English Setters
 

Has anyone owned an English Setter?? How was it?? I realize all dogs are different but I am looking for a family dog first as well as a good dog for bird hunting. I have springers right now and I am tickled to death w/them but I need a pointer to go w/my flushers

RE: English Setters
 

i would love to have an english setter as well.. i think they r really cool looking dogs.. but i have never actually been around one.. so im not sure how they are as family pets..

RE: English Setters
 

English Setters aren't just good housepets "for bird dogs", they are among the finest family dogs of any breed.

I've owned many and they've all been terrific...let the baby drag 'em around by the ears, lay on your lap sort of dogs.

And you would be hard-pressed to find a better, classier hunting dog than a well-bred English Setter.

Here's one of my males:





Here's one of my females:




And one oftheir pups:

RE: English Setters
 

ohhh...I just bought one this year, she is four months old and she has the most charater of any dog I have ever owned. A real sense of humor, very different from my labs (of which I own five) I can't wait to hunt with her next season.

RE: English Setters
 

Setters can be very active high strung dogs or very calm. It depends upon the breeding. But most have a personality.

Are you going to run both springers and setters together? I would be hesitant to do so as flushers can make a pointer learn bad habits that are hard to break. Specifically, steadying point. If the setter goes on point, a flush will hijack the point. The setter will see this as competition until it will think to bump birds is okay.

Seattlesetters,
I was wondering about if you had a litter perhaps a year or two ago. The last pup in the litter went to a non-hunting family because no one wanted it. I recent saw the dog at the dog park and talked with owners. That dog can run. Very stylish point. They said the dog was the best hunter out of the litter and I don't doubt them.

RE: English Setters
 

Mite - I'm not sure if that was one of our pups...very few go to non-hunters.

But I am curious as to why a non-hunting family would describe their pup as "the best hunter out of the litter." Seems a bit strange to me.

RE: English Setters
 

The breeder said the pup was the best hunter out of the bunch and noone wanted it so it went to a non-hunting family. Its a shame. While watching thedog run in Marymoore dog park, she was running from fence line to fence line stopping every so often to catch scent. No other dog could catch her.She would have made a good field trail dog. I would have loved to see the dog professionally evalutated and let loose in open country.

Also, I don't know if this concerns you but Keith Hickem often visits http://forums.delphiforums.com/ourllewellins. He's all setup in Texas.

RE: English Setters
 

My pup is from the "Tekoa Mountain Sunrise" line as well. She is gorgeous and the birdest dog I have ever had the pleasure of owning. Seattle, when the time comes I would like to talk with you about breeding. I am trainer and labradorbreeder but I am so smitten with this little dog I can see myself becoming a convert to setters. I don't know much about their lines and would love some coaching in this area. Are you running your dogs in field trials? if so where?

RE: English Setters
 

i was close to getting a pup, english setter from LYNNHILL setters here in pa..

i am stuck on my labs..if i get chance to hunt under a pointing lab, that may be my next one instead of english setter..

i cant handle 2 dogs at same time and dont want to be tied down..mine is almost 4 now, when he gets 9 years old, i amd getting pup for grouse/pheasants..

pointing lab/setter,time will tell which one but the PL has me looking..

RE: English Setters
 

Teoka Mtn Sunrise is 11x grand national champion. The kennel where Teoka came from still exist in Oregon.

RE: English Setters
 

do you know where in Oregon Mite? or the name of the kennel?

RE: English Setters
 

Jack was bred at Tekoa Mountain Kennels in Boring, OR. However, he was cast off as a washout at a young age and was eventually campaigned, championed and bred by Robertson Kennels in Payette, ID.

The Robertsons are the only folks who have any straws from Sunrise.

RE: English Setters
 

I do trial a few of my dogs. They have run on the prairies of ND, SD and MT, the sage hills of the PNW in WA, OR and ID, the brush country of TX and OK and the steamy flatsof LA,MS and AL.

I now have a couple of prospects that are going to giving the grouse woods of MI and VT a try...

One thing I do know quite a bit about is setter lines and breeding. I'd be happy to talk...just let me know!

-Mark

RE: English Setters
 

That would be great! I feel like a newbie again with setters, I know labs like no bodies business but not so much on setters.
I do know I just love this little girl I picked up in October, birdest dog I think I have ever seen and no problems with the heavy cover at all I have never seen a pup throw itself into wild rose patches with such ferver.
So you are in Seattle?

RE: English Setters
 

So when you breed what are you looking for?
Most people breed acording to paperwork and i think that is wrong.
Brains and ability should be what you concentrate on.
And as Always what do you want
an All-Age Dog
Shooting Dog
or Hunting compainion/ Family pet

RE: English Setters
 

Wrong
Teoka Mt. Sunrise is a 11X Ch. and Never won A Nationl Champion Title

RE: English Setters
 

True. The last setter to win the National was Johnny Crockett back in the mid-70s.

By all expert accounts, Sunrise should have won one of the times he ran, but he had a bit too much hair for the judges taste. ;)

RE: English Setters
 

Don't know who this was directed at but I like a great nose, awesome bird sense, superb natural ability (if a pup won't point and hold for the flush the third or fourth time they find wild birds...they are culled), tough feet, huge stamina, biddability, Shooting Dog range and and excelent, family-dog disposition.

If a dog shows all these traits and is nice-looking, classy, stylish on point and fast on the ground, it might make it to the evaluation stage for breeding.

RE: English Setters
 

They are awesome dogs!!!! I have one and use him on pheasants with awesome success. You cannot find a friendlier family dog either. My dog is not aggressive at all and gets along with everything. They have awesome hunting skills and great temperament.

RE: English Setters
 

By the way, mine retrieves naturally, which is rare. He's my best friend.

RE: English Setters
 

All the ones I have seen retrieves so I am not sure how rare this is.

We all could argue this one as retaining to different breeds but, I won't go there.

RE: English Setters
 

my neighbor had 2 irish setters,dark red in 1971..they did not hunt them..both were great hunting birds around highschool..what a nose..

both died at 1 year old,both had their mouths lock open and would not shut..a terrible thing to see happen to dog..

RE: English Setters
 

I'm sure the ones you hunt with were force trained to retrieve. I know as a fact that most won't retrieve naturally. Mine picks the birds up and brings them to me and I haven't trained him in the least.

I'm sure everyone does have opinions on the best family dog but I think of the Setter as the most docile. I haven't ever seen one get mad or aggressive towards anything but birds.

Just my opinions and beliefs. Good hunting. I'm off to shoot some pheasants.

RE: English Setters
 

No, not at all, I do not even know how to force train a dog!! I would no way force my setters at all. They came with champion Irish imports in their blood and nothing like what most have ever seen hunting here!

Same here my friend! This is not the best way to carry one but still bringing it in for me. As you can tell he appears to be quite happy and coming fast with this pheasant.





Sproulman, I am sure that wouldhave been a terrible thing to have happen. My female is four and my male will be three day after Christmas so I do not think this will happen to me. Good luck and good hunting.

RE: English Setters
 

A Bird Dog is A Bird Dog and A Dog is a Dog
What you do with them makes the difference

RE: English Setters
 

Those look just my dog!!!! I'd love to get another!!

RE: English Setters
 

Be careful if you get anEnglish Setter...they will break your heart when they leave you. I have had two (Jill and Susie), both were wonderful dogs, not just from a hunting standpoint, but they were like members of the family. I just lost Susie on 11/30. Found out she had cancer on Monday of that week, confirmed on Tues, had surgery at a specialist on Thursday and passed away Thursday night. I cried like a baby. I was devastated. She looked like the post two above this one, the dog with the orange patch on her right eye. Beautiful dog, wonderful personality, loved to hunt. Both were from NSTRA stock, bothranged out but kept close enough most of the time. Always glad to see you, always wagging their tails,brightened your day every time you went in the back yard. If you like to bird hunt, and you want a dog that will love you more than you love her, that has no equal in sporting dogs on looks or class (sorry other dog owners) and that will be one of your best hunting buddies and like apart of the family, get an English Setter. But treasure each day you have her, because no matter how long you get, it won't be long enough.

RE: English Setters
 

I have one and it is the best dog we've owned. He's a purebred from a shelter and was VERY timid when we first got him. I was planning on using him for hunting and so I had to get him socialized. He was gunshy at first but got over it eventually after slowly coaxing him into it.After about a year he learned who his BEST friend is--me:D. He lives and breathes for me and hunting. Everything he does is meant to please. He is a great hunter now and points beautifully, finding a good hundred birds a year. I trained him very little. He had basic obedience training and was trained to stay close when hunting. He can have a bit of a mind of his own. He will sometimes forget about you when hunting but is normally quite suitable.

He gets along great with my family and has never showed aggression towards anything if not called for(dogs picking on him). He NEVER picks fights. He wouldn't hurt a baby as was proven when my niece came over to visit for the week. He treated her gently and loved her as he does anyone.

I know everyone says this but you won't find a gentler dog or better hunter. I personally haven't. They have a great temperament and natural hunting instinct. As I said, mine was never trained but will hold a point. Once you go up to him, he will run and flush the bird. It is quite amazing.

Well, you know my favorite breed:)

RE: English Setters
 

My brother raises English Setters. They hunt with my Wirehairs even in ice for waterfowl. Great little hunters (don't tell him I said this) and really personable dogs. I like my Wires and will stick with them. I like a good working dog period and am willing to hunt with those perty Setters.:D He has a litter now that are a couple weeks old. Not sure if he has any left tho. They seem to go pretty fast.
Good Luck
WYOWIRES

www.bighornkennels.com

RE: English Setters
 

OOPS guys. I just realizedI posted numerous times on this topic. My bad.