- Base colour white with solid red patches (clear islands of red colour), both colours should show the maximum of life and bloom
- Permissible: Flecking but not roaning around the face and feet and up the foreleg as far as the elbow and up the hindleg as far as the hock
- Roaning,flecking and mottling on any other part of the body is objectionable
About the Irish Red and White Setter
Origin: Ireland
- Typical life span
- 11-15 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 23-32 kg
- Female
- 20-27 kg
- Height
- Male
- 61-66 cm
- Female
- 57-61 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Pointing Dogs
- Origin
- Ireland
- Also called
- Setter Irlandes Rojo y Blanco
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Irish Red and White Setter?
Medium to large athletic gundog with distinctive red and white coat pattern and aristocratic appearance. This versatile sporting breed combines a powerful, athletic build with a kind expression and was bred specifically for pointing and retrieving game birds.
Irish Red and White Setter history and origins
One of Ireland's oldest gundogs with history dating back to the 17th century, predating the Irish Setter. Bred as versatile gundogs for finding and retrieving gamebirds. Nearly extinct by the 1920s but revived through dedicated breeding programs by enthusiasts in the 20th century.
Irish Red and White Setter appearance and size
Males typically weigh 23-32 kg and stand 61-66 cm at the shoulder; females 20-27 kg and 57-61 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Most acceptable companion and friend in the homes and the fields. The Irish Red & White Setter is bred primarily for the field. The standard as set out hereunder must be interpreted chiefly from this point of view and all Judges at bench shows must judge the exhibits chiefly from the working standpoint
- Behaviour and temperament
“Aristocratic, keen and intelligent. Displays a kindly, friendly attitude, behind which should be discernible determination, courage and high spirit. The Red and White Setter is very friendly, dependable and easily trained gundog”
Quoted from FCI standard n°330. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needs
- —
- 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 Irish Red and White Setter
What you get with the Irish Red and White Setter
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Most acceptable companion and friend in the homes and the fields”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Aristocratic, keen and intelligent”
What you are taking on
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “Long silky fine hair called "Feathering" on the back of the fore and hind legs and on the…”
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 · Irish Red and White Setter
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged permissible.
Coat
Long silky fine hair called "Feathering" on the back of the fore and hind legs and on the outer ear flap, also a reasonable amount on the flank extending on to the chest and throat forming a fringe.
All feathering straight, flat and free from curl but slight wave is permissible.
The tail should be well feathered.
On all other parts of the body the hair should be short, flat and free from curl
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°330 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Desirable Height at the withers: Dogs: 24,5 - 26 ins. (62 - 66 cm). Bitches: 22,5 - 24 ins. (57 - 61 cm)”
- FCI distinguishes an ideal from what is permitted.
Quoted from FCI standard n°330. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
What the standard penalises
What a judge marks the Irish Red and White Setter down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Disqualifying faults
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
- Males not having two apparently normal testicles.
- Although flecking but not roaning is permitted around the face and feet and up the forelegs as far as the elbow and up the hindleg as far as the hock, visible and excessive roaning, flecking and mottling on any other part of the body is an eliminating fault
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Irish Red and White Setter in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Irish Red and White Setter
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Irish Red and White 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 Irish Red and White 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 Irish Red and White 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.