English setter is described as “ gentleman by nature “ in a few bibliographies and has been a real “ latin lover “ in my experience, for this reason I’m not going to give you a “ cold “ breed standard that you can easily find on internet, but I’m going to describe its nuanced personality, just to understand if english setter is the dog for you!
English Setter is a hunting dog, therefore a working dog, this is a key trait to keep in mind… I’ll astonish you saying that LABRADOR and GOLDEN RETRIVER too, both retrievers, are working dogs and they weren’t born to bring back the toilet paper roll! They all have an absolutety non-aggressive docile disposition wich has brought them to the fore as perfect family dogs. Good and right if the breed prerogatives are respected.
But if I don’t go hunting can I have an English Setter?
The answer is yes, but it dipends on your lifestyle and dipends on the sacrificies you are willing to make for your dog if he develops a strong need to perform this function.
Our subjects aren’t selected to carry out work tests, the famous field trials; our goal is to get healthy, beautiful and balanced setters who are able to live a family life quietly, respecting the hunting skills of the breed without exaggeration. They have a good “ nose “ and an exellent physical stamina, they can safely hunt with their human companion without competition.
Respecting their nature you could live with an English Setter IF:
- You aren’t a lazy person, if you have the opportunity to take long walks in green areas…I’m not referring to areas intended for dogs, but large spaces to vent their physical and mental energies.
- You have the option not to leave the dog alone for too many hours, infact this breed is affected by separation anxiety especially in the first year of life, English
- Setter doesn’t like loneliness, gets bored easily and comes to have dectructive behaviors or an insistent bark. This breed lives well in the apartment, but the time a person devotes to the dog makes the difference; he lives better in an apartment in the city with a partner with whom he carries out different activities every day rather than being locked in a garden.
- You have a sense of humor! The Setter is an eternal puppy, capable of chewing on shoes or always doing something regardless of age.
- You like lap dogs, despite the large medium size this breed always needs a close physical contact and loves confort, beds, sofas, carpets and everything that can offer a confortable rest.
- You don’t desire a guard dog because they are the complete opposite.
- You are a fanatic of the perfect garden because it would only remain a beautiful memory.
- You are looking for a life partner who can stay on your feet for hours and hours if you are at the PC or walking in the mountains.
- You can handle a smart dog, with a strong dignity, stubborn and incredibly sweet.
- You want to practice sports, respecting the individual inclinations of the dog, such as Agility, Obedience, Water sports, Rally O, Nosework, Mental activattion, Mantrailing, Hoopers, Dogcross, Dog Trail, Dog Balance Fit ( Proprioceptive Gymnastics ) etc. It is important to allow the Setter to keep mind and body active, this breed is widedy used for PET Therapy especially abroad, but this depends on the subject.
If you recognize yourself in this brief description of an ideal human companion for an English Setter you can go to the next step.
Undoubtedly English Setter is chaming with his sweet and expressive eyes, for his always cheerful and festive behavior and for his beautiful silky fringes.
A regular “ grooming “ done by a professional in the sector in addition to daily care is essential to keep the “ hair “ healthy and beautiful, it is true that nature is self-cleaning but a help with suitable products is useful.
You have to pay attention to nutrition because this can be the week point, generally this is a breed that enjoys good health if well selected. So if you care of dog regarding nutrition and healthy lifestile with a little luck that is always needed we can hope to share with him 10/12 years certainly unforgettable.
English Setter is truly an exeptional life partner!
I thank all the owners of my Setters because all of them take good care of them!
I thank all the owners of my Setters because all of them take good care of them!
Below you can see some photos of Latin Lover Drummer Boy A.K.A. Bertie owed by Jan and Ewa Cyrulik ( Poland ), I chose him, in particular, because he was immortalized by Ewa, fond of photography, in different moments of his ful and fulfilling life, cuddlered at home, hunting with Jan, during the exibitions with both, on holiday by the sea, in the snow or during walks with other dogs.
