The rollicking Irish Red and White Setter is an athletic medium-sized bird dog bred primarily for hunting. Fun-loving, friendly, and high-spirited, Irish Red and Whites are a bit shorter and stockier than their cousin the Irish Setter.
The Irish Red and White Setter should be fed a high-quality dog foodappropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.
Grooming the Irish Red and White Setter is a fairly simple job. It is important that the breed look as natural as possible, although scissors or clippers might be used to tidy up the rough edges just for the sake of neatness. An all-over grooming once a week with a soft brush and a slicker or comb to eliminate any tangles will keep the dog looking his best. The ears should be checked weekly for any excess wax and debris. A bath every month or so is usually sufficient. Nails should be trimmed every few weeks, as needed.
Irish Red and White Setters are generally healthy dogs, although there are some issues the breed can be prone to. Some that present themselves occasionally include posterior polar cataracts (cataracts that form in the back of the eye), hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, von Willebrand’s disease (a blood clotting issue), hypothyroidism, and immune disorders. The breed’s gene pool is not large, so genetic testing is especially important. Responsible breeders will screen their stock for conditions that can affect the breed.
Recommended Health Test from the National Breed Club:
Read the Official Breed Club Health Statement.
Before there was the all-red Irish Setter we know and love, there was the Red and White—a fixture of Ireland’s hills and bogs since at least the 1600s. In those days setters would sneak up on game birds by crawling on their bellies, then freeze in a “setting” position and indicate with their tail until a hunter threw a net over the birds. Nets eventually gave way to firearms, and the best setter lines adapted their crouching style of hunting to the new technology.