Gordon Setter

A perfect blend of active and laid-back, Gordon Setters love a cuddle session and a scratch on their floppy ears after a day of hiking, perusing your local farmer’s market, or running around with your kids in the backyard—any time spent with you is good time, in a Gordon’s eyes. And if that time involves a specific task (fetching a ball, chasing a stick), all the better. These pups don’t require hours of grooming, but a regular brushing to keep the floof looking floofy is always a good idea. And though they can be a strong-willed at time, Gordons are ultimately hopelessly devoted to you and eager to please. What more could you want from a furry friend?

The largest of the setter breeds, the Gordon Setter’s height can reach 27 inches tall at the shoulder, and their weight can be up to 80 pounds. Their colors are black with tan markings, and beneath their long, wavy coats, Gordon Setters are sturdy, muscular types bred for work. Their tails might be short, but that doesn’t stop Gordon Setters from wagging them a mile a minute when you ask, “Walk?”

Their feathered coats may be various shades of gold, from light to dark. As they age, some Golden Retrievers even develop a wise white-golden hue across their face.

1. Ears Gordon Setter ears are long, large and thin and covered in wavy black hair.
2. Eyes Gordon Setter eyes are dark brown and oval, giving them a bright, wise expression.
3. Nose Gordon Setters have broad, black noses with open nostrils.
4. Coat Length Gordon Setters have long, straight or slightly wavy coats. The hair on their ears, stomach, chest, legs and tail is longer than the rest of their bodies.
5. Coat Color The breed has a black coat with tan markings in shades ranging from chestnut to mahogany.
6. Tail The Gordon Setter tail is short, but not docked. It's wider at the root and narrows to a point at the tip.

Confident, alert and intelligent, Gordon Setters were bred to race off into the woods after birds. But no matter what their particular training is today, this breed truly flourishes when pet parents channel their dog’s energies into outdoor activities. The Gordon Setter temperament is not one for lazily sitting around and staring out the window at the action outside. They want to be right up in it.

That’s because a Gordon Setter dog loves two things most: Being on the move and spending time with their people. They are happiest when they can marry these twin passions by hiking, biking or hitting the dog park for some exercise alongside their humans, who they’ll then eagerly reward with loads of affection, love and loyalty. They are sweet-natured dogs, after all, and not overly hard to please.

Gordon Setters can be determined and strong willed, too, qualities that serve them well on a hunt as they push on until they find their marks. Nevertheless, this can make training a bit of a challenge. Still, with patience, the Gordon Setter can be a well-behaved member of the family.

Although Gordon Setters were bred to be working dogs, they’re not all business. These dogs definitely know how to play. And despite the Gordon Setter’s size, the breed is mild-mannered, good with kids of all ages and will quickly turn strangers into friends. Most Gordon Setters are happy to find other four-legged playmates, and the breed ranks low for both aggression and biting tendencies. If dogs held popularity contests, the Gordon Setter would be top contender for sure.

The key to caring for a Gordon Setter dog is exercise. This is a breed who loves activity and will do best in households where there are lots of opportunities for outdoor adventures. To ensure your Gordon Setter lives a happy, healthy life, take advantage of their intelligence with training activities that provide mental and physical stimulation, feed them a complete and balanced diet, groom them regularly and take them to the vet for routine care.

Grooming

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Although Gordon Setter grooming is pretty simple, you should expect to spend some time tending to that long, wavy coat. You’ll want to brush them at least once a week with a slicker brush or wire pin brush to keep their fur from becoming matted. And, because shedding is a part of life with a Gordon Setter, that weekly attention will help keep the whorls of black hair under the sofa to a minimum. Still, you know, don’t toss the vacuum or anything. The hair on their toes and around their ears will need trimming once a month, and you can expect to bathe your pup monthly as well, which should be sufficient to remove excess dirt and oil and keep your Gordon Setter smelling clean. Fortunately, professional grooming is not needed—unless you’re uncomfortable with tasks like nail trimming . Listen, pedicures are not for everyone, it’s cool. But your Gordon Setter’s nails should be clipped about once a month to prevent painful overgrowth. You’ll know it’s time when you hear that telltale clack-clack-clack on the floor. And, bonus, it turns out bath time is the perfect time to trim nails, because the water makes them softer and easier to cut. All breeds require dental care, and Gordon Setters are no exception. Ask your veterinarian about an at-home dental routine, which could include dental chews or rinses as well as brushing their teeth daily. Start a toothbrushing routine with your Gordon Setter puppy to establish a lifelong habit. Annual professional dental exams and cleanings by your vet are also essential for good oral health.

Training

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The Gordon Setter personality is that of a hunter. They were bred for the task and are therefore always happiest when they’re active and busy. But, if waking at the crack of dawn and spending hours in the woods chasing prey isn’t exactly your thing, don’t worry. A rousing training session with your pup after you’ve downed a cup of coffee can still provide the focus and sense of accomplishment the breed needs to thrive. These are whip-smart dogs who love to please their humans, making them fairly easy to train, despite a willful streak that can sometimes rear its ugly head. This just means that Gordon Setters need a confident and calm leader who understands that patience is the key to unlocking the pup’s potential. First-time pup parents may find such a characteristic frustrating, which makes the breed better suited to individuals who’ve had dogs before. When getting to work, prioritize training activities that take advantage of your Gordon Setter’s best traits: high energy levels and intelligence. After they learn the basics ( sit , stay , come when called ), focus on more challenging activities that require physical stamina and mental fortitude such as flyball, agility and hunting (tracking). Always reward them for a job well done. Positive reinforcement—treats, toys, and praise—is essential. Keep your daily sessions short, 5 to 10 minutes at a time, and fast-paced to maintain their interest and ensure you’re raising a Gordon Setter with good manners. You’ll make Emily Post proud. But remember, no matter how well you train your pup, you’ll never completely train the hunter (and hunting instincts, i.e. chasing all the small things) out of them. Teaching recall, therefore, is key so your dog will return to you side after tracking down their latest target. It’s best to start training and socialization with a Gordon Setter puppy to avoid them developing naughty habits and bad behavior later on. Socialization involves exposing them to as many different experiences and stimuli (sights, smells, sounds) early to help ward off fear and anxiety later on. Taking your Gordon Setter on walks—greeting and meeting the people you see on the way—enrolling them in puppy classes and making play dates with other dogs are all good ways to socialize your Gordon Setter.

Diet

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The Gordon Setter breed typically does well on high-quality commercial dog foods that provide a complete and balanced diet to meet their calorie and nutrient needs. Look for a formula specific to their life stage (puppy, adult, senior) and work with your veterinarian to create a feeding chart to ensure that you’re providing the right type and amount of food for your dog. Gordon Setters are high-energy dogs, and your vet may recommend a food formulated for active breeds to ensure that your dog is getting the calories and nutrients they need to maintain their go-go-go lifestyle. But be aware that a high-protein diet is not recommended for Gordon Setter puppies, as they could develop health issues from too much protein. As always, check with your vet; they’re in the best position to help you choose a food that’s right for your dog. Dog treats make great training tools, but be sure to limit them to no more than 10 percent of your dog’s daily calories. For Gordon Setters, being overweight can increase the risk of certain health issues, including joint pain, making it harder to run or engage in other favorite pastimes.

Exercise

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Gordon Setters love to run, which is convenient, since their exercise needs are pretty intense. So, they need to do a lot of it. About one hour a day is probably sufficient. As a pet parent, you can therefore expect to spend a good chunk of your time running, hiking, biking, swimming or tossing a ball with these high-energy hunting dogs. If a triathlon was ever in your sights, now’s the time! You’ll crush it. Gordon Setters also excel at dog sports such as agility, rally and competitive obedience. And once your Gordon Setter has burned off all of their energy, they will happily take a long nap, preferably beside you on the couch. Intelligence is also one of the top Gordon Setter breed qualities, which means mental stimulation is as valuable as physical activity. Offer them puzzle toys or initiate games like hide-and-seek to keep their minds engaged. Training can also be a form of mental and physical exercise, especially when it incorporates fast-paced games.

Environment

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Gordon Setters are not the right fit for families who spend more time hanging out at home than they do hitting the trails. These active dogs do best with lots of exercise and plenty of bonding. That means the more time you spend tossing a ball, playing tug-of-war, hiking in the woods, swimming or hanging out at the dog park, the happier your dog will be. Let’s be honest, you will be, too. With the right amount of exercise, Gordon Setters could adjust to apartment life, but a home with a fenced yard—the bigger, the better—is the best option for this breed. Mixing Gordon Setters with kids is an exceedingly good combination—they’re sometimes called “nanny dogs” and make great playmates for kids. (We hear their rates are competitive.) They are good-natured canines who love children and quickly warm up to strangers. Most Gordon Setters are also good with other dogs, and they’ll likely get along with cats if raised with them from puppyhood. But their innate hunting abilities remain strong, and they may give chase to smaller animals, especially birds.

The Gordon Setter’s life expectancy is 12 to 13 years. Although they are generally healthy dogs, the breed is at risk for certain health issues that can crop up during their lifetimes.

Be familiar with potential health problems so you can recognize and treat them quickly.

1. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) : This group of eye diseases is linked with degeneration of the retinal cells, eventually causing blindness. The inherited form of PRA, also called retinal dysplasia, is diagnosed in puppies; older dogs can be diagnosed with a late onset form of disease that typically appears between 3 and 9 years old. PRA isn’t painful, and the earliest symptoms, such as increased pupil dilation or bumping into objects, often go unnoticed. Although there is no treatment for PRA, there is a genetic screening test so be sure to ask your breeder. Pups can still lead happy lives, even if they lose sight.
2. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia : Dysplasia is an often-genetic condition in which the joints don’t fit correctly and have laxity that can result in pain, lameness and arthritis. X-rays are used to diagnose hip and elbow dysplasia. Treatment typically includes weight management, joint supplements, pain medication and, in severe cases, surgery.
3. Bloat Like other large-breed dogs with deep chests and thin waists, the Gordon Setter breed is at increased risk for gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). The condition, better known as bloat, occurs when gas stretches the stomach and causes it to twist. It can be sudden and life-threatening. If you notice symptoms, such as your dog’s abdomen becoming enlarged, restlessness, non-productive retching/dry heaving and drooling, bring your dog to an emergency room immediately. Not allowing your Gordon Setter to exercise before or after eating can reduce the risk, as can feeding them smaller meals more frequently throughout the day and using a slow feeder . Some veterinarians also recommend a procedure called a gastropexy that involves stitching the stomach to the side of the body as a preventive measure against bloat.
4. Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Symptoms include weight gain, hair loss and lethargy. Diagnosis is typically a blood test and treatment most often is a daily oral medication.
5. Cerebellar Abiotrophy This inherited neurologic condition was first described in Gordon Setters in the 1980s. Also called hereditary ataxia, affected dogs develop stumbling in the rear limbs that progresses to trouble walking or eating and drinking. There is a genetic screening test so be sure to ask your breeder.

The Gordon Setter’s history dates back to the 1500s when the earliest setter breeds were developed. This bird dog breed earned their name for their tendencies to quietly “set” down (or lie down) to alert hunters to the location of birds. The hunter would then toss a net over the birdsanddogs, if necessary, to bring home game for supper.

A key figure in the Gordon Setter’s origin was the setter fancier Alexander Gordon, the Fourth Duke of Gordon in Scotland, who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. He bred black-and-tan setters at his home, Gordon Castle. The dogs were heavier boned and more “square” than other setter breeds, providing them with strength and stamina, albeit not speed, and making them ideal for long hunts over tough terrain in their native Scotland. And hunt with his dogs, the Duke certainly did—although he waited until the setters were more than 5 years old because it took these “perpetual puppies” that long to settle down and mature.

Although the earliest iterations of the Gordon Setter looked more like English Setters, when breeders later crossed them with flat-coated black-and-tanCollies,Bloodhounds, blackPointersand black Setters, they got the Gordon Setter breed as it’s known today.

Historic records show that George Blunt brought the first Gordon Setters to New York in 1842—a curly-coated white Setter with black and tan points named Rake and a black-and-tan Setter named Rachael. Although the American Kennel Club welcomed the black-and-tan Setter as an official breed in 1884, they changed the breed name from the Gordon Castle Setter to the Gordon Setter in 1892.

If you’re thinking about adding a Gordon Setter to your family, you can find a list of reputable breeders on theAmerican Kennel Club’s website. The average price for a puppy ranges from $1,000 to $2,000. But for that cost, you usually get a dog who’s been screened for health and temperament issues, and they might even come with pedigree papers. You can also reach out to Gordon Setter rescue organizations to adopt a dog, keep an eye out for the breed at your local animal shelter, or searchChewy’s database of adoptable dogsin your area.