General
Appearance
The Irish Setter is
an active, aristocratic bird dog, rich red in color, substantial yet
elegant in build. Standing over two feet tall at the shoulder, the dog has
a straight, fine, glossy coat, longer on ears, chest, tail and back of
legs. A field he is a swift-moving hunter; at home, a sweet natured,
trainable companion.
At their best, the lines of the Irish Setter so satisfy in overall balance
that artists have termed it the most beautiful of all dogs. The correct
specimen always exhibits balance, whether standing or in motion. Each part
of the dog flows and fits smoothly into its neighboring parts without
calling attention to itself.
Size,
Proportion, Substance
There is no disqualification as to size.
The make and fit of all parts and their overall balance in the animal are
rated more important. 27 inches at the withers and a show weight of about
70 pounds is considered ideal for the dog; the bitch 25 inches, 60 pounds.
Variance beyond an inch up or down is to be discouraged.
Proportion
- Measuring from the breast bone to rear of thigh and from the top of
the withers to the ground, the Irish Setter is slightly longer than it is
tall.
Substance
- All legs sturdy with plenty of bone. Structure in the male reflects
masculinity without coarseness. Bitches appear feminine without being
slight of bone.
Head
Long and lean, its length at least double
the width between the ears. Beauty of head is emphasized by delicate
chiseling along the muzzle, around and below the eyes and along the
cheeks.
Expression
Soft, yet alert. Eyes somewhat
almond shaped, of medium size, placed rather well apart, neither deep set
nor bulging. Color dark to medium brown. Ears set well back and
low, not above level of eye. Leather thin, hanging in a neat fold close to
the head, and nearly long enough to reach the nose.
The skull
is oval when viewed from above or front; very slightly domed when
viewed in profile. The brow is raised, showing a distinct stop midway
between the tip of the nose and the well-defined occiput (rear point of
skull). Thus the nearly level line from occiput to brow is set a little
above, and parallel to, the straight and equal line from eye to nose.
Muzzle
Moderately deep, jaws of nearly equal
length, the underline of the jaw being almost parallel with the top line
of the muzzle. Nose black or chocolate; nostrils wide. Upper lips fairly
square but not pendulous. The teeth meet in a scissors bite
in which the upper incisors fit closely over the lower, or they may meet
evenly.
Neck,
Topline, Body
Neck moderately
long, strong but not thick, and slightly arched; free from throatiness and
fitting smoothly into the shoulders.
Topline
of body from withers
to tail should be firm and incline slightly downward without sharp drop at
the croup. The tail is set on nearly level with the croup as
a natural extension of the topline, strong at root, tapering to a fine
point, nearly long enough to reach the hock. Carriage straight or curving
slightly upward, nearly level with the back. Body sufficiently long to
permit a straight and free stride. Chest deep, reaching approximately to
the elbows with moderate forechest, extending beyond the point where the
shoulder joins the upper arm. Chest is of moderate width so that it does
not interfere with forward motion and extends rearwards to well sprung
ribs. Loins firm, muscular and of moderate length.
Forequarters
- Shoulder blades
long, wide, sloping well back, fairly close together at the withers. Upper
arm and shoulder blades are approximately the same length, and are joined
at sufficient angle to bring the elbows rearward along the brisket in line
with the top of the withers. The elbows moving freely, incline neither in
nor out. Forelegs straight and sinewy, strong, nearly
straight pasterns. Feet rather small, very firm, toes arched
and close.
Hindquarters
- Hindquarters should be wide and
powerful with broad, well developed thighs. Hind legs should be long and
muscular from hip to hock; short and perpendicular from hock to ground;
well angulated at stifle and hock joints, which like the elbows, incline
neither in nor out. Feet as in front. Angulation of the forequarters and
hindquarters should be balanced.
Coat
Short and fine on head and forelegs. On
all other parts of moderate length and flat. Feathering long and silky on
ears; on back of forelegs and thighs long and fine, with a pleasing fringe
of hair on belly and brisket extending onto the chest. Fringe on tail
moderately long and tapering. All coat and feathering as straight and free
as possible from curl or wave. The Irish Setter is trimmed for the show
ring to emphasize the lean head and clean neck. The top third of the ears
and the throat nearly to the breastbone are trimmed. Excess feathering is
removed to show the natural outline of the foot. All trimming is done to
preserve the natural appearance of the dog.
Color
Mahogany or rich chestnut red with no
black. A small amount of white on chest, throat or toes, or a narrow
centered streak on skull not to be penalized.
Gait
At the trot the gait is big, very lively,
graceful and efficient. At an extended trot the head reaches slightly
forward, keeping the dog in balance. The forelegs reach well ahead as if
to pull in the ground without giving the appearance of a hackney gait. The
hindquarters drive smoothly and with great power. Seen from the front or
rear, the forelegs, as well as the hind legs below the hock joint, move
perpendicularly to the ground, with some tendency towards a single track
as speed increases. Structural characteristics which interfere with a
straight true stride are to be penalized.
Temperament
The Irish Setter has a rollicking
personality. Shyness, hostility or timidity are uncharacteristic of the
breed. An outgoing, stable temperament is the essence of the Irish Setter.