English Setter - breed description and dog character

Setters are the most popular variety of cops. The beauty and grace of these dogs was admired by well-known artists of the 19th century. For example, F. Palmer expressed this in his painting “Snipe Hunting”.

Story

Each dog breed has its own history of origin. The breed English Setter is known since January 28, 1859. On this date, it was first presented at the exhibition and received universal recognition. For more than 30 years, Edward Laverac (1797-1877) was involved in improving the quality of the breed. Careful selection, selection and inbreeding led the English setter to its present noble appearance. Opinions about the real ancestors of the setters differ significantly. Like any breed, a lot of legends go about the true origin of the setter. According to some evidence, the roots of the breed could even be of Spanish origin. But a number of other specialists, including a passionate lover of this breed Laverac, were convinced that their ancestors were primitive spaniels imported from the British Isles. Be that as it may, Great Britain is recognized as the official Homeland of the English setter.

After a short time after the breed declared itself, its breeders had competitors. Tom Steadman has set up a show set breeding nursery. But when breeding, Stidman did not take into account the working qualities of the breed. So the setter mollveids were born: beautiful and graceful, without large specks, three-colored dogs. As the exhibitions developed, the requirements for the color of the setters began to tighten and large spots in the color became less desirable. However, the hunters preferred to keep the setters only with large spotting, bred by Laverac.

Contributed to the breed and the famous English breeder Richard Puersel Luellin. He acquired several setter individuals in the Laverac nursery, and then mixed them with some other breeds. As a result, a light field dog appeared, which has proven itself in sports. Luellin's pets were very popular in England.

Appearance

Squat physique and feline-like movements distinguish the English setter from most other breeds. Elegant refinement, extraordinary endurance and beauty are gracefully combined in this dog. Connoisseurs praised the incomparable beauty of the setters, which served as a huge popularity of this breed not only in the homeland, but also far beyond its borders.

The speckling nature of the breed distinguishes it from many others. Monochrome setters do not exist. Their color consists of two or three colors. In this case, the main color of wool is always white. Pets with the smallest spots have the greatest value.

The coat is thick and silky, slightly wavy in the hips, uniformly covering the body of the dog. The hair on the head and front legs is short. On the hind limbs, the inner side of the thigh, abdomen, sternum and ears, there are tows. The tail is decorated with an impressive suspension of long wool.

English setters are tightly built dogs of short stature. Males reach 69 cm at the withers, females lower - up to 65 cm. The dog has an excellent physique: a proud, high posture, graceful body, slightly extending forward with a strong chest and a little elongated head.

The special structure of the tail allows you to constantly keep it in a vertical position at the same level with your back.

They have an affectionate, calm disposition, quickly make contact with the owner, and are easy to train.

Characteristic of the breed:

• high set oval head;
• from the forehead to the muzzle there is a pronounced fracture;
• the nose is black or brown, the nostrils are wide;
• darted a little saggy;
• eyes are very expressive;
• low-hanging drooping ears are adjacent to the cheekbones;
• scissor bite;
• high neck;
• the back is straight, shortened;
• the shape of the tail is like a feather;
• paws have roundness;
• developed thigh muscles;
• straight parallel set limbs.

The breed is a hunting one. Setter likes to explore wide spaces, even if there is no living creature in these territories. The breed is very energetic and hardy. Can gallop, which from the side looks very impressive. It is excellent at hunting in various places.

Setters take a very interesting stance at the sight of game. The dog slows down and leads the game, moving on bent legs, barely touching the ground with his chest. Hunters call this feline maneuver. Watching the setter hunt is amazing.

Characteristic habits

In the old days, setters were widely used in hunting wild birds. They can be great helpers for a person. Modern hunters and now do not neglect this breed, going hunting with a pet. Thanks to highly developed hearing, the dog is able to hear the game at a great distance. And should she notice the object of the hunt, wild instincts prevail. In this situation, the setter ceases to pay attention to the owner’s commands and slowly crawls through the terrain until the opportunity to attack the prey appears.

Individuals who do not have the opportunity to go on a hunt live a slightly different life. But they prove to be wonderful companions, very friendly to young children, and love their masters with all their hearts.

The English Setter should not be acquired if:

1. The owner cannot walk the dog daily.
2. The area of ​​the apartment is small and it is difficult to move around the rooms.
3. The dog is forced to spend many hours alone in connection with the employment of the owners. This breed needs constant communication.

English Setter Care Basics

These dogs do not require complicated care.

First of all, provide them with the necessary physical activity. Walk this dog at least 1 time per day. On a walk, the setter should run up to a state of mild fatigue. Walking time should be at least 1 hour. Small puppies should be taken outside for less time. A 10-minute walk will suffice.

Caring for the hair and skin of the English Setter is quite simple. It is advisable to purchase a massage glove and clean it with an animal coat daily. After removing excess hair, the procedure can be completed by wiping with a damp towel. If such actions are carried out regularly, the dog will be in the necessary cleanliness. Do not abuse bathing, as they can harm the skin of the dog. The rubdown procedure is especially suitable for caring for puppies who do not like to bathe.

It is important to regularly brush the dog, trim the tangled hair. The fur under the ears, on the sternum and on the paws between the pads is also trimmed.

Fact! The quality of the English Setter coat depends more on the conditions of the environment than on seasonal molting. Climatic conditions can also negatively affect animal hair.

To give shine to the coat it is recommended to use lanolin. It will become indispensable if the setter lives in an arid climate. Before using this product, it is imperative to moisten the animal’s hair. Bathing is carried out only in case of contamination of the animal. The dog will benefit from swimming in ponds, as well as dousing with water in the summer.

At the end of the walks, the dog can be combed with a brush. Usually the dog is combed once every two weeks, first with a rare comb, then with a frequent comb. The tangles are removed with thinning scissors.

Checking the length of the claws and their trimming is also an important procedure. It is convenient to perform actions with scissors or a nail clipper.

It is very important to help your pet maintain ear hygiene. Ear diseases are common in pets starting at 2 months. Accumulations of sulfur and ticks can become sources of disease. If ear hygiene is not maintained, ear otitis media may develop. A sick dog begins to tilt its head in a sore direction and scratch it. This is caused by severe itching. If such symptoms are noticed, the setter must be shown to the veterinarian as soon as possible. A neglected disease can be cured much more difficult.

The owner should also monitor the condition of the teeth of the setter. It is important to remove tartar in time with a toothbrush or other special devices. It helps to cope with tartar by cracking bones and similar objects.

Setter eyes also require regular care. It is necessary to wash them with a cotton swab moistened with cold water. If the dog's eyes are watery, you need to inspect by lifting her eyelids. If foreign particles are found, rinse eyes thoroughly with water.

If the animal is planned to be used in exhibitions, it is necessary to acquire additional items: a stripping comb, a clipper, a knife, and a spray with lanolin. Shortly before the show, the dog is bathed with neutral shampoo, rubbed with balm and rinsed. Drying is done by wiping the mitten in the direction of hair growth. Dry hair is treated with lanolin along the spine.

To maintain the health of the dog, it is imperative to regularly carry out prophylaxis against fleas, ticks and worms. This primarily concerns working dogs.

Feeding

A great advantage of the breed is that they are able to independently limit the amount of food consumed. Therefore, these dogs are not overweight.

You need to put food in a bowl and give the pet food. When the dog is full, it will stop eating itself. When the dog is full, the leftovers should be removed. If she ate everything and asks for supplements, her desire should be satisfied. It is important to understand that each dog has individual characteristics. And if one requires a small amount of food for proper development, then the other may require more food.

Nutrition, first of all, must be balanced, include the necessary vitamins and minerals. This is especially true for the growth period. With malnutrition, puppy growth can slow down and it will not reach the right size. Allegations of undesirable mixing of dry and wet foods, as well as dry and natural foods, are not always true.

Note! The setter is forbidden to include any sweet and salty foods, flour products, starch, potatoes in the diet. All of the above can trigger the development of diabetes, and even the death of the animal.

It is very useful to include vegetables and fruits, low-fat beef, sea and ocean fish in the diet (it is better if it is fillet). Replacing meat with fish is allowed two to three times a week.

Feeding puppies, starting from 2 months, should be 3 times a day. Once a day, you must give your baby milk and dairy products. For example, in the morning you can give dairy products. It is useful to mix low-fat cottage cheese with low fat kefir (yogurt).

Training

English setters are distinguished by intelligence and abilities. From training, they and their owner enjoy. Setter puppies are allowed to train from a young age. The earlier the better.This will make it easier for them to execute commands. Wearing a light collar on a puppy is recommended from 4 months. After this, you can begin a gradual accustomed to walking. At first, the puppy will try to break free or even refuse to go, but if you do not resort to rudeness, the baby will quickly calm down and adapt. The first such exercises are best done in a quiet place, then you can gradually accustom your puppy to noise and strangers.

It is better to start aporting with soft balls and cylindrical objects. You need to let the puppy sniff the item and then throw it a short distance in front of you. It is possible that the puppy of the English Setter will not immediately understand what is required of him. In this case, do not scold the pet. It would be better to repeat the exercise a few more times, without making the puppy high demands.

A dog is usually easy to learn commands, but if it is further encouraged by caresses and goodies, it will try harder to do everything correctly. If an adult animal does not obey, despite the great love for it, it will be necessary to apply punishment. But in no case should you use physical force. The animal will understand when it is punished in a rude voice. In the worst case, you can lightly hit it with a thin branch, in order to fulfill the necessary command.

The English setter assimilates teams often much faster than other breeds. This dog has such a look that it seems as if she understands every word. Very often, an animal can remember orders the first time. Training these dogs is usually straightforward and is quick and easy.

Dog relationship with children

Children can walk the animal on their own. There is no risk that the dog will break loose and run away. A muzzle when walking is also optional. Setter is very good-natured and will not rush to passers-by. He simply will not pay attention to them.

The English setter cheerfully greets guests by displaying various signs of his predisposition. He wags his tail and in every way shows his joy.

Setters get along well with other pets. Cats in the apartment with a dog are not in danger.

English Setter Tips

It is desirable to have a puppy at the age of two months. In this age period, he will quickly get used to his new family. It is noteworthy that the nature of bitches is more flexible, but they are less suitable for hunting, since they heat in about 2 weeks a year. During this period, the dog can not be used as a hunting one. Males are more hardy and are in shape year-round. But their temperament is somewhat excitable, and their sense of discipline is less developed.

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