Irish Red and White Setter
Irish Setter
The Irish Red and White Setter is one of several setter breeds. These dogs were developed to 'set', once they have located game birds, they until given further instruction by their hunter. Before the invention of gunpowder this allowed for the prey to be captured by nets, where in more modern times they would be flushed toward the waiting guns. Today, with less demand for hunting and the more refined all-purpose gundogs, most setters are kept as companions or show dogs.
Irish Red and White Setter Standards
- 23-27"
- 60-70 lbs
- large gundog
- ears set well back and lie close to head
- moderate length tail, does not pass the hock
- soft, straight or slightly wavy coat with feathering
- white with red patches
History of the Irish Red and White Setter
Setters have existed in Ireland since medieval times, originally developed to work with falcons. The Irish Red and White Setter is believed to be closer to this olden type, being slightly shorter, wider, and heavier than the red variety that developed from the original. In 18th century Ireland there were three color varieties of Irish Setter, the Red and White, Red, and Shower of Hail. The Shower of Hail was found only in the extreme north-west and displayed a red coat sprinkled with small white spots. Always rare, it has long vanished and the Red and White had very nearly joined in its fate. By the 19th century the Red had become an instant success as a show dog and overshadowed all other colors. Luckily interest in the Red and White returned in the 1940s and its numbers increased as a ‘new’ and ‘rare’ breed.
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