AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL KENNEL COUNCIL

Extended Breed Standard of

THE ENGLISH SETTER

Produced by The English Setter Association of Vic. Inc and The English Setter Club of NSW Inc in con unction !ith The Australian National "ennel Council

Standard ado#ted by "ennel Club $%ondon& '(() Standard ado#ted by AN"C '(() *CI Standard No+ , BSE ado#ted by AN"C '((' Co#yright Australian National "ennel Council '((Country of .rigin / 0nited "ingdo1

Extended Standards are co1#iled #urely for the #ur#ose of training Australian udges and students of the breed.
In order to co1#ly !ith co#yright re2uire1ents of authors3 artists3 and #hotogra#hers of 1aterial used3 the contents 1ust not be co#ied for co11ercial use or any other #ur#ose. 0nder no circu1stances 1ay the Standard or Extended Standard be #laced on the Internet !ithout !ritten #er1ission of the AN"C.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH SETTER AND HISTORY OF THE BREED

The 1ild s!eet dis#osition of the English Setter3 together !ith its beauty3 intelligence and aristocratic a##earance in the field and in the ho1e3 has endeared it to both s#orts1en and lo4ers of a beautiful3 acti4e3 rugged dog. They are referred to as 5The 6entle1an7s 6entle1an7 and are ideal for children.
The English Setter !as trained as a bird dog in England3 a##roxi1ately )88 years ago. There is so1e e4idence that the old English Setter !as originally #roduced fro1 crosses of the S#anish Pointer3 the %arge Water S#aniel and the S#ringer S#aniel.

The 1a or credit for the 1odern English Setter goes to Ed!ard %a4erac93 !ho3 in about ':,;3 obtained fro1 <e4 A =arrison 5Ponto7 and 5.ld >oll7. <e4 =arrison had 9e#t the breed #ure for ?; years or 1ore and fro1 these t!o setters3 %a4erac93 through a re1ar9able #rocess of inbreeding3 #roduced 1any setters of the %a4erac9 or 5bench7 ty#e as !e 9no! it today. Purcell %le!ellyn !as 1ostly res#onsible for the de4elo#1ent of the 5field7 ty#e English Setter. =e #urchased so1e of %a4erac97s best sho! dogs and crossed the1 !ith his o!n 1ixes of English Setter and !ith 6ordon Setters to #roduce a s#eedier3 1ore reliable field dog !ith a 9eener nose. These %le!ellyn field dogs !ere s1aller than the %a4erac9 dogs. They !ere !hite for the 1ost #art !ith large blac9 #atches and often !ith flec9ing on the head3 1u@@le and legs. Their heads !ere thic9er through the s9ull. The 1u@@le in co1#arison to the length of s9ull !as shorter than si1ilar 1easure1ents for the %a4erac9 ty#e. The 1u@@le !as inclined to!ards sni#iness. 5Belton7 !as the na1e of a 4illage in Northu1berland3 $a county in the far north of England on the Scottish border& and refers to the s#otting effect of English Setters3 9no!n as flec9ing. >r %a4erac9 !as the first to use the ter1 5belton7 and it is referred to as 5his7 !ord for flec9ing. *lec9ing !as the #referred 1ar9ing for !hich %a4erac9 stri4ed. The dog should be !ell groo1ed and should loo9 as natural as #ossible !ithout a sha4ed a##earance. All dead coat should be re1o4ed to lea4e the coat s1ooth and sil9y. It is co11on #ractice for the rear #asterns3 throat and the to# of the ears $one third do!n& to be tri11ed.

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! GENERAL APPEARANCE Of medium height, clean in outline, elegant in appearance and movement.
*irst and fore1ost3 the English Setter is an aristocratic and noble breed3 sho!ing elegance and balance in a to# sho! s#eci1en co1bined !ith that 1ost i1#ortant #rere2uisite of substance and correctly articulated li1bs3 1a9ing it ca#able of #erfor1ing in the field the tas9s for !hich it !as originally bred. The English Setter has a gentle dis#osition3 friendly 1anner and soft yet alert ex#ression.

! CHARACTERISTICS Very active with a keen game sense. The English Setter should sho! enthusias1 in !or9 and #lay3 and dis#lay good scenting #o!ers #lus a 9een ga1e sense fro1 an early age. ! TEMPERAMENT Intensely friendly and good natured. There is a gentle 9indness to!ards 1an and they adore co1#any of any 9ind. They are extre1ely biddable and tractable by nature.

Dog

Fig. 1

Bitch

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! HEAD AND SKULL ead carried high, long and reasona!ly lean, with well defined stop. "kull oval from ear to ear, showing plenty of !rain room, a well#defined occipital protu!erance. $u%%le moderately deep and fairly s&uare, from stop to point of nose should e&ual length of skull from occiput to eyes, nostrils wide and 'aws of nearly e&ual length, flews not too pendulous( colour of nose !lack or liver, according to colour of coat.
The English Setter that 1o4es !ith head naturally high on a loose lead and !hen running free is a fine sight. The si@e of the head should be #ro#ortional to the body. The s9ull !hen 4ie!ed fro1 abo4e should be o4al3 i.e. long3 !ith little difference bet!een the !idth at base of s9ull and !idth at bro!s. The s9ull should be 1ediu1 !idth only3 !ith no suggestion of coarseness.

)o stop

Flat head ,ack of stop

igh ear set

Down faced

"nipey

*oman nose

Flew too pendulou s

-ood head. "kull and mu%%le of e&ual length. .ell defined stop and occipital protru!erance.

The 1u@@le should be of e2ual length to the s9ull and 1oderately dee#. The fle!s should be neither #endulous nor sni#ey. As the English Setter is a scenting breed3 it should ha4e a good si@e of nose !ith !ell de4elo#ed nostrils.

Fig. +

! EYES Bright, mild and e/pressive. 0olour ranging !etween ha%el and dark !rown, the darker the !etter. In liver !eltons only, a lighter eye accepta!le. 1yes oval and not protruding. The dar9er the eye in an English Setter the 1ore #referred it is. The light eye is recessi4e in orange beltons3 also le1on3 blue and tricolour. The lighter eye is only acce#table in the li4er beltons3 as the gene deter1ining li4er colouration #recludes dar9 eyes.
The sha#e of the eye is 1ore o4al than round3 but not al1ond. The lids3 #articularly the lo!er3 should fit tightly so ha! is not ex#osed. The eyes should be fairly large and neither dee# set nor #rotruding. Eyelids ri1s should be dar9ly #ig1ented.

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! EARS $oderate length, set on low, and hanging in neat folds close to cheek, tip velvety, upper part clothed in fine silky hair. Ears should be set at eye le4el and a##roxi1ately t!oAthirds the distance bac9 fro1 sto# to occi#ut. They should be nearly long enough to reach the nose. The leathers are fine3 not hea4y or thic9 and the ti#s are co4ered !ith short3 4el4ety hair3 the longer hair falling fro1 the u##er #art of the ear. ! MOUTH 2aws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor !ite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set s&uare to the 'aws. Full dentition desira!le. This is selfAex#lanatory. .4ershot3 undershot and !ry a!s are faults and should not be #er#etuated.
.ry mouth Fig. 3

"cissor !ite

,evel !ite

Overshot

4ndershot

! NECK *ather long, muscular and lean, slightly arched at crest, and clean cut where it 'oins head, towards shoulder larger and very muscular never throaty nor pendulous !elow throat, !ut elegant in appearance.
The nec9 of the English Setter should be inclined to long rather than short or stuffy. It is elegant in a##earance3 but 1uscular and #o!erful at the sa1e ti1e. A nec9 !ell arched at the crest gi4es the strong and flo!ing nec9line !hich blends s9ull to shoulders !ithout abru#t uncture and allo!s the English Setter an elegant3 graceful carriage. There should be no hea4y de!la# although there is al!ays so1e throat in any dog.
Fig. 5

.ell arched neck

1we neck

Extended Breed Standard of the English Setter - Page 5

)eck too short

6oo throaty

Fig. 5a

! FOREQUARTERS "houlders well set !ack or o!li&ue, chest deep in !risket, very good depth and width !etween shoulder !lades, forearms straight and very muscular with rounded !one, el!ows well let down close to !ody, pasterns, short, strong, round and straight. The shoulder blade and u##er ar1 should be of co11ensurate length3 oining in such a !ay that results in a !ell angulated front3 ensuring good reach of stride. Correct angulation !ill result in the elbo!s being #laced !ell under the dog3 i.e. in line !ith the !ither !hen 4ie!ed in #rofile. The elbo!s should neither #oint out nor turn in. The forelegs should be straight !ith no tendency to bo! or turn out at the #asterns.
When 4ie!ed fro1 the front3 the !idth bet!een the forelegs should be 1aintained to the #oint of shoulder and then cur4e in a lateral #lane so that the t!o shoulder blades3 !hen they nearly 1eet at the to# of the shoulder $i.e. !ither&3 should be close together. When 4ie!ed fro1 the front the !idth of chest should be in #ro#ortion to3 and in balance !ith3 the rest of the dog.. When the dog is standing !ith his head u# the !ithers should not #rotrude3 i.e. the shoulder should lie flat against the body so that the nec9 and shoulders flo! together. The forelegs are straight and of good rounded bone3 #er#endicular to the ground !hen 4ie!ed fro1 the side3 straight and #arallel fro1 in front. The #astern is short !ith flexibility3 and at a slight angle a!ay fro1 the #er#endicular.

When exa1ining the forechest3 one should feel under the coat for the #rosternu1 bone !hich should #rotrude. The front angulation 1ust be co1#le1entary to the rear angulation. .nce again3 o4erall balance 1ust be stressed.

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Fig. 7

-ood assem!ly

,ack of angulation

"houlder !lade too short

4pper arm too short

-ood front

Out at el!ow

6ied at el!ow

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! BODY $oderate length, !ack short and level with good round widely#sprung ri!s and deep in !ack ri!s, i.e. well ri!!ed up.
The o4erall length of the English Setter7s body is 1oderate3 that is a4oiding extre1es or excess. The length of bac93 i.e. fro1 !ither to the last ribBloin is short. The ribs are to be !ell s#rung and dis#lay de#th in the bac9 ribs. Barrel ribbed or slab sided dogs are both incorrectly built. The s#ring or cur4e of rib should be 1ini1u1 at the front3 1axi1u1 about the centre and less again to!ards the loin3 si1ilar to the structure of a boat. The chest should be dee#3 reaching to the elbo!.

The bac9line should be le4el !ithout any suggestion of a di# behind the !ither3 or excessi4e slo#e to!ards the rear.

-ood spring of ri!

Barrel#chested

"la!#sided

Fig. 8 "trong nearly level topline 9ngulation !alanced front and rear -ood tail set

Extended Breed Standard of the English Setter - Page 8

Fig. :

"ickle hock

! HINDQUARTERS ,oins wide, slightly arched, strong and muscular, legs well muscled including second thigh, stifles well !ent and thighs long from hip to hock, hock inclining neither in nor out and well let down.
The hind2uarters consist of the loinC the crou# i.e. the section of the 4ertebral colu1n i11ediately in front of the dog7s tailC the #el4isC the hind legs. The bones of the tail are attached to the rear of the crou#3 and the carriage of the tail3 e.g. high3 erect3 hori@ontal3 lo!3 is de#endent on the angle at !hich the crou# is set to the #el4is.

The loin should be short !ithout any di#3 !ell 1uscled and slightly arched. There should be no sign of a hu1# or 2uarters higher than the !ither.
The setting of the #el4is is crucial to correct hind angulation3 fro1 !hich the dri4ing force of the dog originates. If the #el4is setting is too flat3 the angle bet!een the long bones of the hind legs !ill be too !ide3 and the dog7s ability to reach !ell for!ard !ill be affected ad4ersely. If it is set too stee#ly3 then the thrust of the hind legs !ill be directed u#!ards instead of for!ards. The #el4is of the English Setter tends to the hori@ontal3 but the setting 1ust not be so flat as to result in loss of angulation and

hence dri4e.
The angulation 1ust be co1#li1entary to the fore2uarters !ith stifles !ell bent and the !hole of the hind leg long fro1

hi# to hoc9. A #o!erfully built structurally sound hind2uarter is 1andatory for dri4e and length of stride.
.ell !ent or well angulated hock

Straight stifles and !ea9 hoc9s !ill inhibit the freedo1 of action !hich should be characteristic of the breed. .4erAangulation behind is as serious a fault as lac9 of angulation. If the second thigh is too long3 the hoc9s !ill #ro ect too far to the rear of the dog resulting in lac9 of control and so1eti1es co!Ahoc9s as !ell.
The hoc9s should be #er#endicular to the ground3 neither turning in $co!A hoc9ed& nor turning out !hen 4ie!ed fro1 the rear. A short rear #astern is #referred.
Fig. :a

A sic9le hoc9ed dog stands !ith his #asterns angled slightly for!ard3 ne4er standing !ell u# on his hoc9s. Sic9le hoc9ed action is stiff !ith no use of the hoc9 oint.

-ood rear

ocking out

0owhocked

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The !hole hind2uarter of the English Setter !hen 4ie!ed in #rofile should be broad3 !ith a good co4ering of !ell de4elo#ed 1uscle3 #articularly in the second thigh fro1 !here 1ust of the #o!er of 1o4e1ent originates. Earlier Standards described the English Setter hind2uarters as 5rugged73 con4eying the i1#ression of great strength.

A correctly confor1ed hind2uarter !ill enable the dog to 1o4e for!ard !ith dri4e and control. In conclusion3 sound hi# oints co1#le1ent correct angulation.

! FEET .ell padded, tight, with close well arched toes protected !y hair !etween them. The feet should not be too large but in #ro#ortion. An English Setter7s feet 1ust ha4e strong3 thic9 #ads3 !ell arched and closely set toes !hich #ro4ide flex and absorb strain. They should not be rounded li9e that of a cat.
Fig. ;

6oes arched, closely set

"played

Down at pastern

! TAIL "et almost in line with !ack, medium length, not reaching !elow hock, neither curly nor ropy, slightly curved or scimitar#shaped !ut with no tendency to turn upwards( flag or feathers hanging in long pendant flakes. Feather commencing slightly !elow the root, and increasing in length towards middle, then gradually tapering towards end, hair long !right, soft and silky wavy !ut not curly. ,ively and slashing in movement and carried in a plane not higher than level of !ack. The tail is ideally of 1ediu1 length reaching to the hoc9 oint only. It should be set on the body A%>.ST in line !ith the bac9. The tail and its 5set on7 acts as the dog7s rudder and therefore any great de4iation3 either high or lo! effects the o4erall balance of the dog. The tail is sci1itar sha#ed3 that is slightly cur4ed !ith greater thic9ness at the root !hilst ta#ering to a thinner ti#. The !ord 5sci1itar7 refers to the actual sha#e of the tail underneath its graduated feathering. .n the 1o4e the tail should be used in a li4ely3 slashing action3 but ought not be carried abo4e the le4el of the bac93 and certainly not droo#ing or cla1#ed bet!een the legs.

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-ood tail set

Fig. <

"tifle well !ent -ood rear assem!ly

4pper and lower thigh e/tremely long -ood short rear pastern ,ow tail set

4pper and lower thigh too short. "traight stifle *ear pastern too long

! GAIT/MOVEMENT Free and graceful action, suggesting speed and endurance. Free movement of the rear pastern showing powerful drive from hind&uarters. Viewed from rear, hip, stifle and hock 'oints in line. ead naturally high.
Fig. 1=

"tarting to gait

$edium speed

"ingle track

Extended Breed Standard of the English Setter - Page 11

Fig. 11 Back level

ead up

-ood reach and drive

Over reaching

ackney )o e/tension

)o reach )o drive

0overing no ground

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The gait should be free and effortless3 exhibiting agility and 1o4e1ent !ith a !ell balanced ground co4ering stride3 sho!ing good reach in the front and strong #ro#ulsion fro1 the rear. When standing3 the dog7s !eight should be e4enly distributed at the four corners of his body. =is legs are #arallel in this #osition and a##ear to re1ain #arallel as he starts to !al9. To 1aintain his balance as he gathers s#eed3 the legs3 both front and rear3 angle in!ard to the centre line of the body of the dog3 !hile the to#line re1ains fir1 and le4el. The legs !ill 1o4e !ell for!ard and bac9 !ithout any de4iation of the rear #asterns fro1 the straight line of ad4ance.

When 4ie!ed fro1 the front3 elbo!s should be held close to the body neither turning in nor out. There should be no crossing of one foot o4er the other3 i.e. 5!ea4ing or 5#addling73 and hac9ney front action is incorrect and the result of faulty confor1ation andBor lac9 of balance !ith the dog7s hind2uarters. <otation or excessi4e lifting of the hind leg is ob ectionable. The English Setter should ha4e a long3 lo!3 groundAco4ering stride3 !ithout !asted 1otion. Correct 1o4e1ent is facilitated by good angulation. The s!ing and reach of the forelegs should coordinate !ith the action of the rear. The bac9line should be s1ooth and le4el !ithout bounce or roll. The oints should flex easily and s1oothly3 #ro4iding strong thrust fro1 the rear li1bs. Balance facilitates good foot ti1ing. The feet should 1o4e close to the ground and in line !ith the leg ahead or behind. Carriage should be bold3 confident and alert !ith head u# and tail !agging in ti1e to his 1o4e1ent. ! COAT From !ack of head in line with ears slightly wavy, not curly, long and silky as is coat generally, !reeches and forelegs nearly down to feet well feathered. The texture of the coat is ideally sil9y3 but !ill 4ary slightly fro1 ani1al to ani1al. A !a4y coat is correct3 but there should be no tendency to curl. ! COLOUR Black and white >!lue !elton?, orange and white >orange !elton?, lemon and white >lemon !elton?, liver and white >liver !elton? or tricolour, that is !lue !elton and tan or liver !elton and tan, those without heavy patches of colour on !ody !ut flecked >!elton? all over preferred. All of the colours set do!n in the Standard are e2ually correct and #er1issible. The ter1 5belton7 refers to the flec9ing of the coat !ith colour. The ground colour is !hite3 and for blue beltons the blac9 hairs flec9 through the !hite gi4ing a 1arbled a##earance. In the case of le1ons3 oranges3 etc.3 the le1on or orange hairs ta9e the #lace of the blac9 ones. So1eti1es the blac93 le1on or orange hairs #redo1inate so that #ractically no !hite a##ears3 and such 1ar9ing is called 5roan7. The flec9ing 1ust ho!e4er be #resent in 5roan7 ani1als. With tricolours the tan 1ar9ings are located on the 1u@@le3 o4er the lo!er li1bs and there should be a tan s#ot o4er each eye.

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Solid #atches a##earing on the head and ears should not be #enalised. Dogs !ith hea4y body #atches are not desirable but should be #laced o4er a s#eci1en of inferior ty#e and structure. ! SIZE eight@

Dogs Bitches

87#8< cms >+7A#+: ins? 81#87 cms >+5#+7A ins?

Too great a de4iation fro1 these height s#ecifications in either direction !ill result in a s#eci1en that does not 1eet the breed #rescri#tion 5of 1ediu1 height7. It is i1#ortant that dogs loo9 li9e the 1ale gender and bitches the fe1ale gender. When the Challenge !inners co1e before the udge for Best of Breed3 they should both be re#resentati4e s#eci1ens not only of the breed but of their sex.

! FAULTS 9ny departure from the foregoing points should !e considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should !e regarded should !e in e/act proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog, and on the dogBs a!ility to perform its traditional work. Self ex#lanatory ! NOTE $ale animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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! SUMMARY
Each of the Setter breeds has so1e si1ilar characteristics3 ho!e4er3 the differences bet!een the breeds should be recognised and re1e1bered. The sta1# of an English Setter as an indi4idual Setter breed goes 1uch further than its colour.

The breeder !ho has a genuine co11it1ent to the English Setter !ill al!ays 9ee# in 1ind the origins of the breed3 irres#ecti4e of !hether or not his dogs !ill e4er be called u#on to #ut in a day7s !or9 beyond the sho!ring. A #oint to note E the English Setter is a slo! 1aturing breed3 so udges should 1a9e allo!ance for legginess in #u##ies.

Fig. 1+

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