This is a bird-hunting gundog bred for all-day stamina in the field, and its glamorous red coat and friendly good looks lead a lot of buyers to seriously underestimate the exercise commitment — an Irish Setter that doesn't get real daily running tends to become destructive and harder to live with, not calmer, as it matures.
12.9years, median
0.4 years above the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 2,034 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 12.6 to 13.1 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, large breeds as a group had a median of 11.9 years and medium-muzzled breeds 12.8. This breed is large and medium-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
Irish Setter Club of America sets the tests a Irish Setter needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Hip Dysplasia (OFA Evaluation or PennHIP Evaluation)
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis (OFA evaluation)
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (rcd1) DNA test, or Irish Setter Genetic Registry
When to spay or neuter: the guidelines split at 45 pounds grown, five to six months under it and after growth is complete over it, and the UC Davis study gives a guideline by breed for 35 breeds. The spay and neuter page has both, and the two weeks after.
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Irish Setter near you
Shelters and rescues list Irish Setters and Irish Setter mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Irish Setter
Irish Setters are affectionate, exuberant dogs that stay puppyish well into adulthood, which is charming until you're managing a large, high-energy dog jumping on guests — this breed genuinely needs an hour or more of real exercise most days, not just access to a yard. The long, feathered coat mats easily and needs brushing every couple of days, and the breed's people-focused temperament means it does poorly left alone for long stretches.
Health you should know about
- Hip dysplasia — malformed hip joints leading to arthritis; breed clubs recommend OFA/PennHIP screening of breeding stock.
- Gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat) — an emergency stomach-twisting condition common in large, deep-chested breeds.
- Progressive retinal atrophy — inherited retinal degeneration causing night blindness that can progress to full blindness.
- Canine gluten sensitivity — an inherited intolerance, distinct from a typical food allergy, causing intestinal damage on a gluten-containing diet; symptoms usually appear around 6 months and resolve on a gluten-free diet.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Irish Setter? Irish dog and cat names, 80 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.