One of the most glamorous of all breeds, the English Setter has the ability to attract not only those who admire a stylish worker, but also those who want a dog capable of being a cheerful companion.
His coat has an overall basis of white, flecked generously with black, lemon or liver, with the black or liver occasionally intermingled with tan into a tricolour. The flecking is referred to by the cognoscenti as ‘belton’, thus lemon belton or orange belton. A longish, fairly lean head on a slightly arched neck, well set shoulders and firm straight bone, a deep chest, and strong muscular hindquarters are the hallmarks of a handsome breed which must combine elegance, quality and stamina under a silky, easily groomed coat.
Development of the English Setter into the breed as we know it today began around the mid 1800s. The breed was shown at the first dog show in Newcastle in 1859.