Irish Red and White Setter

The breed predates the solid red Irish Setter and was the more common type in Ireland until the nineteenth century, when breeders favouring a flashier show colour selectively bred it out; the red and white variety nearly disappeared as a result. It survived through the efforts of a small number of Irish estates, notably that of the Reverend Noble Huston in County Down, who kept a dedicated line going through the early twentieth century when few others bothered.

Living with a Red and White Setter means living with a dog that wants a job and a lot of it; the breed retains strong working drive and is happiest with structured exercise such as running, gundog training or long countryside walks rather than a stroll round the block. It is generally easygoing with people and other dogs, less highly strung than some setter lines, and its shorter, less profuse coat than the Irish Setter makes grooming somewhat easier, though regular brushing is still needed to prevent matting behind the ears and legs.

The breed remains considerably rarer than the solid red Irish Setter, both in Ireland and abroad, and buyers typically wait for a litter from one of a small number of dedicated breeders. It suits an active family or a shooting household prepared to give it genuine outdoor work rather than a purely ornamental role.