All Dog Breeds >>Temprament of English Setter
English setters are intensely friendly, sweet-tempered and good-natured! They are trustworthy with adults, children and other dogs. English Setters are people dogs who want to be part of the family and thrive on companionship. In exchange, you will get unconditional love and complete devotion. English Setters are highly energetic, athletic dogs who need daily vigorous exercise. A daily walk on a leash is not enough exercise to keep an English Setter happy. They like to run and do well with a large fenced area to play in.
(And the fence should be at least 5' tall.) They also need their brains exercised and are very responsive to training, though they do have a quiet stubborn streak. They do well in obedience, rally, agility, Frisbee, and field trials, and obviously, conformation. If they get bored, there could be trouble. An English Setter might chew and eat just about anything: soup cans, shoes, pencils. You will also need to train him not to "counter surf." (These dogs love to eat!) Be aware that an English Setter acts like he's a puppy till he's about two! English Setters also make excellent therapy dogs. They are incredibly friendly and love to snuggle.
They are able to read human moods and respond appropriately. They are famous for being great with children. The English Setter is mellow and tolerant of youngsters. Please protect your English Setter from your toddler! The English Setter does well with other dogs and with cats. They also make a good watchdog and will sound the alarm if need be. These good-natured dogs are outgoing, adaptable and can be the life of the party, except of course, for the drool. They will drool on you.