The English Setter is a medium-sized dog of elegant appearance, originally developed to hunt game, and often described as the gentleman of the dog world.
They have a slim tall frame, covered by a long silky and slightly wavy coat, with lengthy fringes on the back of the legs, under the belly and on the tail. The coat is white and speckled with flecks of colour, referred to as belton. The English Setter has a slightly domed head, long floppy ears and soft brown eyes. The breed is much-loved due to its gentle, friendly and placid nature which makes them ideal family dogs. They are very sociable dogs, which love to give and receive affection, and will be happiest when in the company of their family. Their gentle nature makes them good companions to other dogs and household pets. This breed needs plenty of exercise and thrives on long walks and outdoor play. Care should be taken not to over-exercise puppies as their bones do not fully mature until about 12-14 months of age.
History
The English setter has a history that dates back to the 14th century. It was originally produced from crosses of the Spanish pointer, the large water spaniel and the Springer Spaniel. It was developed to hunt game, and to lay down quietly, or set, when they located their target. Any breed that set was branded a setter. The breed developed further in the 1820s when Sir Edward Laverack created a special hunting strain of the English setter. Later, Richard Purcell Llewellin of Wales developed another hunting strain. The influence of these two breeders has seen the English Setter referred to as Laverack setters or Llewellin setters.
