Plate 043 · British Isles
Irish Setter
爱尔兰赛特犬
“The red setter that crouches to point out the birds.”
- Origin
- Ireland
- Country of origin
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- 18th–19th century
- Today
- Companion · Show dog · Gundog
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
Then → Now
Then · 1900Ch. Garryowen, a celebrated Irish Setter of the late 19th century, drawn on point for a 1900 dog book.
R. H. Moore, in Charles Henry Lane's All About Dogs (1900) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
NowHistory
01 · Origin
Ireland
An Irish bird dog, originally often red-and-white, later bred for the solid red coat.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Ranged widely over open country to find game birds, then 'set' — froze low — to show hunters where they were.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
During the 19th century breeders selected for the solid mahogany-red coat. In America show breeding came to dominate, and by the 1940s the breed was disappearing from the field; field breeders then outcrossed to English Setters, producing the smaller working Red Setter.
04 · Today
Companion · Show dog · Gundog
A high-spirited family companion and show dog, still used in the field.
Personality
- Outgoing
- Playful
- Affectionate
- Energetic
- Sweet-natured
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: this atlas’s editorial summary on a 1–5 scale, for rough comparison between breeds here — not a measurement or a standardised assessment.
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Moderately long, silky, mahogany-red coat with feathering
Field note
'Setters' got their name from 'setting' — crouching motionless when they scented birds — a habit hunters once used with nets.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Irish Red Setter), The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
First became popular in the 18th century. AKC registrations: ranked 73 among breeds in 2025.
Sources2 references
- Irish Setter — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/irish-setter/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-07 · Registry status and AKC group; AKC recognition 1878 per AKC "Breeds by Year Recognized". Used as a registry reference only.
- Irish Setter (encyclopedia overview) — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Setter
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-07 · Secondary overview; cross-check claims against primary breed-club sources.
Image credits
R. H. Moore, in Charles Henry Lane's All About Dogs (1900) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions.
