Bred in Ireland to hunt gamebirds. Irish setter breeding lines were documented by the early 1700s.

The Pointers & Setters family. Bird dogs that freeze to 'point' or crouch to 'set' when they find game. Athletic, keen-nosed and built to cover ground all day.

Outgoing, sweet-natured and active.

Voice

Barks to alert you, then settles.

With kids

A family favorite that thrives around children.

Other dogs

Generally sociable with other dogs.

Home

Can adapt to an apartment with daily outings.

Exercise. Very high energy: needs a lot of daily exercise plus a job for its brain, such as herding, agility or scent work. Puppies do better with several short sessions than one long walk, and older dogs need gentler outings.

Training. Eager and responsive. Picks up basic manners quickly and enjoys learning tricks.

Long, silky coat: brush several times a week, paying attention behind the ears, armpits and legs where mats form. Sheds regularly. A good vacuum helps.

For every dog: trim nails when you can hear them click on the floor, brush teeth daily if you can (a few times a week still helps), and clean ears about once a month, drying them well after baths and swims.

Daily calories

About 1,500–1,690 kcal for a healthy adult

Dry food

Roughly 3.75–4.25 cups a day at ~400 kcal per cup

Puppies eat four small meals a day at 6 to 12 weeks, drop to three somewhere between 3 and 6 months, and move to two meals a day from about 6 months.

Large-breed puppies can take 15 to 24 months to finish growing. Ask your vet about a large-breed puppy food, and check before adding any supplements.

Deep-chested dogs are at higher risk of bloat (GDV). Feed two meals a day rather than one, use a slow feeder if your dog gulps, and keep mealtimes calm.

Keep treats, including training treats and table scraps, under 10% of daily calories.

Calories use the resting-energy formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual (70 × body weight in kg^0.75) times a maintenance factor of 1.4 to 1.8, so very active or working dogs may need more. Cups assume about 400 kcal per cup; check your food's label. Treat any feeding chart as a starting point and adjust to body condition.

Typical lifespan is 11–13 years. Conditions reported in the breed:

Ask breeders for health-test results from the parents (hips, eyes, and DNA tests where relevant), and schedule yearly vet checkups.

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Photos come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the licenses shown. Only freely licensed photos appear on this site; where none is available, you'll see an illustration.

• Wikipedia: Irish Setter (opens in a new tab)
• AKC breed weight chart (opens in a new tab)
• AKC: Puppy feeding fundamentals (opens in a new tab), bloat (opens in a new tab), treats (opens in a new tab) and grooming (opens in a new tab)
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional requirements of small animals (opens in a new tab)

Ratings for energy, shedding and the like are our own summaries, informed by these sources. Breed facts were checked in October 2026.