Irish Setters were all the rage in the 70s in part due to President Nixon’s dog, King Timahoe, who posed in a photo for the White House Christmas card during Nixon’s presidency. But as quickly as the Irish Setter gained fame, they also experienced a steep decline in popularity due to their reputation of being untrainable, goofy, and somewhat mischievous dogs. These traits eventually led to a decrease in the availability of puppies and breeders of the Irish Setter.
Despite the scarcity of the Irish Setter, you can still find dedicated breeders and enthusiasts such as Russ Gibson, owner, breeder, and trainer of Onara Irish Setters, who work to preserve and promote the breed and participate in the Irish Setter Club of America’s activities, shows, and educational conferences.
During a recent interview, Gibson told me about walking his dogs. “I walk three at the same time on one lead, and the comments I get from neighbors and people stopping as they drive by are all about how well trained they are. Once, a woman told me her daughter had an Irish Setter and it was the stupidest animal ever because it grabbed a roast off the kitchen counter. I responded that I wasn’t sure it was the dog that was the stupid one.”
Needless to say, the breed’s needs and energy levels don’t always align with their potential owner’s lifestyle.
Russell Anderson of West Valley City took his Irish Setter, Chance, to the fields several times a week after work. “There wasn’t a remote possibility of running him long enough myself. I drove the car and he ran alongside on the berm until he was tired and then got back in the car.” Other owners, like Gloria McElroy, enjoy taking their dogs hiking in the mountains to run off some of their energy.
McElroy, owner of two Irish Setters, Louie and Joey, stated that “it was purely by accident that she fell in love with the breed.” Her first Irish Setter, Louie, was seven when she adopted him. McElroy explained that his fur was poofy and matted and that he wasn’t in the best of health when she met him. But it was love at first sight. She took him home, and after a visit to the veterinarian and a bath and groom, she realized she had fallen in love with a treasure. He was something special.
She enjoys hiking and oftentimes happens upon other Irish Setter owners when out on the trail. She explained that “Nearly 75% of the Irish Setters in Utah are related to Joey, who is nine years old now and was purchased as a puppy in Utah.”
When purchasing or adopting an Irish Setter, it is important to understand what to look for not only in a dog but in the breeder as well.
According to Gibson, “When looking to purchase an Irish Setter, buyers should look for a breeder that does all the required health testing and more, because not all breeders are good breeders.”
He also mentioned that a “good breeder should be a member of the breed’s Parent Club.” In this case, the Parent Club is the Irish Setter Club Of America (ISCA). “In addition, asking if the parents are good examples of the breed is important too.”
The best way to determine this is if the parents have champion or grand champion titles from the AKC. If you live close enough to the seller, it is important to schedule a visit to see the parent(s) with your own eyes. Notice whether the dogs are healthy, and if the environment is clean and roomy with lots of space to run.
There was a time when you had to choose between a beautiful dog that was the target of ridicule, or one that could hunt up a storm but was far removed from the breed standard. This simply isn’t the case anymore.
Trends and preferences among dog owners in what they believe makes a good hunting dog changes over time, and truthfully, “Irish Setters love to please their owners and if the owner knows how to ‘train’ what they want, the dogs will respond appropriately,” Gibson explained.
Anderson explained that “his dog had a much better nose than he did and would flush out birds accordingly. “He would alert me in a point position that he had found something. I could send him out a good quarter mile from me into the field, and by using only hand signals, could control what direction I wanted him to go,and when I wanted him to return to me. Irish Setters train and learn as well as any dog, if not better than some.”
The Irish Setter Club of America (ISCA) hosts their National Speciality Show annually between April and June. There, you’ll find plenty of Irish Setters in both the traditional red color as well as a red and white breed. They compete in events including conformation, agility, obedience, rally and junior showmanship.The week-long event encourages breeders, trainers, and fanciers to discuss and share information on the state and quality of the Irish Setter as a breed, along with attending health and educational seminars and the annual awards banquets.
There are several kennels and shows in Utah that Gibson enjoys as part of the 50-plus shows he attends annually. The Mount Ogden Kennel Club has a show in Logan as well as the four-day weekend Beehive Cluster that happens the first weekend in May at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park.
If you want to see the Irish Setter specifically, make sure to check the judging schedule to see what time they’ll be in the ring. If you’ve gone to the show and fallen in love with puppy breath and the idea of owning your own Irish Setter, it’s important to find a well-qualified breeder that knows what they are doing.
The Irish Setter gets along well with children and other pets making a great addition as a family pet; however, be aware that if left to their own devices as a gawky teenager, they tend to get lonely and can become too much for some families to handle due to their mischievous and somewhat goofy character.
My childhood consisted of hunting outings with our family’s Irish Setter in the former fields of what is now West Valley City. Growing up as an only child alongside an Irish Setter has left me with many special memories of yesteryear with my Dad and the family dog. My Dad would send our Irish Setter down one ditch and me down the other, covering more area and flushing birds into the air. When one isn’t hunting, it is always impressive to see the field trials with Irish Setters, and while Gibson hasn’t personally run field, he has lots of puppies that are now befitted with field titles and he hopes to take on this bucket list item soon.
Michele Welton, a dog trainer and behavioral consultant from New England and California, explained that “these lively dogs can be a destructive handful during the adolescent stage, which can last two or three years. But given sufficient exercise and obedience training to instill good manners, adults gradually become more dignified and aristocratic.” Both hunting, field trials, and agility make certain to both entertain and exercise the dog, creating a better dog.
When looking for an Irish Setter as your family pet, show dog, or hunting companion, make sure to do yourself and your future puppy a favor by doing your homework. Make sure you are good for one another. Not all dogs are alike — they have different big personalities and needs — just like humans.
Another way to meet other Irish Setter owners is to join in the St. Patrick’s Day festivities and parade which is held annually in Salt Lake City. You are likely to run into a group of about 20 dogs that attend the parade with their owners and you never know when there will be a wagon of puppies looking for a forever home.
Dogs make great companions and can heal a heart. McElroy believes “they are the best friends that humans can have. They will steal your heart and teach you how to enjoy life and live each moment to the fullest.”
Who could ask for more than that?
Feature image of one of Russ Gibson’s Onora Irish Setters. Photo by Dung Hoang.
