By the end of the 19th century, this setter was so rare it was thought extinct. Its solid-red relative had displaced it at shows. According to the FCI standard, breeders made serious efforts to restore the red-and-white dogs only after 1920; by 1944, the breed was stable enough for its own club.
| FCI | Group 7 (Pointing Dogs), Section 2 British and Irish Pointers and Setters, Standard No. 330, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Size (height at the withers) | desired: males 62 to 66 cm, females 57 to 61 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 12,9 years in a British analysis of 584.734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024), analysed together with Irish Setters |
| Coat | short and smooth on body, without curls; long, silky feathering on legs, ears, flanks and tail, also between toes |
| Colours in the standard | white base with clearly defined red patches; ticking permitted on face, feet and lower legs; roaning undesirable |
The older form of Irish setter
The standard considers it fairly certain that the red-and-white setter is older, with the solid-red breed developed through selection. Meet its relative today in the Irish Setter entry. The current breed association formed in 1981; definitive FCI recognition followed in 1989.
Friendly outwardly, determined in the field
It should be aristocratic, passionate and intelligent, with an endearing manner concealing determination, courage and energy. The standard calls it exceptionally friendly, dependable and easy to train, while stressing that breeding is primarily for hunting and judges should assess working ability.
How much exercise a setter needs
A setter searches widely at a fast gallop. Allow several hours of exercise daily, partly off lead in secure terrain or on a long line. Without hunting, dummy work, tracking and search games help. The hunting drive is real, so recall belongs in training from the beginning.
Feathering without mats
The body coat is short and smooth, with long silky feathering on legs, ears, flanks and tail. Combing twice weekly prevents knots behind ears and around hind-leg feathering. Abundant hair between toes collects burrs and grass awns along woodland paths.
Health: a genetic test that matters
No separate lifespan figure exists. Irish Setters and Irish Red and White Setters together reached a median 12,9 years in the British analysis, compared with 12,0 for crossbreeds (McMillan et al. 2024). Inherited immune deficiency CLAD is important and can kill affected dogs. Of 76 tested Red and Whites, researchers found six carriers, all from a line with deaths consistent with CLAD (Debenham et al. 2002). They recommend routine breeder testing. Ask to see both parents’ results.
A good match if
you spend plenty of time outdoors, want a cheerful, people-oriented hunting dog and have patience for substantial running needs.
Less suitable for
homes where the dog stays alone for long periods, and anyone seeking a watchdog or companion for short city walks.
Before choosing a setter, try the breed quiz; for a thorough assessment, read our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For the first weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Choose your red-and-white setter in our dog portraits from your own photo , perhaps as a magazine cover on canvas.
Further reading
- Dog pulling on the lead: 5 mistakes almost everyone makes
- The socialisation period: why “as much as possible” is the wrong advice
- The first 30 days with a puppy: a plan for weeks 1 to 4
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 330 Irish Red and White Setter (Irischer Rot-Weißer Setter) (fci.be, German version dated 15.06.2005, valid standard published 19.04.2005); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Debenham SL et al., Canine leucocyte adhesion deficiency in Irish red and white setters, Journal of Small Animal Practice 2002.
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