The ancestry of the Red Setter hailing from Ireland is a mystery. Some suggest that the Irish Setter may descend from crosses between the Irish Water Spaniel, the English and Gordon Setters, some Pointers and perhaps the Bloodhound. By the 18th Century, the Red and White Setter was well-established in Ireland, and through successive breedings, the mahogany version of the Irish Setter was developed. The Irish Setter was originally used as a hunting companion and in the sport of falconry. The Irish Setter was one of the most popular show dogs of the late 19th Century. The elegant, active, and beautiful Irish Setter makes a lovable addition to the family, as long as it has outdoor activity every day.

Appearance
The Irish Setter is an elegantly and dynamic dog. The coat is moderately long and silky and of a deep red color. The modern Red Setter is smaller than his bench-bred cousin Irish Setter. While show dogs often reach 70 lb, the working Red Setter is generally around 45 lb. The coat is less silky and the feathering is generally shorter. The color is lighter, with the working dog found in russet and fawn colors. The Red Setter often has patches of white on his face and chest as the Irish Setter of old did.

Character
The Irish Setter is a happy and playful and this breed is known for its joie de vivre and thrives on activity. The Irish Setter loves to run in open spaces. It is faster and has more endurance than other setter breeds. The Irish Setter can live outside in temperate or warm weather, but it needs warm shelter and needs to come inside in colder weather. It is such a sociable dog that it does best living with its family.
 

Temperament
Lovable, energetic and sweet tempered, Irish Setters are excellent family dogs. Highly affectionate and intelligent, they are good with children as long as the children respect the dog and are respectful to it. Irish Setters must be trained at an early age to prevent the development of bad habits. They are wonderful dogs and considered as a joy to own.

Exercise/Training
The Irish Setter needs exercise, and lots of it. It is not fair to take a dog selected for boundless energy and expect it to sit inside. A minimum of one hour of hard strenuous games and exertion a day is recommended. Because of the Irish Setter’s energy, it is not suited as an apartment dog. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your Golden Retriever will be more useful for the dogs exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
The Irish Setter has a dark mahogany brown or rich chestnut with no trace whatever of black. Sometimes The Irish Setters have white on chest, throat, chin or toes, or a small star on the forehead, or a narrow streak or blaze on the nose or face.

Grooming
The coat of the Irish Setter needs regular brushing and combing every two to three days, plus some clipping and trimming to looks its best. A good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat of the Irish Setter shine and the skin healthy. Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the Irish Setter as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the Irish Setter should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.