The English Setter is one of the most beautiful breeds of hunting dogs that exist. Immortalized by their peculiar physical characteristics and his expressive gaze, have become iconic characters in cinema and literature. This fame is very well deserved since they are a pet with an excellent temperament and a friendly and kind character.
This elegant old breed comes from england and it owes its name to the particular position that it adopts when it indicates the prey in the activity of the hunt. It is an ideal pet for company and the more information the owner has about the breed, the better quality of life it can provide.
History and origin of the English Setter
The origins of the English Setter date back to the fourteenth century and among its ancestors are the Braco, Spaniel, the Spanish and French pointer, although some authors differ from this, such as Edward Laverack who in his book "Los Setter", states that the English Setter does not have pointer blood.
At first the breed was known as the Spaniel setter.
However, the English Setter as it is known today comes from the XNUMXth century and this breed of dog owes its ancestry to the efforts of Sir Edward Laverack. Thanks to his fondness for hunting, Laverack began inbreeding Setters for more than half a century.
This he achieved by crossing a Setter pair that he brought together in 1825. By the date of his death in 1877, Sir Edward Laverack had published a book on the breed, he owned five copies and two champions of the newly created beauty pageants. In addition, he had distributed the race throughout the world.
After Laverack's death, his friend Richard Purcell Llewellin mixed Laverack's specimens with Setters from other breeders. developing a smaller breed.
This variant was called the Llewellyn English Setter. Therefore and at present There are two types of English SetterThe largest and most recent beauty pageant is the Laverack English Setter. And the smallest is the Llewellyn Setter suitable for field work.
In this way the breed was determined for 1890 when the English Setter Club was founded.
Features
From the beginning the function and ability of the breed has been aimed at hunting birds, especially quail and partridges. This is thanks to their extraordinary hunting conditions.
In fact the term Setter refers to the almost sitting position that the pet adopts when he discovers the prey.
The physical characteristics of the English Setter are very peculiar. Their mottled coat with a long, silky, wavy coat it is what is most distinctive in the breed.
The long fringes on the legs reach the feet and the colors can be black and white (Blue Belton), white and orange (Orange Belton). Depending on the intensity it can be Lemon Belton or Liver Belton and when it is tricolor it can be white, black and orange.
The height at the withers of this pet ranges from 55 to 65 centimeters in females and 57 to 68 in males.
The weight varies between 25 and 30 kilograms Considering a dog of medium size and slim body. It has an oval skull with an elongated head and muzzle. The ears are covered with very fine and silky hair, they are set low, they hang bent with well defined folds.
The nose is black and the eyes are large and shiny brown and with a sad and expressive appearance. The Setter's tail is of medium lengthIt is fringed and should never be folded up.
Character
Within the expectations that an owner may have about this breed of dog is that their life expectancy ranges from 10 to 14 years, although they can live up to 20 years. The tendency to drool is high and to snore is low.
They are quite energetic and require a lot of physical activity. They bark and dig infrequently. They require attention and socialization with both humans and other dogs.
Thanks to its history, the English Setter has an excellent hunting sense. He is also very friendly and adapts very well to human and other dog companionship. He gets along very well with children and is very sociable with visitors. Under normal conditions, he never shows violent behavior.
The training of this breed is not easy due to its high intelligence and is that to educate them you have to show patience due to his absent-minded and independent character.
However, once educated, they adapt well to discipline and learning. He is very kind and affectionate being excellent as a companion dog, but not as a protective dog. When they are puppies they are quite active and playful with maturity they become a little more relaxed.
Health and care
Like all pets, it is necessary that the owners know well how to take care of the breed, for that it is necessary to handle basic information about the predispositions to diseases and care of this type of dog.
In the first place, physical activity is important since if it is neglected it can bring character problems and obesity. While they are puppies, care must be taken, since they are restless and can hurt themselves since their bones are weak and they are not mature until fourteen months.
Like other dogs, preventive treatment should be carried out to avoid parasites such as fleas, mites and ticks.
Internal parasites nematodes and hookworms should be avoided, being able to suffer Parvovirus, allergies, rabies distemper and leptospirosis. Eye diseases can be cataracts, glaucoma, and conjunctivitis.
Breed-specific diseases include common hip dysplasia between medium and large dogs. They are genetically prone to it and the solution tends to be surgery. The first thing to consider when caring for the English Setter is visit the vet twice a year and be up to date with all vaccinations. It is important to carry out preventive treatments to avoid internal and external parasites.
The diet must be adequate, you should consult the vet and respect the nutritional indications of the pet.