The Red Irish Setter | FCI-Standard 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : Ireland.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID  STANDARD : 13.03.2001.

UTILIZATION: Gun dog and family dog.

CLASSIFICATION FCI : Group 7 Pointing Dogs. Section 2 British and Irish Pointers and Setters. With working trial. 

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The Irish Red Setter was developed in Ireland as a working dog for hunting game.  The breed is derived from the Irish Red and White Setter and an unknown solid red coloured dog.  It was a clearly identifiable type in the 18^th century.  The Irish Red Setter Club was established in 1882 to promote the Breed.  The club issued the Breed Standard in 1886, and has organised field trials and shows to set the Standard for the Breed since that time.  In 1998 the club published the working style for the breed.  The standard and working style together describes the physical form and working ability of the breed.

The Irish Red Setter has evolved down the years into a hardy, healthy, intelligent dog, possessed of excellent working ability and great stamina.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Racy and athletic full of quality, kindly in expression.  Balanced and in proportion.

BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT: Keen, intelligent, energetic, affectionate and loyal.

HEAD :  Long and lean, and not coarse at the ears. Muzzle and skull of equal length and on parallel lines.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Oval (from ear to ear), having plenty of brain room, and with well defined occipital protuberance.  Brows raised.

Stop : Well defined.

FACIAL REGION:

Nose : The colour of the nose is dark mahogany, or dark walnut or black, the  nostrils wide.

Muzzle :  Moderately deep and fairly square at the end. From the stop to point of nose, long, flews not pendulous.

Jaws : Jaws of nearly equal length. 

Teeth : Scissors bite.

Eyes : Dark hazel or dark brown ought not to be too large.

Ears : Of moderate size, fine in texture, set low and well back, hanging in a neat fold close to head.

NECK : Moderately long, very muscular, not too thick, slightly arched, no tendency to throatiness.

BODY:  Proportionate to size of dog.

Chest : Deep chest, rather narrow in front, ribs well sprung, leaving plenty of lung room.

Loins : Muscular and slightly arched.

TAIL: Moderate length, proportionate to size of body, set on rather low, strong at root, tapering to fine point.  Carried level with or below back.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :

Shoulders : Fine at the point, deep and sloping well back.

Elbows : Free and well let down, not turned in or out.

Forelegs :  Straight and sinewy, well boned.

HINDQUARTERS : Wide and powerful.

Hindlegs: Long and muscular from hip to hock; from hock to heel short and strong.

Stifle: Well bent

Hocks:  turned neither in or out.

FEET:  Small, very firm, toes strong, arched and close together.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Free flowing, driving movement; head held high. Forelegs reaching well ahead but carried low.  Hindquarters drive smoothly with great power.  Crossing or weaving of legs unacceptable.

COAT

HAIR: On head, front of legs, and tips of ears, short and fine; on other parts of body and legs moderate length, flat and as free as possible from curl or wave.  Feather on upper portion of ears long and silky; on back of fore and hind legs long and fine; fair amount of hair on belly, forming fringe which may extend onto chest and throat.  Feet well feathered between toes.  Tail having fringe of moderately long hair, decreasing in length as it approaches the point. All feathering straight and flat.

COLOUR: Rich chestnut with no trace of black; white on chest, throat, and toes; or small star on forehead or narrow streak or blaze on nose or face not to disqualify.

SIZE :

Height at withers: Males 23 ins (58 cm) to 26.5 ins (67 cm). Female 21.5 ins (55 cm) to 24.5 ins (62 cm).

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.