Dog breed
The Irish Red and White Setter (Irish: An Sotar Rua agus Bán) is a breed of dog. As with all setters, it is classified as a gundog in the UK and is included in the sporting group in America and Canada. It is virtually identical in use and temperament to the related Irish Setter, as well as the Gordon and English setters, but is more often found as a working gun dog.
The original purpose of the breed was to hunt gamebirds. In the UK, their quarry can be partridge or grouse, pheasant, ptarmigan, blackgame, snipe or woodcock as all these birds try to avoid predators by hiding rather than flying away. Overseas, they may be used to hunt quail, willow grouse, sand grouse, guinea fowl, sagehen or francolin.
Despite the breed's early origins, it had almost become extinct at the end of the 19th century. During the 1920s, dedicated breeders managed to revive interest and restore the Irish Red and White setter to a viable position. It is still considered a vulnerable breed but has gained recognition from all major kennel clubs.
Temperament: The Irish Red and White Setter can be the most devoted and affectionate of dogs making them ideal all-round family dogs. They are extremely intelligent and respond well to proper training but they do need to have plenty to occupy them. They thrive best in active families, where they have outlets for their high energy, and require space to run freely. Young puppies do not require much exercise but once they reach maturity the breed's working instincts mean they require enough space to be able to run hard and fast for a long distance. Setters are usually good natured, very gentle and get on well with children and other dogs.
Appearance: The Irish Red and White Setter should have an aristocratic, well proportioned, balanced appearance yet still be strong and powerful without lumber or coarseness. It does not have the racy appearance of its solid red-coloured cousin, as the Red and White Setter is heavier in body, has a broader head and the peak at the back of his skull is less peaked. They are athletic, keen and intelligent.
The head and body coat is short and flat with long silky fringes – usually these fringes are called 'feathering'. The feathering forms a fringe on the outside of the ears, neck, chest, down the back of the front legs, under the belly and on the back legs. The tail is also feathered with long coat. The body coat and feathering should be straight and flat but not profuse and never curly.
There are subtle differences between each of the setter breeds. However, one of the main distinguishing features between the setter breeds is colour. As the breed name implies, Irish Red and White Setters must be red and white, and it is an important feature of the breed.
The base colour is a pearly white and there should be solid patches of deep-red. The red colour can be likened to a freshly opened chestnut and should not be light red or gingerish. The face, feet, front and lower hind legs are allowed some mottling or flecking but it must not extend to other areas of the body coat.
Origins: 'Setting dogges' – an ancient term for setters, were developed to find game birds and would have been used in Roman times. The dog would find the location of the game birds by scenting the air, freeze in either a standing or crouching position, then slowly creep forward on command to disturb the birds into flight. Once the birds were in flight the hunter who had been following the dog would release hawks to capture the birds in the air. When netting superseded the use of hawks, setting dogs would still be used to indicate the whereabouts of the birds, but the hunter would come up behind the dog and throw a net over the birds. In the mid-1600s, guns became more readily available and shooting game birds became a popular pastime of the landed gentry. The basic work of setters was still to find and point to the location of game birds but it also had to be steady to shot.
By the 17th century 'setting dogges' had become established and the breeds as seen in the present day could be identified as Setters. Interbreeding of differently coloured dogs was still taking place during this period, but this gradually changed and sportsmen started to limit matings to dogs adapted to the terrain they were required to cover.
Originally, setters in Ireland were mostly red, or the parti-colour red and white, or even mostly white dogs. All were accepted as Irish Setters and were mated to each other.
