11/06/2026
Miss Madeline is here to represent the lovely English Setter! She also has a handsome little brother at home.
With a history of 400 years, the English Setter was originally bred by English gentlemen from crosses of spaniel and pointer breeds. The English setter is a sporting breed and one of four British ‘setters’ designed to assist bird hunters in differing terrains across England, Ireland, and Scotland. The unique speckled coat pattern is called Belton and can be a variety of colors atop white. English Setters are known as boisterous and friendly companions.
“These stylish sporting dogs silently locate birds that live mainly on the ground, such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. To alert the hunter, Setters lift their heads and point their exceptional noses skyward to pick up a whiff of wildfowl as they go airborne, rather than running after them.
Known as “gundogs,” the name “setter” comes from the distinctive way this group of dogs crouches or “set” when they find birds. In this position, the setter lowers its body nearly to the ground and stares intently at the bird. Before hunters used fi****ms, they threw a net over their quarry to trap it. The dog’s low position gave the hunter an unobstructed view of their prize. Once hunters began using fi****ms, they trained Setters to stand to indicate bird sightings. Today, when Setters pick up an avian scent and encounter prey, they remain motionless. Then, they lift a paw and point their noses in that direction. The dog’s body language alerts the hunter that a bird is near.” AKC
