Plate 153 · British Isles
Irish Red and White Setter
爱尔兰红白赛特犬
“The setter that came before the red Irish Setter.”
- Origin
- Ireland
- Country of origin
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- At least the 1600s; revived from the 1970s
- Today
- Gun dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Ireland
A red-and-white Irish setter, older than the all-red Irish Setter and in Ireland still mainly a working and field-trial dog.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Finding game birds on Irish hills and bogs and 'setting' so hunters could net, later shoot, them.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
It nearly died out at the end of the 19th century as the all-red Irish Setter took over; a revival after the First World War left numbers small, and a planned revival from about 1970 re-established it. According to Wikipedia, the UK Kennel Club has listed it as a vulnerable native breed (fewer than 300 registrations a year); it is recognised by the FCI, the AKC and most national kennel clubs.
04 · Today
Gun dog · Companion
A working gun dog and companion.
Personality
- Courageous
- Spirited
- Determined
- Good-natured
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
- High energy: a lot of exercise; low-impact activity while growing.
- Grooming
- A weekly brush and comb; keep it looking natural.
- Training
- High-spirited; short, upbeat sessions with praise.
Living with one
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 11–15 years
- Coat
- Silky coat with feathering; white with solid red patches
Field note
Setters once crawled up to birds and froze so that hunters could throw a net over them.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 7, standard 330), Irish Kennel Club
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 2009.
According to Wikipedia, the UK Kennel Club has listed it as a vulnerable native breed. AKC registrations: ranked 162 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Irish Red and White Setter — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/irish-red-and-white-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.
- Irish Red and White Setter — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Red_and_White_Setter
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Near extinction at the end of the 19th century, revival in the 1920s, vulnerable status, setter working style.
- Irish Red and White Setter — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/IRISH-RED-AND-WHITE-SETTER-330.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Ireland; Group 7, section "British and Irish Pointers and Setters"; accepted 1989.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions.
