English Setter

The English setter is a British bird dog bred to locate upland game and indicate it by setting or pointing before the hunter moves in. It has a lean sporting build, long feathering on the ears, tail, legs, and belly, and the speckled belton coat pattern seen in blue, orange, lemon, liver, and tricolor forms. Field lines are often lighter and faster, while show lines may carry more coat and substance.

At home, English setters are usually sociable, soft-tempered dogs that still need space to run and chances to use their noses. Long walks alone may not satisfy a young setter without safe off-leash exercise, bird work, or structured scent training. Feathering mats behind the ears and in the armpits, and ears should be checked after hunting, swimming, or tick season. Breeders and buyers commonly discuss hip scores, thyroid and eye testing, hearing in heavily white lines, and whether a puppy comes from field, show, or dual-purpose stock.

Colors: Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Black White and Tan Belton, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Belton, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Lemon Belton, Liver, Liver Belton, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Merle, Mottled, Orange Belton, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, White, Yellow