Irish Setter
Red-coated aristocrat. Gorgeous, high-energy, sweet-natured. Bloat risk and exercise demands define the breed.
Coat
long
Size
large · 60-70 lbs
Life expectancy
12-15 yrs
Activity
very high
The breed
Where the Irish Setter comes from, and what living with one actually asks of you.
About the Irish Setter
The Irish Setter is a red-coated sporting dog developed in Ireland as an active bird dog. The breed's mahogany coat and elegant outline are famous, but the real Irish Setter is athletic, sweet-natured, and often slow to mature emotionally. It is a field dog first and a showpiece second.
Living with an Irish Setter is best for people who enjoy motion, humor, and grooming. Many are outgoing and affectionate with people, playful with other dogs, and enthusiastic well into adulthood. They can be too exuberant for very quiet homes unless training, exercise, and routines are in place.
Health planning should include hips, eyes, thyroid, seizures, cancer awareness, and GDV. Local data flags hip dysplasia, PRA, bloat/GDV, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, and osteosarcoma. AKC and Irish Setter Club health material include PRA-rcd1 DNA testing and bloat education; veterinary sources also discuss hypothyroidism and epilepsy as breed-relevant topics. Bloat is an emergency, so owners should know signs and discuss prevention options with their veterinarian.
Living with an Irish Setter
Irish Setters are usually outgoing, sweet-natured, active, and fun-loving. They often do well with children and dogs, but their size and enthusiasm can overwhelm toddlers.
Training should be positive, consistent, and generous with movement; a bored Setter may become wild, vocal, or distractible. Recall and leash manners need practice because the breed is fast, birdy, and curious. Alone-time is possible with routine, but many prefer active family life.
Daily care
Feeding, exercise, and coat — plus how the routine shifts from puppy to senior.
Feeding an Irish Setter
Gorgeous athletic sporting breed. Calorie needs vary with size, sex, and workload; bloat risk comes with the deep chest.
Key nutrients
- —omega-3
- —biotin
- —glucosamine
Portion notes: Two meals daily. No vigorous exercise 1 hour before or after eating.
Exercise & enrichment
Irish Setters need substantial daily exercise plus mental work. Field training, running after maturity, hiking, scent work, retrieving, and obedience can all fit. Feed to body condition and actual workload, and use meal routines as GDV precautions rather than assuming any rule prevents bloat.
Grooming routine
The feathered coat needs brushing several times a week, with attention to ears, chest, belly, pants, tail, and feet. Check ears after swimming or field work, trim nails, brush teeth, and remove burrs promptly. Omega-3s can support skin and coat health generally, but grooming is the main coat-care work.
The Irish Setter through the years
Irish Setter puppies need socialization, recall foundations, crate comfort, grooming practice, and controlled exercise. Avoid forced endurance while joints develop.
Adult Irish Setters need daily outlets, measured meals, ear and coat care, and monitoring for lameness, seizures, thyroid-like changes, eye changes, lumps, or abdominal distress.
Senior Irish Setters benefit from lower-impact exercise, dental care, thyroid and eye monitoring, arthritis support, and prompt evaluation of lumps, appetite shifts, weakness, or behavior changes.
Health
What Irish Setters are prone to, the signs worth catching early, and what supports them.
Health concerns to watch
Stunning mahogany coat needs regular grooming and omega-3 support.
Deep chest = bloat risk — 2 meals daily, no post-meal exercise.
One of the most energy-demanding sporting breeds.
Common symptoms in Irish Setters
What to watch for, what causes it, and when to worry.
Supplements for Irish Setters
Matched to this breed's common health concerns. All NASC-sealed.
Cosequin (Nutramax)
The #1 vet-recommended joint supplement
- —#1 vet-recommended
- —NASC Quality Seal
- —Glucosamine + chondroitin
- —Clinically studied
Supplements support — they don't treat or cure disease. Talk to your vet for anything clinical.
Gear & services
Food, gear, training, and what the first year with an Irish Setter actually costs.
Fresh food picks for Irish Setters
Our recommended fresh-food subscriptions for large dogs.
The Farmer's Dog
Fresh, human-grade food portioned for your dog
- —Human-grade fresh food
- —Portioned per dog
- —Vet-developed recipes
- —50% off first box
Ollie
Fresh food with both cooked and baked recipes
- —Fresh and baked recipes
- —Turkey, beef, lamb, chicken proteins
- —Custom portions
- —60% off first box
Nom Nom
Restaurant-quality fresh food with microbiome testing
- —Pre-portioned pouches
- —Vet-formulated
- —Microbiome testing available
- —50% off first order
Spot & Tango
Fresh or UnKibble — whole-food nutrition, your choice
- —Fresh or UnKibble options
- —Human-grade ingredients
- —Shelf-stable storage option
- —50% off first order
What to budget for an Irish Setter in year one.
A practical range for routine care and first-year setup. It assumes a dry or mixed diet and mostly at-home care; purchase and adoption fees are excluded.
Practical first-year range
$1,800-$5,200
A typical ongoing year runs $1,425-$3,525before optional services and unexpected medical care.
Food (year one)
Dry or mixed diet; fresh food can cost more
$750-$1,800
Gear & supplies (year one)
Crate, bed, harness, bowls, toys
$300-$650
Routine vet + preventatives
Wellness, vaccines, flea/tick and heartworm; no emergencies
$500-$850
Grooming
high needs; DIY to periodic professional help
$50-$600
Training
At-home work to group classes
$0-$600
Optional supplements
Not included in the headline totals
$0-$480
Other first-year
Microchip, license, spay/neuter if needed
$200-$700
Optional pet insurance
Not included above; premiums vary by age, ZIP and coverage.
$650-$1,550/yr
Also not included: fresh-food-only diets, boarding or day care, emergencies, and condition-specific treatment. Breed health risks are planning flags—not guaranteed annual bills.
Size-adjusted U.S. planning ranges, updated July 2026 and benchmarked against Rover's 2026 cost report and Synchrony's 2025 study. Actual costs vary by region and lifestyle.
Gear for Irish Setters
Breed-size-appropriate picks. Links go to Amazon.
Training for Irish Setters
Matched to Irish Setter temperament (outgoing, sweet-natured, active).
BAXTER & Bella
Online puppy training program, lifetime access
- —Lifetime membership
- —Self-paced video lessons
- —Puppy + adult content
- —Behavior troubleshooting
GoodPup
1-on-1 virtual dog training with certified trainers
- —1-on-1 live video sessions
- —Certified trainers
- —Custom per-dog plan
- —Weekly structure
Dogo
App-based training with daily structure
- —App-based daily plans
- —AI-guided feedback
- —Affordable monthly cost
- —Trick training library
GPS trackers for Irish Setters
Size-appropriate picks for tracking, activity monitoring, and escape alerts.
Fi
Smart collar with GPS + activity tracking
- —Real-time GPS
- —Activity + sleep tracking
- —Escape alerts
- —3-month battery
Tractive
Affordable GPS tracker with unlimited range
- —Attaches to any collar
- —Worldwide GPS coverage
- —Activity monitoring
- —Budget-friendly
Curious about their DNA?
Confirm breed mix, check for genetic health risks, and get actionable insights.
Embark
The most comprehensive dog DNA test
- —350+ breeds identified
- —250+ health conditions screened
- —Cornell-partnered science
- —Relatives finder
Wisdom Panel
Breed identification + health screening
- —350+ breeds
- —Genetic health insights
- —Budget-friendly option
- —Fast results
More on the Irish Setter
Similar-size breeds
Irish Setter questions, answered.
Are Irish Setters high-energy?+
Do Irish Setters get bloat?+
What is PRA-rcd1?+
Are Irish Setters good family dogs?+
What health testing should I ask about?+
How long do Irish Setters live?+
How big do Irish Setters get?+
How much exercise does an Irish Setter need?+
What health problems do Irish Setters commonly have?+
Are Irish Setters hard to groom?+
What should I feed an Irish Setter?+
Are Irish Setters good for first-time owners?+
Ask Searchbreed about your Irish Setter
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