Above and Beyond English Setter Rescue


The English Setter
Van Morrison
Moondance
As you may have seen if you have already viewed our adopted
pages or our available dog pages you will see that the English
Setter has basically three distinct types of color markings.
Tri-Color
White with Black and
Orange or Brown
markings
Blue Belton
White with Black Markings
Orange Belton
White with Orange  
markings
Two Beautiful Bench Setters
Attributes that set the English Setter apart from most other breeds
are their tail, leg feathers and temperament.  They have feathering
on the ears, chest, belly, underside of the thighs, the back of all
legs and tail.  The English Setter is one of the sweetest and
gentlest dogs and has a very calming disposition.
I have heard people say,

“My Setter has an aristocratic appearance which ideally blends stamina and strength.”

“They are physically beautiful and striking to people who see them."

“Their social appearance brings out grace and style.”

“They make wonderful companion dogs and have excellent temperament and are always willing
to please you."

Of all the dogs listed currently most if not all are Field English Setters. Occasionally Bench English
Setters come to the rescue with the similar but distinct marking characteristics.

Most Field Setters that are brought to the rescue are dogs in the one to five year old age groups.
Of course from time to time we receive puppies under a year old. Then there are those that are
considered senior dogs that make their way to us.

All of these dogs come to us in a variety of ways; some are brought in by their owners because
of their size when full grown. Then there are those who breed these dogs to hunt only to find
out later that the dog lacks certain hunting skills. And there are many other reasons. Most rescue
dogs will need be taken for both obedience and socialization lessons. The breed is no different
then any others in this respect. They do make affectionate companions and want to always
please you no matter how bad a day you may have had.
Let's Begin With Puppies.
Puppies are Puppies. And an English Setter is no exception and in a lot of
ways considered a puppy until the age of three. They will chew, bite and,
destroy anything they can get their teeth into just like any other puppy
would. As with most puppies they have two speeds, full speed ahead and
dead stop. They need something to do and feel useful at the same time.
Sitting around is not quite enough. And if everyone in your home is gone for eight hours a day,
your puppy probably won't get the attention he needs to meet your expectations. And for that
reason only perhaps a puppy may not be the choice for you.

Just like us dogs go through life different cycles growth, maturity and aging.
An English setter usually settles into adulthood at about the age of
three years old. As they get into their adolescent stage an English
setter becomes a playful and loyal companion. They enjoy long
walks, runs in the park, great jogging companions and the more
exercise they can receive the more they enjoy it. This is also
considered the challenge period. And the time to begin to mold our
English Setter with the correct level of training and communication,
is the most important skill you can teach them. Good training can
improve your relationship with that special dog.       
Older dogs are easier to train than young puppies because they have longer attention spans. They
may have even gone through some sort of training and understand basic commands. No one can
truly say exactly when a dog becomes a senior. A dogs lifespan keeps increasing due to the care
we provide them during their early years and continued veterinarian management an English
Setter at the age of eight has the likelihood of many more good years to give you.
What’s better then a senior dog to adopt. For the most part they do not need
obedience training. They already have been house trained and they know
what the word NO means. They leave your furniture alone, don’t tangle with
that brand new pair of oxfords, and are more socialized in the family setting.  
To take this one step further an older dog is the ideal dog for a household
with younger children. Although they continue to be active they slow down to
a shorter walk, take longer naps and lose interest in those games of catch.
Each dog is different and comes with their own unique set of experience and
conditions.  
To preclude this Setters are people oriented dogs that are wonderful with children and anyone that
may enter your home.  They are funny, smart, goofy and sometimes too clever for their own
good. The breed is fairly low maintenance however from time to time may need periodic visits to a
grooming salon or a veterinarian. Their coats and feathering from time to time may get tangled.

Setters for the most part are not the type of dog you want to immediately walk off leash. A Setter
is a typical hunting dog and in that sense once they become affixed on a bird, rabbit, etc., their
next instinct is what they were bred for and that is to hunt. They should be taught to return to
you when called  before making any attempts to be taken off leash.        

The life expectancy of the breed is somewhere between 11 and 14 years of age.

We hope you will decide on a Field English Setter as you will quickly learn that you have a trusted
friend and companion for many years to come.