Red Setter query

TigerTim

Query for all you Red Setter owners. The girl sitting next to me at work is thinking of getting a Red Setter pup. She had a Golden Retriever previously but it was put to sleep around Christmas. I've always admired these dogs but know nothing about them. What's their temperament like, are they OK with kids. She has 2 daughters, age 6 & 4. Would their exercise requirement be similar to the retriever?. She has a secure largish garden. Any other help or tips appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Tim

ahaaha

Tim

My uncle had a farm next to me growing up and he always had red setters - i remember them to be the sweetest dogs ever. like labs (from my experience) they are energetic to say the least for the first few years! they are working dogs and do require a good bit of exercise and mental stimulation.

anniehoo

Red setters are an absolutley gorgeous breed, very gentle and good natured. They do require a good bit of exercise (they love to run) though. I couldnt recommend them enough

Whispered

I've only ever met one and he was the most agressive dog I have ever met, he went for the dog I was walking, I tried to block him, he went for me, then his silly owner came over to grab him and he turned on the owner, it was a complete frenzy.

However, anybody I know who has met them or know people with them say pretty much the same as the above posts. Sweet, loving, loads of fun.

Actually based on that I should really campaign to have them put on the restricted breeds list

Lobelia Overhill

We had a red setter cross something years ago - she looked like a red setter, but was too pale. She was a nutcase Someone said "they have a three second memory, if you let one off the lead it'll forget who you are!" which was true, she'd gallop off into the distance with me running behind!

Sigma Force

Your friends previous dog was probably older when the kids were born so would of calmed down a bit and not been at the crazy puppy stage so she might of found that dog a lot easier than say a new puppy with young children.

If she gets a red setter puppy she will be in for a lot of work, they are a gorgeous dog and of course if brought up and trained correctly and socialised etc. they are an excellent dog. However they have A LOT of energy and she would have to be prepared to keep the dog busy. They are a working breed at the end of the day so like to have a job to do usually involved pointing (correct me if I'm wrong) and are used in hunting but only things like pointing not going in to kill an animal. They aren't an aggressive breed but some can be a bit loopy esp. if bored.

We had one as kids many moons ago and we had a 6 foot wall plus 2 foot of wire on top and she still scaled it. She was a gentle dog though but loopy.
They can and will scale high fences and are very good at escaping from gardens so that needs to be considered or at least any setters I have known are.
Temprement wise, as said, they are a sweet breed big oul eejits really and love their owners. Our neighbours have one and he will of course bark if anyones coming (all the dogs round here do though they set each other off) but he's a big oul softy but an excellent escape artist when he feels like it.
They tend to mellow with age but they do love nothing more than a good long walk or a walk in the fields. There's nothing nicer than seeing a red setter run, stunning dogs when running.

If I had the energy I'd get one but too lazy.

sickpuppy

Red setters are very gentle dogs and great with kids my parents have had one sometimes more in the house for over 40 years and never an incident of vicousness from any of the dogs we always had bitches.

AS regards exercise they are gun dogs which means they smell the air for a scent of say a pheasant and try and point it out to there owner they do this while running nose to the ground.
When i used shoot the dog could be running non stop for 4 or 5 hours no problem over rough boggy ground there energy is massive.

A simple walk would not be enough to tire them out.
If i lived in a city and did not have the space like i do in the country i would not get a setter not fair on the dog there never happier then when there hunting.
Like humans they all have different personalitys some of our dogs were happy to stay in the backgarden others were always leaping over the wall and have a walk round the neighbourhood.
They are attention whores and love company too so one would need a lot of time.
As puppys they will prob chew and dig the garden up but at least you could train them young.

TigerTim

Many thanks for all the detailed replies. As you mentioned, Guineapigrescue, the retriever was an older dog so a puppy will be different. I've passed on all the replies.

Many Thanks,

Tim

anniehoo

Lobelia Overhil wrote: »

Someone said "they have a three second memory,

Prob me hehe...god love them they must of been last in the queue for brains when god was givin them out, they wouldnt be the brightest breed goin!

Would still recommend one though

guinnessfan

Hey There,

I now have my second red setter. They are great dogs, not aggressive but very, very demanding! They are excellent company and have a character all of their own...witty in ways. They are mostly good humoured but will fall out/sulk with you if you ignore them - honestly(this can be funny though!).

Be prepared, they are very destructive- they eat everything for the first year. Ours ate furniture, clothes, shoes, branches...just about everything in sight. Even up until three years old, they still take the odd notion to munch furniture...no matter how well trained they are! My one still robs socks of the clothes airer. They are also possesive..in a good way!

Once they get over this stage they become the most affectionate pet and are very loyal. They do require a lot of excercise - preferably somewhere they can run without restriction (we walk ours in the Phoenix). For the size of the dog they make excellent house pets because they love their comfort!

Luckily we never had any health issues with them...they seem to be a healthy breed which is surprising considering the amount of things they eat as a pup

TigerTim

Many thanks, Guinnessfan.