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Irish Setter History
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The Irish Setter came about in the 18th century from a mix of several breeds, including the Irish Terrier and Water Spaniel, Pointer, Gordon Setter and English Setter. This new breed was a skilled bird dog with a powerful nose, and by the 1850s it had spread throughout Britain and Ireland, and was beginning its trans-Atlantic voyage to America. Irish Setters of red and white coloring had existed longer than the solid red setter, but beginning in the 19th century it was decided by dog fanciers that solid red was the only acceptable color. This preference became even more pronounced as the breed began to enter dog shows.
The metamorphosis of the Irish Setter from hunter to show dog began in the 1860s and was largely the result of a particularly elegant Irish Setter named Palmerston. Labeled as being too pretty to be a worthy hunting dog, Palmerston was abandoned by his owner and adopted by another man who appreciated this unique setter. Palmerston became phenomenally successful as a show dog, and sired countless offspring – so much, in fact, that virtually every modern Irish Setter can be counted among his descendants. During the 1970s, the Irish Setter was among the most popular breeds in America, though today the dog is rarely in the top third. The Irish Setter was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878.
