- Preferred: Black and white (blue belton), orange and white (orange belton), lemon and white (lemon belton), liver and white (liver belton) or tricolour, that is blue belton and tan or liver belton and tan, those without heavy patches of colour on body but flecked (belton) all over
- NOTE OF THE STANDARD COMMITTEE: « Belton » is the customary term used for the description of the distinctive coat- ticking of the English Setter.
- Belton is a village in Northumberland.
- This expression has been created and spread out by the book about the English Setter written by Mr.
- Edward Lavarack, breeder who has had a preponderant influence upon the actual appearance of the breed
About the English Setter
Origin: Great Britain
- Typical life span
- 12-14 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 29-36 kg
- Female
- 20-32 kg
- Height
- Male
- 64-69 cm
- Female
- 58-64 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Pointing Dogs
- Origin
- Great Britain
- Also called
- Setter Ingles
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a English Setter?
Elegant and athletic gundog distinguished by its unique speckled (belton) coat, feathered markings, and graceful movement, known for gentle hunting instincts and friendly disposition
English Setter history and origins
Developed in England over 400 years ago from spaniel stock, refined in the 19th century by Edward Laverack and R. Purcell Llewellin to create a specialized bird dog for locating and setting game birds
English Setter appearance and size
Males typically weigh 29-36 kg and stand 64-69 cm at the shoulder; females 20-32 kg and 58-64 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Pointing dog
- Behaviour and temperament
“Very active with a keen game sense. Intensely friendly and good natured”
Quoted from FCI standard n°2. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Pointing dog” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- —
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the English Setter
What you get with the English Setter
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Pointing dog”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Very active with a keen game sense. Intensely friendly and good natured”
What you are taking on
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “From back of head in line with ears slightly wavy, not curly, long and silky, as is coat…”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · English Setter
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged preferred.
Coat
From back of head in line with ears slightly wavy, not curly, long and silky, as is coat generally, breeches and forelegs nearly down to feet well feathered
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°2 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the English Setter in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a English Setter
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the English Setter on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where English Setter owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No English Setter breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.