English Setter
Other names: Laverack, Llewellin Setter

The English Setter is a pointing dog of medium size that, by all accounts, could be considered the perfect dog. He excels in hunting and proves himself to be a very good companion dog for the whole family. Gentle, attentive, docile and affectionate, with his enthusiasm and social competence, he brings much joy to both little and bigs one alike. Very active, he is best suited to available and fit owners who will be able to meet the dog's many needs for expenditure, which are not to be underestimated.
Key facts about the English Setter
Origins and history
This dog has very old roots. He is probably a descendant of the ancient Spaniel, also known as the German Spaniel, which was one of the incarnations of the primitive Canis Familiaris Intermedius. The Breed had been established in 1860 by Edward Laverack and would have to wait another twenty years before spreading outside of England. It is one of the most commonly used pointing dogs for hunting.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 7 - Pointing Dogs
Section
Section 2 : British and Irish Pointers and Setters
Physical characteristics of the English Setter
Adult size
Female : Between 24 and 26 in
Male : Between 26 and 27 in
Weight
Female : Between 44 and 55 lb
Male : Between 44 and 55 lb
Coat colour
The coat can be a variety of colours :
- Blue belton (black and white)
- Lemon belton (lemon and white)
- Liver belton (brown and white)
- Tricolour (white, black, tan or brown, white and tan)
- Orange belton (Orange and white)
The term 'belton' was first coined by Edward Laverack- the breeder who contributed to the construction of the race- and designates the flyspeck (or speckled patching) of the dog's coat. Belton is a village in Northumberland (a county in the north of England).
Type of coat
The hair is long.
The hair is slightly wavy without ever forming into full curls. It is long all over, (2 to 2,5 inches) and silky. Feathering (fringes) can be found around the neck, in the brisket region, on the side of the hind limbs, on the buttocks and on the tail. The undercoat is only abundant in the wintertime.
Eye colour
The eyes are hazel, as dark as possible (slightly less dark in white and tan individuals).
Description
The English setter is the most beautiful of all pointing dogs. It is mesomorphic, with a rather rectangular-shape torso. The head is long, well-defined, light. The length of the skull is equal to that of the muzzle. The skullcap is slightly domed. The stop is pronounced but not abrupt. The eyes are big and expressive.The ears are set low, hanging, adjacent to the cheeks. The back is straight, the kidneys muscular and quite arched. The limbs are perfectly straight. The tail is set high: big and robust at its base, it thins down towards the tip. It is worn rather low, slightly curved outwards like a reversed saber.
Good to know
As the English Setter is a particularly handsome breed and also highly sought after as a companion dog, certain unscrupulous breeders have contented themselves with selecting lineages for their aesthetic qualities, with little regard for their personalities or hunting predispositions. Actually, in England, the breeding of show dog Setters and hunting Setters has become distinctly separated, as if it were concerned with two different breeds, which is a reprehensible mistake.