Gordon Setter

As a sensitive breed of dog, the Gordon Setter is a loyal, affectionate dog. They become very attached to their owners, but don’t often tolerate strangers.

If a Gordon Setter puppy is socialised from a young age, he is likely to maintain his playful nature into adulthood. This breed are known to be happy, curious dogs, generally loyal to the family they live with. They love to entertain and take part in many tasks and games. When the mood takes him, he can be slightly mischievous too.

As adolescents, between 6 to 9 months, most Gordon Setter pups go through a stage filled with anxiety and fear. Owners shouldn’t pamper the dogs too much during this period, but to remain calm and give the dogs lots of reassurance, that all is well in their world.

Gordon Setters are certainly very intelligent dogs. Always eager to please their owners and are quick learners when it comes to any new tasks. However, when training a Gordon Setter, you must understand that they sometimes pick up bad habits too. Often quite stubborn, yet he definitely doesn’t like harsh discipline treatments.

Even though Gordon Setters have hunting and working dogs in their ancestry, they are more social dogs by nature. Because of this, their prey drive isn’t very strong. However, this doesn’t totally exclude any hunting skills totally from their lives, and if the odd squirrel crosses his path, he may just chase after it.

As a loyal breed of dog, totally dedicated to his owners, the Gordon Setter won’t really tolerate strangers in his home.

This smart, intelligent dog breed loves human company and interaction. He doesn’t take too well being left alone for long periods at all. Best suited to someone who plans to be at home for most of the day.

A Gordon Setter is a very family-orientated breed who loves the company of his owner. It isn’t advisable to leave a dog alone at home for any long periods of time, to prevent any separation anxieties. Destructive habits can form when he is anxious or stressed.

This breed needs to begin training routines at an early stage in his life. Once this dog has picked up bad habits, it’s more difficult to retrain him. Consistent training is needed, with a caring, calm approach.

Some pets from this breed like to make lots of noise. This needs to be controlled when the dog is a small puppy, although care must be taken when reprimanding this sensitive dog. Others will only be noisy and bark when they’re not sure about something in their surroundings, or to alert you of a stranger’s presence.

When you are out walking a Gordon Setter, you will understand that he loves nothing better than to run loose, off the leash. This is all well and good, until he spots a small, wild animal disappearing through the fence in front of him. You will need to be alert to make sure he comes back to your recall, or he will be off over the fields giving chase.

As a sensitive dog, who doesn’t take easily being left home alone for long periods, he can certainly have destructive tenancies when he is bored or stressed.

Not a greedy dog, who, although he has high energy levels, he isn’t a picky eater and will eat most things you put into his food bowl.

As a natural watchdog breed, he will certainly alert you to any unknown person on your property. However, as a non-aggressive dog, he isn’t likely to approach a stranger but is more likely to bark and stand his ground, to alert you instead.

A high-energy dog who needs lots of space to run around, both inside and outside of the home. Certainly not suited to apartment living, especially with his large tail that he swishes around, knocking things off tables. Outside space needs to be fenced off securely to prevent him escaping and running off.

These very strong, courageous dogs have an enormous stamina. They are a brilliant choice for a person who loves being outside and is very active. Certainly not the best pet for anyone who lives a more quiet and sedentary lifestyle. Most Gordon Setters will need a brisk, long walk, several times a day, or he will become difficult to manage and restless. He will also enjoy running free in a large, enclosed area.

As a strong and active dog, probably not best suited to travelling on public transport. If trained to travel in a vehicle from a young age, will be more used to this mode of transportation.

When a kitten and a young puppy have been reared together, there should be no co-habitation issues. Certainly, care should be taken around smaller cats and other tiny pets, as the Gordon Setter has a hunting instinct and he may view these as prey.

If a Gordon Setter has been brought up from an early age with another dog, they should get along fine together. However, with his sensitivity, he may take objection to other dogs, especially when out walking.

These affectionate, playful dogs are great when spending time with children of any age. Often, the dog can become rather protective of the children in the family. Because of this, close supervision is needed to make sure that playtime is quite calm and not too stressful or boisterous for the dog, or a small child.

As a strong, robust dog breed, it certainly wouldn’t be number one choice of pet for an elderly person. Needing vigorous and lengthy exercise sessions too, means that it’s not a suitable choice of pet for those who live life at a quieter and gentler pace.

This breed is certainly a good choice for any first time dog owners. This of course, is providing if they have plenty of time to dedicate to an energetic dog that needs an abundance of exercise on a daily basis. Likewise, they are suited to a family who has enough space to allow them to roam around and let off steam outside of the home.