Gordon Setter

 
 

The Gordon Setter is the most sturdy and heavy boned of the Setter's. They are elegant and strong, able to run and hunt for long periods of time. The Gordon has a long and silky coat, with a large amount of feathering on their legs, chest, stomach, ears and tail. The Gordon Setter's long hair hides its deep chest and muscular legs, even so, this athletic dog exudes strength and stamina.

Other Names
Gordon
Country of Origin
Scotland
Colour

The body of the Gordon Setter is mainly a deep black with the rest of the body being a tan colour. A Gordon puppy will begin in a lighter shade of tan which gradually builds into a strong chestnut brown. The eyes, throat, muzzle, two spots on the chest and on the inside of the legs tend be tan and there may be a small white spot on the chest area.

Size
Large
Height / Weight
Bitches measure between 51 - 62cms at the withers and weigh between 21 - 30kgs. Dogs stand between 53 - 66cms and weigh between 25 - 34kgs. This is a heavy boned, solid dog.
Health
As a deep chested dog, the Gordon Setter is prone to gastric torsion (bloat) and care will need to be taken with their feeding regimes to prevent the disorder. There is also a risk of hip dysplasia, which can be common in energetic, ledger breeds. You should look for breeders who screen for eye and hip issues which are genetic and common in the breed, like progressive retinal athropy. To keep your dog as healthy as possible it will is important to maintain both their exercise and nutritional needs.
Life Span

10-13 years

Intelligence
An intelligent and active dog, the Gordon Setter also has a stubborn streak! Train your puppy early, give them encouragement and they will be eager to please, especially with their favourite person. Extra training, field trials and obedience classes, are great to utilise their hunting instinct!
Exercise
High
Suitability (Children)
Low
Feeding

In contrast with other breeds, the Gordon Setter grows slowly. Talk to a breeder about how best to feed your puppy, including feeding before or after exercise. Note: bloating is a common problem in deep chested dogs. Active dogs like Gordon Setters need a good nutritional diet to ensure they have enough energy when they need it!

Feeding Cost
$15-$20 p/w
Other Cost
Excercise
The Gordon Setter is an athletic and physical dog, bred to be both strong and tireless as a gun dog. Gordons need a great deal of exercise, this includes having a large garden and very long walks and runs at least twice daily.
Hair Shed
Little
Ailments
As a deep chested dog, the Gordon Setter is prone to gastric torsion (bloat) and care will need to be taken with their feeding regimes to prevent the disorder. There is also a risk of hip dysplasia, which can be common in energetic, ledger breeds. You should look for breeders who screen for eye and hip issues which are genetic and common in the breed, like progressive retinal athropy. To keep your dog as healthy as possible it will is important to maintain both their exercise and nutritional needs.
Grooming
The Gordon Setter requires regular grooming to maintain their medium, long haired coat. The feathering in particular needs brushing and combing to prevent tangles. It is very important to clean and trim the ears of your Gordon. This helps to prevent infection by allowing more air in the ear canal. While you should be trimming the inside, do not trim the outside of the ear hair. Hair between the pads is another thing that needs to be regularly trimmed and the feet should be checked regularly for grass seeds and burrs.
Grooming Frequency
Once a week
Trimming
Occasional
The Gordon Setter dates back to 1620, where it was first known as the Black and Fallow Setter dog. It appears to have be originated from the Spanish Pointer, and other various early spaniel breeds. The 4th Duke of Gordon established the breed officially at his castle in Banffshire, Scotland in 1827 and the breed owes him its name! The Gordon Setter is the only Scottish gun dog who was specifically bred to hunt game birds, and they do very well hunting on the moors. Gordon Setters are said to bring home more birds, though take longer on the field and their abilities are widely praised.


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