My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

Talk to me about Red Setters

66 replies

Lulutheboss · 10/02/2019 10:55

Hello,
A friend of my husband is having to rehome his one year old red (Irish) setter following a relationship break down. I can’t stand the thought of the poor little soul being taken to Battersea so we’re thinking about taking him.
We already have two labradors. Is this total madness? I have read around the internet for some information about the breed. I am not too familiar.
Looking for real life experiences please and an idea of costs.
Thanks.

OP posts:
Report
bowchicawowwow · 10/02/2019 21:56

I'm an experienced setter owner. Has the breeder been contacted? I can put you in touch with the breed rescue and expert rehomers and also people that can help if you decide to take him in. Please PM me if you want a chat.

Setters aren't ideal first dogs as they can be lunatics. There are two varieties of setter, field and show. I can't be certain which yours is but I'm leaning towards show. Already having two dogs I'm think you will be fine. They are very clever but also very strong willed. Quick recall can be shaky to say the least, I always stick to wide open spaces and an acme whistle. My current one is quite a difficult dog, he's always on the lookout for birds and likes to run quite a distance when he's got the scent of something. He will go and make a nuisance of himself with other dogs so he does spend a lot of time on lead. They are food theifs and like to counter-surf. Huge personalities which mean it's all quickly forgiven.

They are excellent around children, you couldn't wish for a better dog in that respect. They are very loyal and adore you completely. They are sensitive and need a lot of love. I have heard sad stories of setters being completely broken-hearted by irresponsible owners shouting at them. Prone to skin conditions and can have sensitive tums, a lot of them don't get on with chicken or grain. I personally don't recommend neutering as standard as it can ruin their coats and they become thick and curly. Never ever clipper their hair! It needs to be done properly at a cost of around £60 at a groomer. I have the chart if needed. It does matt easily so you need to run a brush over the chest and feathers most days.

My dog is 4 and his insurance is around £15 a month.

Report
Lulutheboss · 10/02/2019 22:12

Thank bow. That information is really useful. I may well be in touch regarding rescue centres. I have no idea if the breeder has been contacted. I think it’s unlikely. I am only speculating but I think they are fairly inexperienced dog owners, which is why DH’s friend is saying that he has to take the dog to Battersea.
Will find out more this week about the situation. I don’t want to make any rash decisions about taking in a third dog but I just feel so sad for the poor thing. I know we can give him a happy home but three dogs is quite a lot!!

OP posts:
Report
villainousbroodmare · 10/02/2019 22:25

Oh yes, if not already neutered, I would really try to avoid doing so as the gleaming chestnut is quickly replaced by ginger cottonwool.

Report
Ariela · 10/02/2019 22:33

Many years ago I had a Red Setter/Labrador cross - so a longer haired beautiful reddish brown coloured skinny labrador shaped dog. Fabulous manners, would do exactly what you said, but then was completely scatty so forget that he had been told to sit and stay and simply get up and wander off 10 seconds later. When taken for a walk would love to go off lead and run and run and run, but the moment you called there he was.

Report
Girlwhowearsglasses · 10/02/2019 22:40

The one we had when I was small was beautiful and lovely.

My DM had to bake en extra Christmas cake every year and hide in two different places - as she usually found one of them. She would eat the whole thing including foil. She also ate a huge amount of cabbage from a bun once and nearly exploded from bloat until she farted on the way to the vet. We also had a lab and they got on well.

She lived until 16 though.

Report
tablelegs · 10/02/2019 22:43

My mums aunt had one of these. I remember seeing her when I was a kid. She was a beautiful dog.

She developed epilepsy as she got older but she was just lovely and lived until she was 14.

Report
SomethingWithLemons · 10/02/2019 23:01

This thread should come with a trigger warning - I want a setter now!

Report
SomethingWithLemons · 10/02/2019 23:04

What does everyone mean by 'scatty' when talking about a dog? I know what it means in humans but don't understand what it is in dogs!

Report
UrsulaPandress · 10/02/2019 23:11

I’m so sad about the broken hearted setters Sad

Report
Wolfiefan · 10/02/2019 23:28

@Ariela not an RSPCA rescue pup by any stretch was it? We had a male pup from there many years ago.
Scatty?
You call your dog. Dog thinks:
Owner has called me. I will. Oh look there’s a butterfly. I think I will chase the. Water. Running. Fun. Ooo a spaniel. They’re fun. What’s that yelling? Someone really wants their dog to come back. Ooo what’s that smell! Something to roll in!! Time to ruuuuuunnnnnnn.
Like that. Grin

Report
SomethingWithLemons · 10/02/2019 23:31

Wolfiefan Grin You've described DDog2 we got in the hope he'd be sensible!!

Report
shellybon · 11/02/2019 00:06

We have an 19 month old red setter. He is mine and DP first dog together and boy do we know we have him!! Our lives have flipped 180 since we've had him and our lifestyle/world revolves around him. We don't have kids yet so he is our first child and that's how we treat himBlush
He is such a character and so loving towards us and our family. He loves nothing better than being smothered with kisses and told how beautiful he is.
As a breed they have a reputation for being stupid, but like previously mentioned-they are anything but IMO. We have found ours to be extremely intelligent and easy to train but also very cheeky. If we tell him off for stealing the remote he understands it's wrong but now he knows he shouldn't do it, if he's feeling mischievous he will take it in his mouth and parade in front of you as if to say 'I shouldn't have this...chase me to get it back'Halo
Mine 'talks' a lot (barks at you constantly) when he wants attention and can be quite jumpy. I gather this is a trait in the breed from speaking to other owners.
They have lots of energy and really need x2 1hr walks a day with lots of time off the lead for exercise and exploring.
His insurance is about £19 a month but we spend approx £80 a month on food as we give him chicken and fish as well as dried biscuits. Plus we spend on flee/worming treatments throughout the year plus vets visits if needed.
In my experience I would say if you have the time, space at home, money for a 3rd dog then do it because he will love the company of your labs and they are dream dogs. I would always choose a red setter now if we were have any other dogs.

Talk to me about Red Setters
Report
shellybon · 11/02/2019 00:15

That's my proud boy all pleased with himself because he found a stickSmile

I also second that they are food thieves. Ours is still quite bad around food and he automatically assumes any human food is his. If we don't watch him he is often paws up on the worktop sniffing for food.
Only today he found a packet of treats in DP rucksack from his walk earlier and ate 3/4 of the packet whilst DP was in the shower!Shock

Report
Ariela · 11/02/2019 00:18

@Wolfiefan Not a rescue, knew the lab mum's family, she got out one day for a rendezvous with her favourite doggie, the Red Setter round the corner! Had 3 or 4 pups, this was about 30 years ago.

Report
fivedogstofeed · 11/02/2019 06:49

@SomethingWithLemons I'm pretty sure al lot of the scatty reputation comes from the fact that setters scent in the air. Watch a lab/ spaniel etc and when they're on to something they have their nose pinned to the ground.
When you watch a setter carefully he will stop and put his nose in the air and then take off. To the untrained eye he looks like he's randomly running in circles, but this is not the case, he's seriously on the hunt for something that he can smell!

Report
Wolfiefan · 11/02/2019 07:13

@Ariela ours was about the same time! A litter in the RSPCA in Surrey though.
So maybe setters are also tarts! Grin

Report
RandomMess · 11/02/2019 08:56

I always assumed it was their intelligence that was part of the scattiness tbh!

Sadly one of the reds we knew ate poison on a farmers field SadSadSad so all these reports of food thieves doesn't surprise me. I guess those not exercised enough mentally or physically are going to be "naughty" they can cover a lot of distance easily with those long legs! Meanwhile we can play chase and catch in our house with our small terrier - up and down the flights of stairs and she's quickly puffed out Smile

Report
Lulutheboss · 11/02/2019 11:34

Goodness! Another very handsome boy shelly!
I’m leaning towards keeping him!

OP posts:
Report
lettymoo · 11/02/2019 11:41

I have had setters for years. They are the kindest hearted, most emotionally aware and loving dogs I have ever met. They have so much love to give and wouldn't hurt a fly. They're great with children too. I honestly couldn't live without one and whilst there are a lot of nice dogs around, nothing compares to them. If you're taking your labs out anyway, he would get enough exercise so I don't think you'd find him difficult to cope with. If you can take him you won't regret it, you'll have an absolutely wonderful friend!

Report
lettymoo · 11/02/2019 11:50

My setter watching TV. She's 11 and the best friend I've ever had!

Talk to me about Red Setters
Report
Aprilshowersarecomingsoon · 11/02/2019 11:50

Maybe mn should have a poll system?
I vote :
Keep him.

Report
SomethingWithLemons · 11/02/2019 12:46

Vote keep!

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

TinselAndKnickers · 11/02/2019 12:51

Keep keep keep!!

Report
CockleburIck · 11/02/2019 12:55

Hands up who wants a red setter now on the back of this thread? 😀

I don’t know anything about them but think they’re gorgeous.
There used to be one that lived across the road from me. He was always in his garden... with no gate! I was shocked at that, but he didn’t seem to run off. He used to wander out occasionally to say hello to people who were near his house. He came across to speak to me once. I stroked him and told him to go home. He did.

We will stick with one dog for now (golden retriever), but will definitely consider a setter as the next dog.

Report
RandomMess · 11/02/2019 13:12

I've always wanted one Blushvote keep from me!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.