The history of the birth of the Irish Setter breed, external criteria, behavior and nuances of health, care: feeding, walking, training, interesting facts. The price of the puppies. They are resilient dogs and thrive on physical activity. Fields and forests for these animals are a real paradise. This is one of the most beautiful breeds. Like most cops, people do not come to hunt with this species of canines right away. And there are reasons for this. A dog, and especially a hunting one, is a huge responsibility. If a person has not had a dog before, then it is not easy for him to decide to take a puppy right away, raise it, train it, and only then proudly go out into the field. Many breeders, not knowing the quality of the breed, choose them for their attractive appearance.
The history of the birth of the Irish Setter breed
Aesthetic data is also not bad, but beauty played a cruel joke with the Irish setter. Back in the 19th century, the species began to divide into a hunting branch, and dogs, whose destiny is exclusively a show career. The two branches developed independently and the breeders did not try to mix them with each other. Therefore, the hunting data of the Irish setters gradually faded away. At the moment, there are very few Irish suitable for hunting, and individuals with such properties are difficult to find.
Despite the fact that the homeland of these dogs is Ireland, now there are not many of them there. The reason for the selection of Irish setters of a solid red color was the opinion prevailing among hunters that the bird would better tolerate a dog's stance if it was painted in a single color. In Ireland itself, two types of canines were distinguished. This difference primarily concerned color. In the south of the country there were red and white dogs, but in the north, solid red ones. Despite the fact that most breeders have monochromatic Irish, two-colored individuals also have a place to be.
Now it is difficult to say unequivocally about the origin of the breed, but many prospectors believe that Irish water spaniels, terriers, pointers and a small number of Gordon setters became its progenitors from the beginning of the 18th century. Until the middle of the 19th century in England, only one breed of setter was preferred because there was still no clear difference between the varieties. And despite the fact that there were quite a few pego-red and even red dogs, they were not called Irish.
The first dog show took place in Newcastle, UK. It happened in 1859. At that competition, all setters were presented in the same ring, although even then a division into different breeds was planned. Later, at exhibitions, three distinct types of setters were recognized: English, Irish and Scottish. The diligence of most breeders has gone to isolate these species, to separate and clearly show the characteristics of each variety.
I must say that the breeders have succeeded. The rich shade of mahogany has become a hallmark of Irish setters - their quality mark. New breeders and those who have already kept these dogs continue to admire their shiny coat in a shade of thick reddish-brown color scheme.
Irish Setter Appearance Description
Graceful, strong, well-built dogs with beautiful, silky red-brown shiny coat. They are used for hunting a variety of game. Dogs are energetic and hardy. They can work in different terrain and relief. Long distances can be easily covered. They have a pleasant disposition and balanced demeanor, not aggressive. Based on generally accepted norms, the height at the withers in males is 57–68 cm, and in bitches 54–63 cm. With an error of a couple of centimeters. Weigh from 24 kg to 33 kg. Dogs move easily, gracefully and smoothly. The front legs are thrown clearly forward, and the hind legs are strongly pushing off the ground.
- Head harmonious, dry, elongated, flattened from the sides. The lines of the head and muzzle should be in parallel. The forehead is not wide, rounded. The occipital part is prominent, but not very prominent. The cheekbones are flat, the browbones are moderately expressed.
- Muzzle rectangular, the same length as the skull. The lips are tucked up, dry, slightly overlapping the lower jaw. Their pigmentation is black or dark brown. The stop is smooth. The bridge of the nose is straight or slightly arched. The teeth are powerful, white, large, and the incisors are even. Scissor bite.
- Nose eye-catching, nostrils open. The color of the lobe is coal-black, brown-red, black-brown - depends on the color of the Irish setter's coat.
- Eyes medium in size, round or oval in shape, harmoniously placed. The eyelids are dry and fit tightly. Their color range is dark brown, black-brown or hazel. The look is smart, kind, disposing and soft.
- Ears set low and closer to the occipital part of the head, long, hanging down, fitting tightly to the head. Their cartilage is soft and folds. The ears are covered with beautiful long hair, which makes the dog elegant.
- Neck - more than medium length, beautiful, well muscled, with a smooth curve, oval. The withers are not pronounced, there is no dewlap.
- Frame almost elongated and elongated, flattened laterally, with mesomorphic muscles. Its front is more raised than the back. The back is fairly straight, strong, sloping around the lumbar region. The ribs have a beautiful oval curve. The chest is voluminous and oval for good endurance for the setter when traveling long distances. The croup is slightly sloping. The lower abdomen is strongly tucked up in the groin area.
- Tail Irish setter of low placement, long, tapering towards the end. When running, the dog raises it higher than the back. At rest, it hangs down. The tail has a beautiful, silky, long feathering.
- Front legs parallel to each other, muscular-sinewy, strong, even. The shoulder blades are laid back, deep, the shoulders are well muscled. The hind ones are set back a little, strong, erect, the structure is strong. The thighs are elongated and muscular, the legs are strong. The hocks are flexible. Metatarsus placed vertically.
- Paws - like a cat, in a ball, medium. The fingers are pressed together and curved. Wool grows between them. The pads are voluminous, dense. The nails are hard.
- Coat with a thick undercoat. It is shiny, straight, thick-growing, soft to the touch, not uniform throughout the body. The shortest is in the region of the skull, and on the muzzle. Medium length on the neck, back and front of the limbs. The longest, most beautiful and silky guard hair grows on the ears, chest, back of the forelegs and back of the thighs, lower part of the body and on the tail.
- Skin - tight and tight.
- Color can be of different shades of brown. The most beautiful, with dark red or chestnut tints. Small white markings on chest, neck, fingers and throat are allowed.
Irish Setter dog behavior
Irish Setters are active but non-intrusive dogs. At home, they quietly lie in peace near you, not annoying with their presence. The dogs seem forever young. They are selflessly loving and very loyal to their masters. In a family, they get along remarkably well. If your kids love to run and play, then a setter is perfect for you. Energetic pets can accidentally knock over something in the apartment and greet your guests violently.
They will chase small animals, especially cats. Irish Setters need to be constantly loaded with jogging or long walks. These are comfortable dogs for keeping in an apartment. Unlike the overwhelming majority of gun breeds, these dogs in adolescence deliver a minimum of inconvenience and trouble to their owners.
Irish Setter Health
Typically, these pets can live fourteen to sixteen years. These cheerful dogs have some health problems. Like most large canines, setters have a predisposition to cancer, epilepsy, eye diseases, and several other problems. Dogs have a bulky chest, so they can also have such a dangerous condition as bloating.
Unfortunately, not a single dog is insured against injury while hunting. How to keep accidents to a minimum? In order to avoid injury, first of all, the owner must be vigilant. He must remember that the pet is not a vulnerable terminator, even if he is a hunting dog. In fact, the most dangerous are man-made injuries, for example, falling under the wheels of a car.
Most hunting dogs move around without a leash or collar. In a forest zone, this is normal, but when a hunter goes out on the track and does not attach his dog to a leash, and many do not have it, then the pet is at risk. As a result, the animal is not injured while hunting, but because of a traffic accident due to the carelessness of the owner. Loose keeping and free walking in settlements is the main reason for the problems of hunting dogs, and not wild boars at all. When hunting, the owner first of all needs to measure the strength of his pet with the strength of the beast he is hunting, to be careful when shooting.
In fact, the most terrible "beast" from which many dogs died is a tick. When bitten, these parasites transmit such a dangerous disease as piroplasmosis. At the moment, there are also heartworms, which are carried by mosquitoes. Therefore, one of the most important aspects of preventing injury and disease in dogs is vaccination, treatment against ticks, fleas and worms.
The pet must be vaccinated against rabies and other diseases. Usually these are complex vaccines, which are given three times up to a year, and then once a year. Treatment for ticks and fleas is carried out once a month, with drip preparations applied to the withers. If your dog has fleas, they can bite you too. They will not start in your hair, but bites on the skin are guaranteed to you. In addition, they often blister, itch, and take a long time to heal.
Irish Setter Care
- Wool setters are long and silky. It is imperative to comb it. It is advisable to do this often enough, at least three times a week or every other day. When changing the coat, the manipulation is carried out every day. If you do not want to clean the apartment at the same time, then they do it during a walk. For combing out, you will need combs, furminator or slicker brushes. Exhibition pets need to trim the hairs on the ears, between the toes, on the paws along the contour, and domesticate their skirt and tail. Buy bathing shampoo for dogs with long hair and be sure to get a conditioner. Before washing, dilute the soap concentrate with a little water. On a moistened hairline, the washing foam is applied with a washcloth. Apply conditioner after washing. It will make the coat silky, soft and shiny. Rinse the doggie well so that there is no itching of the skin and dandruff. The wool is properly blotted with a towel and dried with a hair dryer in warm air. Do not turn on the hot mode, otherwise the dog's hair may dry out and it will become brittle and dull.
- Claws pruned regularly, using claws. Do not forget about the dewclaws, claws also grow on them. If your pet actively walks on the asphalt, then he usually grinds his claws himself.
- Earswhich are hanging in shape, need to be cleaned more often than other dogs. Due to their physiological characteristics, they collect excess sulfur and mud accumulations, which are best removed regularly. A variety of agents that soften excess accumulations help in this. The concentrate is filled into the auricle, massaged and released for twenty minutes. After he has run, the outside of his ear needs to get wet.
- Eyes must be systematically inspected. If foreign particles get in, wipe them. If you have more serious problems, take the dog to the veterinary clinic to see an ophthalmologist.
- Teeth teach the Irish setter to brush from puppyhood, a couple of times a week. In pharmacies or pet stores, you will find everything you need - brushes and pastes. You can try brushing your pet's teeth with activated charcoal. Some breeders believe that charcoal removes plaque from dogs' teeth better than a brush and toothpaste and is easier to do. We moisten the coal with water, three teeth and that's it.
- Feeding energetic dogs should be complete. The ingredients of nutrition are selected balanced. They include the necessary balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. The portions are strictly dosed, not exceeding the norm. The dog must receive "lunch" at the same time. To avoid bloating or volvulus, food is given after walking or hunting. If you are a busy person and do not have time to cook and select a natural diet, you can purchase ready-made products. Only the feed must be of a professional production and of the highest class. Lead the selection according to the type of dog and the state of its body. That is, a puppy or an adult dog, a pregnant or whelping bitch, and so on. The dosage of food is indicated on the package in grams, by the weight of the pet. A special measuring cup is included for each brand of concentrate. By consuming dry food, your four-legged friend will always be in excellent condition.
- Walking Irish setters are required to be active and long lasting. If you live in a country house, then the pet should have a fenced area where you can run and jump superbly. Run regularly with apartment dogs, ride a bike, whatever, if only the dog gets what its nature requires. On weekends, take them to the forest or field. Having not received an outlet for their energy, four-legged friends can play pranks in your house.
Irish Setter training
These dogs are passionate in the field, have a good move and a great sense of smell. But when training, you need to be patient and gentle. To achieve the desired results, train your pet from puppyhood and systematically. Never push a setter. Reward every action you do correctly with a tasty treat or compliment.
From the very beginning, these dogs were taught to hunt birds. They were trained to search for game and carry a wounded animal. Setters move in a certain way, darting in different directions in front of the hunter. So they check the smell of a bird that the wind brought. Irish Setters search for game with their upper instincts. They perceive the smell of a bird through the air, and not like hounds on the ground.
Interesting Irish Setter Facts
They have a narrow, balanced body and long legs, so the Irish Setter can move extremely quickly, and even turn sharply while running. Many fans of the breed believe that Irish dogs are much lightning fast and stronger than other species. They can travel considerable distances in various terrain. Such data can be possessed by an animal with a spacious chest, since a large heart and voluminous lungs can fit in it, which help the dog to inhale a large amount of oxygen.
Irish Setter puppies price
Don't be obscured by the bewitching appearance of the Chestnut Irish Setter if you are unable to provide the necessary standards for the animal. Phlegmatic, lazy, not agile people let them give birth to snails, but this dog is for active people full of energy, because it needs to run and jump a lot. The price of puppies ranges from $ 300 to $ 800.
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