Irish Setter

Irish Setter

Now, I don't always write about animals that correspond to holidays, but with all the cool critters that come out of Ireland, I couldn't really resist.

Irish Setters are gorgeous red sporting dogs that were developed in Ireland during the 19th century. The term "Setter" actually first appears a few centuries earlier, but those dogs were more spaniel like. Modern Setters first appeared in the 1700s, and the characteristic redness of the Irish Setter popped up by the 1850s as an offshoot of the Red and White Setters.

Setter Pointing

Irish Setters are all purpose hunting dogs. They have great noses, great speed, and have the abilities to point, track, and retrieve. Keep in mind that that long silky coats of the Show dogs aren't usually present on the hunting dogs. Their hair is kept shorter in order to be more manageable in the field.

To own an Irish Setter you had better have enough time and energy to give it proper exercise. They are a high energy breed and need to have an outlet for that energy to remain well adjusted and happy. Irish Setters are also very playful, intelligent, and affectionate, and are easy to house-train.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Originated in Ireland
Size : Height up to 27in (69cm), Weight up to 70lbs (32kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. familiaris