Discover the Irish Red and White Setter: A Comprehensive Guide

People usually look up the Irish Red and White Setter when they’re weighing up whether this is the right dog for their home — or when they’ve already met one and want to know what the breed is like day to day. Size, energy levels, grooming, and health risks matter here, because this is a lively gundog in a family-dog body.

Below is a clear, breed-standard grounded overview: what they look like, how they tend to behave, what they need to stay steady and well, and the health checks worth asking about before you commit.^{1, 2, 3}

Irish Red and White Setter at a glance

• Height (at withers): males 62–66 cm; females 57–61 cm¹
• Typical weight: often around 20–32 kg (varies by build and conditioning)⁴
• Coat: fine and silky with feathering; straight and flat, with a slight wave permitted^{1, 5}
• Colour: pearl white base with solid red patches; limited flecking can be acceptable on face/feet (standards vary on how much is desirable)^{1, 6}
• Temperament: generally friendly, biddable, energetic; bred primarily for field work¹
• Exercise needs: high; thrives on daily running, training and scent-based work³
• Typical lifespan: often cited around 11–15 years (individuals vary)⁷

What this breed was made to do

The Irish Red and White Setter is a pointing gundog developed to find game birds, then “set” — a low, still indication that game is present — so a hunter could approach and flush the bird. Breed standards still stress that the dog should be judged and understood from a working standpoint: athletic, efficient, and able to keep going across rough ground.^{1, 3}

Appearance and unique traits

At their best, these are strong, balanced dogs without heaviness — built for long, ground-covering movement rather than short bursts. The coat is finely textured with feathering on the ears, chest, legs and tail, designed to offer some protection in cover without being overly profuse.^{1, 5}

The colour pattern is the signature: a pearl-white base with clear, solid red patches. Many standards allow some flecking around the face and feet, while placing limits on roaning or heavier body mottling (exact wording varies by registry). If you’re choosing a puppy for showing, check the standard used by your kennel club.^{1, 6}

Temperament and behaviour

In the home, Irish Red and White Setters are usually social dogs: friendly with familiar people, keen to be involved, and quick to notice movement and scent in their environment. They tend to respond well to training when it’s consistent and reward-based — not harsh, not repetitive, and not dull.^{3, 8}

They’re also active, and that’s the part that catches some households off guard. A setter that doesn’t get enough daily movement and mental work may become noisy, restless, or creatively destructive — not out of spite, but because a working-bred body has nowhere to put its energy.³

Children and other animals

Many Irish Red and White Setters do well with children when the dog is well socialised and the kids are taught calm, sensible handling. As with any gundog breed, early exposure matters: different people, surfaces, noises, and gentle handling from puppyhood tends to produce a steadier adult.⁸

With other pets, especially small animals, remember what they were bred for. You can’t train away instinct, but you can shape it: careful introductions, supervised time, and solid recall and lead manners are the difference between “fine” and “unreliable”.³

Training and exercise needs

Training that suits a setter brain

Short sessions, clear rewards, and variety usually work best. Many do well in obedience, agility, tracking and field-style activities because the dog is finally allowed to use its nose and legs the way it was designed to.^{3, 8}

• Start early: gentle socialisation and basic cues before adolescence kicks in.⁸
• Use positive reinforcement: food, play and praise, with calm consistency.⁸
• Build a recall: practise in low-distraction places before asking for it around birds and scents.⁸

Daily exercise (what “high energy” looks like)

This is not a “potter around the block” dog. Most thrive with a mix of steady aerobic exercise and purposeful brain work — sniffing games, training drills, retrieving, or field-style searches. If you don’t provide an outlet, they’ll invent one.^{3, 8}

Health and care

Irish Red and White Setters are often described as generally healthy, but “healthy breed” doesn’t mean “no inherited disease”. The sensible approach is routine veterinary care plus targeted screening — especially if you’re buying a puppy or planning to breed.^{7, 9}

Commonly discussed health issues

• Hip dysplasia: seen across many medium-to-large active breeds; ask breeders about hip scoring and family history.⁷
• Ear problems (including infections): not inevitable, but drop ears plus moisture and debris can raise risk; routine checks help.⁸
• Breed-screened inherited conditions: CLAD (Canine Leucocyte Adhesion Deficiency) and von Willebrand disease (a bleeding disorder) are specifically monitored in the breed by some kennel clubs and breed communities; ask for DNA test results where available.⁹

Preventative care that pays off

• Regular vet checks and prompt attention to limping, stiffness, or reduced willingness to exercise.
• Keep ears clean and dry, especially after swimming or bathing.⁸
• Maintain a lean, fit body condition to reduce joint strain over the dog’s lifetime.

Grooming and coat care

The coat is usually straightforward compared with heavier-coated setters, but it still needs routine attention. Weekly brushing helps prevent tangles in the feathering and removes seeds and burrs after outdoor runs. Bathing is typically “as needed”, using a gentle dog shampoo, then drying the ears properly.⁸

Quick grooming routine

• Brush 1–3 times a week, focusing on ears, chest, backs of legs and tail feathering.⁸
• Trim wispy hair around feet if it collects debris (keep it neat, not sculpted).⁸
• Check ears after water, long grass, or dusty conditions.⁸

Diet and nutrition

Feed for the dog in front of you: age, activity level, and body condition matter more than any fixed “setter portion”. Choose a complete and balanced diet, measure meals, and adjust as the dog’s exercise load changes through the year (working season versus quieter months). If your dog has allergies or ongoing digestive issues, your vet can guide a trial diet with a clear plan and timeline.⁸

Final thoughts

The Irish Red and White Setter suits people who like movement in their days: early walks, muddy boots, a dog that notices every scent trail and would happily keep going if you let it. Meet their exercise needs, keep training gentle and consistent, and you’ll usually have a friendly, capable companion with a calm, watchful presence indoors and a bright, busy engine outside.^{1, 3}

References

1. Irish Red and White Setter Association of America (IRWSAA) – Breed Standard (AKC standard text)
2. United Kennel Club (UKC) – Irish Red and White Setter Breed Standard
3. Dogs Queensland – Irish Red and White Setter Breed Standard
4. IRWS (Irish Red and White Setter club site) – About the breed (height/weight overview)
5. United Kennel Club (UKC) – Coat and movement details within the breed standard
6. United Kennel Club (UKC) – Colour/markings notes within the breed standard
7. PetMD – Irish Red and White Setter (lifespan and health overview)
8. The Spruce Pets – Irish Red and White Setter: characteristics and care (exercise, grooming, training)
9. Wikipedia – Irish Red and White Setter (summary of monitored inherited conditions; follow cited primary links where possible)