The English Setter is the leading pointing dog breed in France according to LOF registrations in 2023 and 2024 (5,294 registrations in 2023, then 4,900 in 2024).

Its elegant, light, almost aristocratic appearance often obscures the true understanding of the breed.

It is a pointing dog, bred to cover ground, endure exertion, and remain intensely connected to its environment.

Quick Breed Profile

The English Setter is a British breed recognized by the FCI under standard No. 2, classified in Group 7, Section 2.2, which includes British and Irish Setters, with a working trial.

The standard describes it as a medium-sized dog, clean in outline, elegant in appearance and movement, very active, with an intensely friendly and good temperament. The official height is 65 to 68 cm at the shoulder for males and 61 to 65 cm for females. Weight is not standardized by the FCI standard. 

Origin and Standard

FCI standard No. 2 specifies that the English Setter originated in Great Britain and is used as a pointing dog.

Historically, the breed was developed for bird hunting, with a broad, supple, and sustained gallop, capable of covering a lot of ground while maintaining a keen sense of scent.

The standard emphasizes its elegance, but also its vigor, activity, and overall balance.

Daily Temperament

The English Setter is an intensely friendly, affectionate, and generally very gentle dog with its family. It is also a sensitive dog.

It responds well to positive, clear, and consistent training, and does not tolerate brutality, constant annoyance, or human inconsistency.

Its temperament is not that of a guard dog, nor that of a naturally "tough" dog.

Ideal Owner Profile

The English Setter suits an active, truly available owner, capable of understanding that an elegant hunting dog is not a "easy" dog by default.

It needs a daily routine with real outings, space, physical exertion, and ideally an element of scent work or canine sports.

It can live without hunting, but not without activity.

The ideal owner is not necessarily a hunter, but must enjoy moving, going out, organizing, and investing time in their dog's well-being.

Family Life and Coexistence

Well-socialized, the English Setter generally integrates well into family life.

Its friendly nature and gentle demeanor often make it a pleasant dog with children and easy to live with daily. It can also coexist well with other dogs.

With small animals, as with any pointing dog bred for reading terrain and game, the quality of socialization and environment matters greatly.

Its kindness should not make us forget its hunting genetics...

Physical and Mental Needs

The English Setter needs to run, sniff, explore, and work. A simple neighborhood walk is not enough to keep it balanced long-term.

This dog was bred for wide-ranging searches, hence for endurance, stride, and the ability to remain engaged in the field for a long time.

Outside of hunting, it can thrive in activities such as tracking, canicross, certain forms of agility or search, provided it is intelligently structured.

What it tolerates poorly is boredom, chronic frustration, and under-employment. 

Growth

As with other medium to large dogs, the growth of the English Setter must be managed with common sense. No unnecessary overload, no absurd mechanical repetitions, no intense, poorly calibrated sport too early.

The goal is not to "manufacture" an adult quickly, but to allow a well-coordinated dog to develop, with proper footing and osteo-articular protection.

Health

Congenital Sensorineural Deafness

This is the most well-documented hereditary pathology in the breed. Congenital sensorineural deafness is linked to the piebald pigmentation pattern: the absence of melanocytes in the stria vascularis of the cochlea leads to degeneration of hair cells and can cause unilateral or bilateral deafness. A study by Strain published in 2004 classified the English Setter among piebald breeds at risk. A more recent British study, covering 447 English Setter puppies tested between 2000 and 2018, found a prevalence of 4.5% bilateral deafness and showed an increased risk in puppies with two parents of unknown hearing status.

BAER screening therefore remains a true criterion of seriousness in breeding, ideally performed early in the puppy. A bilaterally deaf dog has no place in a breeding program.

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia

The English Setter is not the breed most stereotypically associated with dysplasias, but they are among the health assessments to consider for breeding dogs. This is not a subject to be dismissed on the pretext that the breed is lighter than some large, heavy dogs. For an active and enduring dog, joint quality remains a fundamental point.

Hypothyroidism

The English Setter is among the breeds with a documented predisposition to autoimmune thyroid abnormalities.

The study by Nachreiner et al., published in 2002, on nearly 288,000 samples, classifies the English Setter among breeds with a high prevalence of anti-thyroid hormone autoantibodies. Another study, published in 2015 on the genetics and epidemiology of hypothyroidism in Gordon Setters and English Setters, confirms the existence of the disease in the breed with an immunogenetic component. 

What this practically changes / prevention

Practically, choosing an English Setter well means asking for more than just a "pretty dog with nice fringes."

You need to verify the actual activity level of the breeding dogs, their temperament balance, available screenings, and the existence or not of BAER tests for puppies when the breeder seriously addresses the issue of deafness.

You also have to accept from the outset that this breed requires time, space, and true life consistency. The English Setter is not meant to just look pretty in a garden.

Grooming

The English Setter does not require extreme grooming, but its coat demands regularity.

The fringes, ears, back of the legs, and tail require minimal upkeep to prevent knots, dirt, matting, and discomfort.

You must also monitor the dropped ears and the general condition of the coat after outings in tall grass, brambles, or wet terrain. Grooming is not technically complicated, but it is not optional.

Actual Cost

The real cost of an English Setter is not limited to the purchase price.

It must include food, veterinary care, routine grooming expenses, equipment, travel, and especially the cost in time. This is a breed whose true price is measured greatly by the owner's availability.

An "under-exercised" or "under-occupied" English Setter often costs more in behavioral problems than in kibble.

Legal Framework if Applicable

The English Setter does not fall into any category of so-called dangerous dogs under French law. It remains subject to common obligations: identification, compliant transfer, vaccination according to context, and owner responsibility. There are no specific legal particularities of the breed to report here.

Choosing a Breeder

A good English Setter breeder should be able to speak frankly about terrain, temperament, exercise needs, and health. A serious buyer should at least request clear information on the lineage, character, management of congenital deafness in the kennel, and relevant joint assessments when performed. A breeder who only sells aesthetics or a "nice dog for the home" without discussing activity, hunting drive, and sensitivity should be evaluated carefully.

Who it suits / doesn't suit

The English Setter is right for you if you love field dogs, you are active, you can offer real outings, you accept a sensitive dog, and you enjoy building a fine relationship.

The English Setter is not for you if you want an elegant but low-maintenance dog, if you live a very sedentary lifestyle, if you are looking for a naturally independent and undemanding dog, or if you completely underestimate the physical and mental demands of a wide-ranging pointing dog.

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 Sources

1. Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI). FCI Standard n°2 – English Setter. Official standard in force dated 28.07.2009. Reference source for origin, classification, morphology, character and sizes.
2. Société Centrale Canine. LOF Statistics 2023. English Setter: 5,294 registrations in 2023.
3. Société Centrale Canine. LOF Statistics 2024. English Setter: 4,900 registrations in 2024.
4. Strain GM. Deafness prevalence and pigmentation and gender associations in dog breeds at risk. Veterinary Journal. 2004. PMID: 14623147.
5. Marsh OJR et al. Congenital sensorineural deafness in English setters in the United Kingdom: prevalence and association with phenotype and sex. Veterinary Record. 2020. PMID: 31662574.
6. Nachreiner RF, Refsal KR, Graham PA, Bowman MM. Prevalence of serum thyroid hormone autoantibodies in dogs with clinical signs of hypothyroidism. JAVMA. 2002. PMID: 11860240.
7. Ziener ML et al. Genetics and epidemiology of hypothyroidism and symmetrical onychomadesis in the Gordon setter and the English setter. 2015. PMID: 26401340.