Irish Setter Puppies for Sale

overview of the Irish Setter Dog Breed

Are you looking for a gorgeous, joyful, and intelligent companion?

Check out our Irish Setter puppies for sale below!

Irish Setters check all the boxes: intelligent, friendly, energetic, athletic, muscular, hardworking yet playful, and don’t forget – they are gorgeous, too!

Originally gundogs used to retrieve game, Irish Setters also make joyful, affectionate companions. If you live an active lifestyle, the Irish Setter could be the perfect companion for you!

Adopt your Irish Setter puppy today and welcome your new best friend to your home!

You can go to our “all breeds” page to browse our other puppies for sale.

Irish Setter temperament

Gundog: The Irish Setter is a bird dog through and through! This means they have a great sense of smell, high endurance and are intelligent and independent thinkers. This means that while they learn quickly, occasionally, they can be stubborn.

Outgoing: Irish Setters love people. They are high-spirited, happy, and enthusiastic. New people will be welcomed with a joyful, wagging tail and an exuberant bark.

Beautiful and Graceful: Is the Irish Setter the most beautiful dog breed? Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! However, the Irish Setter is known for its stunning, glossy red coat, spaniel-like ears, and strong yet elegant build. They have a graceful gait and do well in the show ring.

Playful: An Irish Setter matures slowly and never completely grows out of its playful puppy spirit. They will always be up for a game of tug of war or any other silly games you come up with.

Intelligent: Irish Setters are intelligent dogs that can learn quickly. However, they may also have an independent streak, so training should be consistent, positive, and engaging.

Alert and Watchful: While they are generally friendly, Irish Setters can also exhibit a watchful side. They may bark to alert their owners to strangers or unusual sounds, although they are not typically guard dogs.

Active: The Irish Setter is an enthusiastic and energetic breed! Irish Setters need plenty of exercise – at least an hour a day. Like any active breed, they will become frustrated and destructive without an outlet for their energy. In addition to fieldwork, Irish Setters excel at dog sports, obedience, rally, agility, and therapy work.

It’s important to note that individual Irish Setters can vary in temperament based on genetics, socialization, and upbringing. Providing proper training, socialization, and consistent exercise is crucial to ensuring that your Irish Setter grows up to be a well-behaved and happy companion.

Irish Setter Breed history

The Irish Setter was once a hunting dog in Ireland. Before the invention of firearms, hunters worked with dogs, falcons, and nets to capture game birds.

The Irish Setter would “set” down on their belly when they smelled birds.
Later, when guns were used in hunting, Irish Setters would flush the game and retrieve it.

The Irish Setter dates back to the 1800s, and it is believed to be a combination of English Setters, spaniels, pointers, and Gordon Setters.

In 1875, an Irish Setter named Elcho came to the United States and was popular in the show ring and the field. The Irish Setter became a popular dog in America and was registered with the AKC in 1878.

The Irish Setter’s popularity was at an all-time high in the 1960s and 70s, partially due to a Disney movie called Big Red, which stars an Irish Setter.
President Richard Nixon owned an Irish Setter named King Timahoe in the 1970s.

Today, the Irish Setter ranks number 77 out of all breeds registered with AKC.

A few breeds with similar traits as Irish Setters include Vizslas, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers.

Irish Setter Average size

Male Irish Setters measure 27 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 70 pounds.

Females measure 25 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 60 pounds.

Average Irish Setter lifespan

Irish Setters usually live for 12-15 years.

Irish Setter body features

The Irish Setter’s most outstanding physical feature is its gorgeous coat! Irish Setters have straight, medium-length coats with feathering on their ears, legs, and belly.

Irish Setters can be red, chestnut, or mahogany. Sometimes they have a small white spot on their chest.

They have an elegant, lean build with long, hanging ears like a spaniel.

grooming Your Irish Setter Puppy

Your Irish Setter’s medium-length coat will need a thorough brushing about twice a week to remove loose hair and stay matt and tangle-free.

Irish Setters shed moderately most of the year and heavier twice a year during seasonal shedding. They will need to be brushed more often during heavy shedding seasons.

You’ll also want to bathe them every two to four weeks.

Because of the Irish Setter’s long, hanging ears, you’ll need to wipe the ears out with a damp cloth on a regular basis. Keep an eye out for redness, swelling, or itching that may indicate an ear infection.

Your Irish Setter will also need its nails trimmed and teeth brushed regularly.

Keeping Your Irish Setter Puppy Healthy

Irish Setters are generally healthy dogs, but it’s essential for owners to be aware of conditions that may affect their dog.

Bloat in Irish Setters
Bloat, also called gastric dilatation-volvulus or gastric torsion, can affect any large breed dog and is a life-threatening condition.
Bloat is when the stomach becomes twisted, and the gases in the stomach are unable to escape. The pressure from these gases affects the blood flow to the heart, and it can be fatal.

To prevent bloat:

1. Avoid feeding your dog right before or after heavy exercise.
2. Feed them a few smaller meals a day instead of one large meal to prevent bloat.
3. Learn to recognize the symptoms of bloat so you can take action immediately.

Some owners choose to have surgery done to tack their dog’s stomach in place and prevent it from twisting.

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
Like all dog breeds, they are at risk for hip and elbow dysplasia, two of the most common health issues in dogs.
Hip and elbow dysplasia occurs when the thigh bone doesn’t fit snugly into the hip and can result in limping, lameness, or arthritis if it’s not addressed. Hip and elbow dysplasia can be genetic, or it can be caused by environmental factors such as overeating or injuries.

Here are some ways to prevent hip dysplasia in your puppy:

1. Ask the breeder for an OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Hip Clearance. Dogs with hip dysplasia shouldn’t be bred.
2. Talk to your vet about the right food for your puppy and stick to the correct amount to prevent unhealthy growth.
3. Keep your puppy from running or jumping excessively on hard surfaces and from standing on their hind legs.

Protect Your Irish Setter from Obesity
You can protect your dog from one of the most common health problems: obesity. One of the best ways to extend your dog’s life is by feeding them the correct amount of food and giving them adequate exercise.

Typical Irish Setter Allergens

 First of all, what causes allergies? 

Allergens are caused by dander, which is dead skin cells. Both animals and humans shed these dead skin cells. Dander is attached to the fur that dogs shed. 

Irish Setters are moderate shedders and are not considered an allergen-friendly breed. Regular brushing and bathing can help to keep allergens lower. 

If you or someone in your home has animal allergy concerns, please consult your health provider before adopting a puppy. 

• 1. What are the two types of Irish Setters?
  There are two types of Irish Setters: one bred for the field and one for the show ring. Field dogs are a little larger and heavier than show dogs and make better hunting buddies, whereas show dogs are better refined for the show ring.
• 2. Are Irish Setters smart?
  Irish Setters are plenty smart! They are intelligent enough to learn everything you want to teach them if you can keep them focused long enough to learn. They tend to be easily distracted during training sessions.
• 3. Are Irish Setters easy to train?
  Packed with intelligence, these dogs can learn most things you want to teach them. However, they can have a stubborn streak and might be a little mischievous sometimes. Training may take considerable time and patience. Irish Setters can struggle to stay focused during training sessions. If you can keep them focused for long enough, they are smart enough to pick up lots of things quickly, but they tend to be a little distracted.
• 4. Do Irish Setters have a high prey drive, and are they dangerous to smaller pets?
  Irish Setters are friendly and generally do very well with children and other animals. However, remember that they are hunting dogs and may not be able to resist your canary if given the chance to “hunt” it. If they are properly trained and socialized, it is possible to keep an Irish Setter in the same house as smaller pets – but socialization and training are the keys!
• 5. Are Irish Setters mischievous?
  Irish Setters are known to have a healthy streak of mischief in their temperaments. They need obedience training to curb their tendencies toward mischievous and their occasionally stubborn natures.
• 6. How much exercise do Irish Setters need?
  With all their energy and drive, Irish Setters need plenty of exercise. They should have at least an hour of vigorous activity per day. They do not make ideal apartment dogs because of their high energy levels and thrive best on large properties where they can rip around and explore.
• 7. Are Irish Setters popular?
  Irish Setters are packed with good traits such as intelligence, liveliness, and stunning good looks. These are some of the reasons why they score as the 77th most popular dog breed registered with the AKC. However, they aren’t for everyone, and some may see their intelligence, activity, and larger size as too much dog. That may be part of the reason why they don’t score even higher.
• 8. Are Irish Setters good family dogs?
  Depending on what type of family dog you want, an Irish Setter could be an excellent pet for your family. An Irish Setter won’t be the type of family dog that wants to snuggle with you on the couch for hours, but would make an active and adventurous companion who would hike, camp, and go adventuring with you, as well as protect your property from small pests. An Irish Setter also makes a gorgeous addition to any property. Their stunning good looks can add grace and culture to your grounds. An Irish Setter may not be the best choice for families who want a gentle companion to live next to small kids. Their high energy and size may be overwhelming to some children.
• 9. Do Irish Setters get separation anxiety?
  Irish Setters can become intensely attached to people close to them and can become unhappy if separated from their special people. This unhappiness can result in destructive behavior.
• 10. What types of jobs do Irish Setters do today?
  With all their energy and enthusiasm, Irish Setters excel at obedience, rallying, tracking, and agility. They also love to hunt! In addition, they can make first-rate therapy dogs and can be found spreading their warmth, spice, and humor through hospitals and retirement homes the world around.