Irish Setter
The Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog known for grace, swiftness, and a flashy red coat, and is famously a good family dog—sweet-tempered with adults and a rollicking playmate for children. They are affectionate, gentle, and at their best on long walks and spirited runs.
27 inches tall (male), 25 inches (female); 70 pounds (male), 60 pounds (female)
12-15 years
solid red, mahogany or chestnut colored, with small (if any) patches of white on the chest or toes
highly energetic, easily excited, exuberant; at his best on long walks and spirited runs
Temperament
The Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog known for grace, swiftness, and a flashy red coat. They are famously good family dogs: sweet-tempered companions for adults and rollicking playmates for children. The breed is highly energetic and exuberant, often reacting with leaps and bounds of pleasure at the prospect of going outdoors, a car ride, or even a filled food dish. They are affectionate, gentle, and sweet-natured, at their best on long walks and spirited runs.
A working household should understand that this dog is strong-willed and insists on doing things his own way. He is playful and mischievous, and at times over-exuberant. The breed is very sensitive and cannot tolerate harsh corrections, but does require a consistent, determined trainer who does not give in to playful behavior. Early obedience training is important so that exuberance does not turn into stubborn behavior. An untrained Irish Setter can and will ultimately ruin the interior of a house or apartment, which is one of the reasons housebreaking must begin immediately.
“They are famously good family dogs: sweet-tempered companions for the folks, and rollicking playmates and tennis-ball fetchers for the children.”
AKC
Daily needs and attention
The Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog built for movement. Daily life with this breed centers on long walks and spirited runs; the breed is at its best when given the chance to move at a good pace outdoors. The dog is highly energetic and easily excited, so a working household should plan for substantial daily exercise rather than a brief neighborhood stroll.
Beyond physical activity, the Setter is affectionate and sweet-natured, and thrives on family interaction. He is described as a rollicking playmate and tennis-ball fetcher, so interactive play is part of his daily rhythm, not a luxury.
Training and structure matter. The breed is strong-willed and insists on doing things his own way, which means a consistent, determined approach is needed. He is very sensitive and cannot tolerate harsh corrections. Early obedience training is important so that exuberance does not harden into stubborn behavior. An untrained Irish Setter can and will ultimately ruin the interior of a house or apartment, which is one of the reasons that housebreaking must begin immediately.
“In addition to being a great hunter of birds, he is a wonderful companion, at his best on long walks and spirited runs.”
VCA
Health and lifespan
The Irish Setter is a large breed. Males stand 27 inches at the shoulder and weigh around 70 pounds; females stand 25 inches and weigh approximately 60 pounds. The breed's life expectancy is 12 to 15 years. As a high-spirited gundog, the Irish Setter is highly energetic and easily excited. The dog is at his best on long walks and spirited runs, so a household should plan for daily vigorous exercise. The breed is strong-willed and, in his own best interest, requires early obedience training before exuberance turns into stubborn behavior. He is also very sensitive and cannot tolerate harsh corrections, so training should be consistent and firm without being punitive. The solid red coat, mahogany or chestnut in color, is a hallmark of the modern breed, and the dog's extraordinarily long ears flap in the breeze as he runs. For a working household, the key health consideration is meeting the breed's need for sustained physical activity and a structured daily routine.
“In addition to being a great hunter of birds, he is a wonderful companion, at his best on long walks and spirited runs.”
VCA Hospitals
Habits and behavior
The Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog that thrives on movement and engagement. They are sweet-tempered companions for adults and energetic playmates for children, often described as rollicking tennis-ball fetchers. The breed is highly energetic and easily excited; the prospect of going outdoors, a ride in the family car, or even a filled food dish can set them off into leaps and bounds of pleasure. They are affectionate, gentle, and sweet-natured, and they are at their best on long walks and spirited runs. The breed is strong-willed and playful, and in their own best interest they require early obedience training before exuberance turns into stubborn behavior. They are very sensitive and cannot tolerate harsh corrections, but they do respond to a consistent, determined trainer who does not give in to their playful antics. Housebreaking should begin immediately, as an untrained Irish Setter can and will ultimately ruin the interior of a house or apartment. For a working household, this means planning for daily vigorous exercise and structured training time.
“The prospect of going outdoors, going somewhere in the family car, or even having his food dish filled, sets him off into leaps and bounds of pleasure.”
VCA
Housing: apartment, house, yard and crate
The Irish Setter is a large dog: males stand 27 inches at the shoulder and weigh around 70 pounds; females stand 25 inches and weigh approximately 60 pounds. The breed is highly energetic and exuberant, at its best on long walks and spirited runs. The prospect of going outdoors sets the dog off into leaps and bounds of pleasure, so regular access to open space for running suits the breed's gundog nature.
In a house, the Irish Setter is a sweet-tempered companion and a rollicking playmate for children. However, an untrained Irish Setter can and will ultimately ruin the interior of a house or apartment, making early obedience training and housebreaking essential before the dog settles in. The dog is strong-willed and playful, requiring a consistent, determined trainer.
For apartment living, the same training discipline applies, and the dog's need for vigorous outdoor activity becomes more critical. Any crate or resting space must accommodate the breed's full adult dimensions.
“They are famously good family dogs: sweet-tempered companions for the folks, and rollicking playmates and tennis-ball fetchers for the children.”
AKC
Challenges
The Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog built for long walks and spirited runs, and that energy level shapes daily life. The breed is highly energetic, easily excited, and exuberant about nearly everything it senses is about to happen. A working household should plan for a dog that needs long walks and spirited runs, not just a brief evening walk.
Training requires patience and consistency. The Irish Setter is strong-willed and insists on doing things its own way, which can make obedience training feel like a long project. The breed is also very sensitive and cannot tolerate harsh corrections, so training methods must be firm but gentle. Early obedience training is important before exuberance turns into stubborn behavior.
Without adequate training and exercise, an untrained Irish Setter can and will ultimately ruin the interior of a house or apartment. Housebreaking must begin immediately. The breed's playful, mischievous nature means a working family should be prepared to invest time in structured training and daily activity.
“The Irish Setter is a chore to train because he insists on doing things his own way.”
VCA Hospitals
The fun part
An Irish Setter turns ordinary moments into events. The prospect of going outdoors, a ride in the family car, or even a filled food dish sets them off into leaps and bounds of pleasure. They are sweet-tempered companions for adults and rollicking playmates for children, and they will happily chase a tennis ball for as long as you keep throwing it. Their long ears flap in the breeze as they run, and their distinctive trot gives every walk a touch of flamboyance. They are at their best on long walks and spirited runs, so a household that can build in a daily outing or a weekend trail will find a deeply affectionate, gentle partner in return. The breed is playful and mischievous, which means the house will feel lively rather than quiet. For a family that enjoys being active together, the Irish Setter is a high-spirited gundog who brings grace, swiftness, and a flashy red coat to everyday life.
“They are famously good family dogs: sweet-tempered companions for the folks, and rollicking playmates and tennis-ball fetchers for the children.”
AKC
Living with kids, cats and other dogs
The Irish Setter is a famously good family dog. They are sweet-tempered companions for adults and rollicking playmates for children, with a particular fondness for tennis-ball fetch. They are affectionate, gentle, and sweet-natured, making them well-suited to households with kids who want an active playmate.
The breed is highly energetic and easily excited. The prospect of going outdoors, a ride in the family car, or even a food dish being filled can set them off into leaps and bounds of pleasure. They are at their best on long walks and spirited runs, so a working household should plan for regular, substantial exercise.
The Irish Setter is also strong-willed, playful, and mischievous, and can be over-exuberant at times. Training requires a consistent, determined, and somewhat firm approach, but the breed is very sensitive and cannot tolerate harsh corrections. Early obedience training is important, as an untrained Irish Setter can and will ultimately ruin the interior of a house or apartment.
“They are famously good family dogs: sweet-tempered companions for the folks, and rollicking playmates and tennis-ball fetchers for the children.”
AKC
What to ask the rescue
Ask the rescue about the dog's daily energy output and what kind of exercise routine keeps them settled. The Irish Setter is at its best on long walks and spirited runs, so a working household should confirm whether the dog has already learned to wind down indoors or still needs an active play session before settling. Ask whether the dog has completed basic obedience training, since the breed is strong-willed and benefits from early, consistent training. Inquire about the dog's sensitivity to correction style, as the breed responds best to firm but gentle guidance rather than harsh handling. Ask about housebreaking status, given that an untrained Irish Setter can damage a home's interior. Confirm the dog's comfort around strangers and children, as the breed is typically sweet-tempered and affectionate. Finally, ask what the rescue recommends for a household where someone is away during the workday, since the breed is highly energetic and easily excited by routine changes.
“The Irish Setter is highly energetic, easily excited, and exuberant about anything that he senses is about to happen.”
VCA Hospitals