Plate 147 · British Isles
Gordon Setter
戈登赛特犬
“The black-and-tan setter named after the Duke of Gordon.”
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Gordon Castle, Moray
- Region of origin
- Named after Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon, who kept his setters at Gordon Castle near the Moray coast in Scotland; the marker is the reference point of Moray, where the castle stands.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Early 19th century
- Today
- Gun dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Gordon Castle, Moray
The heaviest of the setters: a black-and-tan Scottish bird dog.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Finding and pointing grouse and other game birds on Scottish moors.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Setters are generally held to derive mainly from the old setting spaniels. Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon (died 1827), kept setters at Gordon Castle that by the early 1800s were recognizable as this breed.
04 · Today
Gun dog · Companion
A gun dog and a devoted companion.
Personality
- Confident
- Affectionate
- Bold
- Loyal
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Needs to run: regular vigorous exercise.
- Grooming
- Brush at least weekly; monthly trimming of feet and ears.
- Training
- Eager to please but stubborn; recall must be taught early.
Living with one
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 12–13 years
- Coat
- Soft, shining, straight or slightly wavy coat with feathering; black and tan
Field note
English, Irish and Gordon setters are three separate breeds, not colour varieties of one.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 7, standard 6), The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 1878.
AKC registrations: ranked 104 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Gordon Setter — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/gordon-setter/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Gordon Setter — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Setter
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Scottish setter for game birds, views on setter origins: from setting spaniels (Laverick, Pearce) or from a Spanish pointer and English spaniel cross (Taplin).
- Gordon Setter — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/GORDON-SETTER-6.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Great Britain; Group 7, section "British and Irish Pointers and Setters"; accepted 1963.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Named after Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon, who kept his setters at Gordon Castle near the Moray coast in Scotland; the marker is the reference point of Moray, where the castle stands.
