English Setter
Height58–68 cm (23–27 in)
Weight20–36 kg (44–79 lbs)
TypeSporting
Life Expectancy12–15 yrs
OriginEngland
An elegant, gentle sporting dog with a speckled "belton" coat and a natural love of the field. English Setters are mellow, sweet-tempered companions who thrive with active families.
Breed Ratings
Personality
Intelligence
4/5
Trainability
4/5
Playfulness
4/5
Energy Level
4/5
Social
Good with Kids
5/5
Good with Dogs
5/5
Good with Strangers
5/5
Lifestyle
Apartment Friendly
2/5
Exercise Needs
4/5
Watchdog Ability
2/5
Barking Level
2/5
Care
Shedding
3/5
Grooming Needs
4/5
Health Robustness
3/5
Where Are English Setters From?
English Setters trace their ancestry back more than 400 years to setting spaniels that crouched (“set”) when they found birds so hunters could throw nets over the game. Edward Laverack spent 35 years in the 1800s refining the breed into the elegant bird dog we recognize today, and his protegé R. Purcell Llewellin developed a more field-oriented line. That split between show (Laverack) and field (Llewellin) lines persists — they look quite different from each other, with field dogs being smaller and leaner.
What Is It Like Living With a English Setter?
English Setters are among the gentlest of all sporting breeds. They’re affectionate to the point of being needy — an English Setter wants to be touching you at all times, whether that means leaning against your leg or resting their head in your lap. They’re exceptional with children and other dogs, rarely showing aggression toward anything. This mellow sweetness does come with sensitivity: harsh corrections shut an English Setter down completely. Positive methods and patience are the only training approaches that work.
How Much Exercise Does a English Setter Need?
Plan for 60–90 minutes of daily exercise. English Setters were bred to range across open fields for hours, and they still carry that stamina. Running, swimming, hiking, and field work are ideal outlets. Without enough activity, they develop destructive habits — particularly digging and counter-surfing. A fenced yard matters because their bird-hunting instincts will send them sprinting after anything with feathers. Indoors, however, a well-exercised English Setter is remarkably calm and content to lounge.
How Often Do You Need to Groom a English Setter?
That beautiful speckled "belton" coat requires brushing three to four times weekly, with regular attention to feathering on the ears, chest, legs, and tail where tangles form. Health concerns include hip and elbow dysplasia, congenital deafness (especially in dogs with heavy white patterning), hypothyroidism, and allergies. English Setters are also prone to elbow hygroma — fluid-filled swellings on the elbows from lying on hard surfaces — so providing padded bedding helps.
Are English Setters Healthy?
English Setters thrive with active families, households with kids, and anyone who wants a sweet-natured sporting dog that doubles as a devoted couch companion. They’re not suited for people who are away from home all day or anyone looking for a guard dog — an English Setter would likely greet an intruder with tail wags. The surprising fact: English Setters are considered the oldest gundog breed, with written references dating to the 14th century, predating all other setter and pointer breeds.
Our Honest Take on the English Setter
English Setters are gentle, beautiful, and underrated as pets — but the field-bred and bench-bred lines diverge so dramatically that buying the wrong type is the most common ownership mistake. Know which one you want before you call a breeder.
Common Mistakes New Owners Make
- 1Assuming all English Setters are mellow. Field-bred lines need 90+ minutes of hard exercise daily; bench-bred (Laverack) lines are calmer but still need 60 minutes.
- 2Underestimating coat maintenance. The feathering mats easily and picks up burrs and debris — weekly brushing minimum, more in fall and spring.
- 3Skipping deafness BAER testing. Congenital deafness affects approximately 12–15% of the breed (one or both ears); never buy a puppy that hasn't been BAER-tested.
- 4Leaving them alone all day. English Setters are notoriously sensitive and prone to separation anxiety — expect destructive behavior if isolated 8+ hours daily.
Who Should Think Twice
Avoid English Setters if you live in an apartment without dedicated outdoor exercise time, work long hours alone, have neighbors sensitive to occasional baying, or want a low-grooming dog. Field-bred Setters in particular are inappropriate for sedentary households and will develop neurotic behaviors. Also skip if you can't tolerate a dog that wants physical contact constantly — they are leaners, lap-climbers, and shadow-followers.
Real Costs in 2026
English Setter puppies from health-tested breeders (hips, elbows, thyroid, BAER): $1,500–$3,000 in 2026 for bench-bred; field lines often $800–$1,800 from hunting breeders. Annual costs including food ($55–$70/month), grooming every 8 weeks ($70–$95), and vet care total $2,000–$2,800. Pet insurance at $45–$60/month is sensible — the breed has elevated hypothyroidism and certain cancer rates.
Living With a English Setter: Year by Year
English Setter puppyhood is a long, mouthy, exuberant blur — these are slow-maturing dogs and most do not show real adult judgment until 24-30 months, longer than nearly any sporting breed. The classic 'setter goofiness' is genuine and persists into middle age; expect a 3-year-old that still bounces sideways at every dropped sock. Adolescence (10-24 months) is when the bird drive switches on hard, and a previously trainable puppy may suddenly bolt at every flutter of pigeon wings. Prime adulthood (3-9) is what made this breed beloved by Victorian sportsmen: gentle, biddable, profoundly attached to family, calm in the house once exercised. The surprise for most owners is the emotional sensitivity — English Setters internalize household conflict, sulk visibly after corrections, and develop nervous behaviors (paw-licking, pacing) in chaotic homes. Senior years are typically gracious; many are still hiking at 11.
The Training Reality
English Setters are biddable but not brilliant — Coren ranks them in the lower-middle tier (around 74th of 138 breeds tested), and the realistic ceiling is solid pet obedience plus hunt-test work, not advanced sport titles. Housetraining is reliable by month 5, slower than retrievers. Marker training and food rewards work well, but harsh corrections will shut them down for days. The training pitfall is bird drive: once a Setter is locked on scent, recall is functionally absent until you've put in 18-24 months of long-line work. The breakthrough most pet owners need is accepting that this is a low-key bird dog who needs a job — formal nosework class or weekly walks in bird-rich fields satisfy the hardwired instinct better than a tennis ball ever will. Off-leash reliability is achievable but takes longer than with a Lab. Plan for 30 minutes of daily training through adolescence.
A Day in the Life
Morning needs are real — 60-75 minutes of off-leash running in a safe area, or you'll see destructive zoomies by evening. They will not self-exercise in a yard; without a moving target (a person, a bike, scent) they lie down and wait. Mid-day is a long nap, ideally on the couch in physical contact with a human. The feathering on legs, ears, and tail picks up burrs, mud, and dampness on every walk; expect to towel them down daily and brush twice weekly to prevent matting. They are sensitive to household tone; raised voices send them under the bed. Most sleep 13-14 hours and snore softly. The quirk owners discover: English Setters 'point' inside the house at moths, dust motes, and shadows — frozen, one paw raised, tail rigid. It looks bizarre and is entirely normal.
How English Setters Compare to Similar Breeds
Compared to an Irish Setter, English Setters are calmer, less manic in adolescence, and meaningfully easier to live with as pets — Irish Setters carry roughly the same drive in a substantially more chaotic temperament. Compared to a Gordon Setter, English Setters are more sociable with strangers and less protective; Gordons are heavier-built, longer-lived in some lines, and notably more reserved. Compared to a Llewellin Setter (a working strain of English Setter), show-line Englishes are calmer, heavier-coated, and generally less driven — Llewellins need genuine fieldwork to stay sane. If you want the looks without the bird drive, a Brittany is similar size with more off-switch and shorter coat.
Great For
- Families with children
- First-time dog owners
- Active, outdoorsy people
- Multi-pet households
- Social, outgoing lifestyles
Think Twice If
- You have a sedentary lifestyle
- You want low grooming effort
- You live in a small apartment
Are English Setters Prone to Health Issues?
English Setters are predisposed to: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, deafness, hypothyroidism. Regular vet visits and a healthy diet help prevent common issues.
Health Robustness
3/5
How Much Does a English Setter Cost?
Purchase Price
$1,000–$2,500
Monthly Food
$55
Annual Vet
$500
Annual Grooming
$200
Est. First Year
~$3,110
Est. Annual
~$1,360
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a English Setter cost?
A English Setter puppy typically costs $1,000–$2,500. The estimated first-year cost including food, vet visits, and grooming is around $3,110, with ongoing annual costs of approximately $1,360.
How long do English Setters live?
English Setters have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years. Common health concerns include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, deafness, hypothyroidism.
Are English Setters good with kids?
English Setters score 5/5 for being good with children. They are generally excellent family dogs and get along well with children of all ages.
Do English Setters shed a lot?
English Setters have a shedding level of 3/5. They shed moderately and benefit from regular brushing.
Are English Setters good for apartments?
English Setters score 2/5 for apartment friendliness. They are better suited to homes with yards and ample space to move around.