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Meet the breedRed feathers and restless feetCharacter, size, and what surprises new owners
The Irish Setter's red, feathered coat looks dressed for a portrait. The dog beneath it was made for field work and often keeps a youthful, energetic outlook into adulthood.
Adults commonly weigh 60–70 lb; a typical lifespan guide is 12–15 years. These are breed-wide guides, never targets or forecasts for an individual pet.
Daily life & exerciseA day with an Irish SetterExercise, play, and a practical daily rhythm
Your Irish Setter may need an active day. Walks are a start; training games, play, and time outdoors add work for both body and brain. Build a puppy's activity gradually and ask your veterinarian about the right pace.
For the Irish Setter, hide a toy or treat for a short scent search. Let the nose work without turning every walk into a race.
What would your Irish Setter love?
Add their age, size, and favorite things. We’ll find a few good places to start.
Training & temperamentLearning together with an Irish SetterGood manners and individual personality
The Irish Setter is often active, sweet-natured, and outgoing.
Give your Irish Setter a suitable search, fetch, or chase game when they enjoy it, and practice stopping and returning before excitement runs away with the lesson.
Coat & groomingThe Irish Setter coatGrooming and everyday care
The Irish Setter's short coat is simpler to brush, but a grooming session is still a useful chance to check the skin and paws. Check the coat regularly and adjust the brushing schedule to its actual texture. Check ears as part of the routine.
Bringing home an Irish Setter puppy?
Plan their first days with a little help from our puppy welcome kit.
Build a puppy welcome kitProduct starting pointsGood finds for your Irish SetterFood, play, care, and rest
Choose food for your Irish Setter's life stage and measured weight. The breed range is a clue, but the portion and fit should follow the individual. Use your dog's measurements for a harness, carrier, crate, or bed; a breed name is not a size chart.
For your Irish Setter, start with something suited to scent games, plus a brush chosen for the actual coat. Add a comfortable rest spot; a good product list should follow this dog's interests, not a breed stereotype.
Health & lifespanCaring for an Irish Setter over time12–15 years is a guide, not a forecast
The Irish Setter has a lifespan guide of 12–15 years, though no range predicts one dog's future. Keep a record of weight and changes in appetite or activity, and plan preventive care with your veterinarian.
If you are meeting a breeder, ask to see the parents' screening records. The AKC lists hip evaluations, thyroid evaluations, and progressive retinal atrophy DNA testing for the Irish Setter. These checks are questions for breeding stock, not a prediction of a puppy's future health.