands of the breed exist side by side: dogs bred primarily for the field and dogs bred primarily for the ring, which differ noticeably in size and coat. Both are English Setters, and good breeders on either side will tell you which they breed and why. What they share is a gentle, soft-natured bird dog that needs real daily exercise, a nose that will overrule a recall if it catches something interesting, and coat and ear care. A setter under-exercised in a house is an unhappy one. Look for a breeder who health-tests to the English Setter Association of America's recommendations and who asks what you plan to do with the dog.
The official written standard belongs to the breed's parent club.Read the official English Setter standard →
Choosing a English Setter on purpose
Every breed has its own list of required health screenings, kept by its parent club and published through OFA. A preservation breeder working in this breed tests to that list and shows you the results — including the ones that didn't go their way.
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