The FCI standard compares the Gordon Setter’s build to a horse: a weight-carrying hunter, meaning a substantial hunting horse rather than a light racer. Fittingly, the standard gives specific weights: 29.5 kg for males and 25.5 kg for females.
| FCI | Group 7 (Pointing Dogs), Section 2 British and Irish Pointers and Setters, Subsection 2.2 Setters, Standard No. 6, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Great Britain |
| Size (height at the withers) | males 66 cm, females 62 cm |
| Weight | males 29.5 kg, females 25.5 kg |
| Life expectancy | median 12.4 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | short and fine on head, fronts of legs and ear tips, otherwise medium-long, flat and without curls; long, silky feathering on ears, legs, belly and tail |
| Colours in the standard | deep, glossy coal black with chestnut-red (tan) markings in specified places; a very small white chest spot permitted, other colours not |
Black and tan, specified spot by spot
The standard describes the markings precisely: two clear spots above the eyes, no more than 2 cm, a stripe along each side of the muzzle, plus throat, two chest spots, inner hind legs, forelegs and the area around the anus. Black should shine without a rusty tinge. The standard says nothing about history; definitive FCI recognition dates from 1963.
Dignified and approachable
Intelligent, capable and dignified, also bold, outgoing, friendly and even-tempered. The English Setter standard, by contrast, puts friendliness and good nature first. Clear training without harshness helps. For comparison with the red relative, see the Irish Setter entry.
Genetic tests, hips and claws: the research
Gordon Setters reached a median of 12.4 years in the UK longevity study, versus 12.0 for crossbreeds (McMillan et al. 2024). A study identified the rcd4 mutation for late-onset retinal degeneration (PRA), with 19 of 21 affected dogs carrying two copies (Downs et al. 2013). Inherited juvenile-onset ataxia is associated with a RAB24 variant (Agler et al. 2014). Among a Norwegian birth cohort of 291 Gordons, 2.7 percent had hypothyroidism and 8.9 percent a claw-shedding disease by age eight (Ziener et al. 2015). Hip scores are strongly heritable, especially through the mother (Wood et al. 2000). Request genetic tests and hip results for both parents.
Endurance rather than sprinting
The standard describes steady, free movement with powerful hindquarter drive. Expect two hours outdoors daily, off lead only where recall is reliable. Tracking and retrieving provide work without hunting.
What feathering demands
Long, flat hair on ears, legs and belly collects dirt when wet. Comb twice weekly and inspect hairy feet after woodland days.
Suitable for
active people with time for long outings and patience with training.
Difficult if...
the dog spends many hours alone, only short walks are possible or you expect training to be finished within weeks.
Before choosing a Gordon, the breed quiz checks whether dog and routine fit; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) offers detailed help. The free Puppy Starter Pack supports the first weeks. Black and tan stands out strongly on a magazine-cover canvas; find all options among our dog portraits.
Further reading
- Older dog, new rules: how to give your senior their best years
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 6 Gordon Setter (fci.be, English version dated 06.10.2026, valid standard published on 08.09.2026, no German version); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Downs LM et al., Late-onset progressive retinal atrophy in the Gordon and Irish Setter breeds is associated with a frameshift mutation in C2orf71, Animal Genetics 2013; Agler C et al., Canine hereditary ataxia in Old English Sheepdogs and Gordon Setters is associated with a defect in the autophagy gene encoding RAB24, PLoS Genetics 2014; Ziener ML et al., Genetics and epidemiology of hypothyroidism and symmetrical onychomadesis in the Gordon setter and the English setter, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2015; Wood JL et al., Heritability of canine hip-dysplasia score and its components in Gordon setters, Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2000.
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