Why don't I ever see Irish Setters?

Scooter

Scooter

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When I was a kid we had one and she was a very sweet dog. She had a lot of health problems though- epililepsy and arthritis in her hips. Is that why I never see them? I go to the dog park several times a week with Zoe for the past year and I have never once seen an Irish Setter. Weird.
 
They went through a phase where they were incredibly popular - and you ended up with a lot of dogs with health problems. Their decline in popularity may just be what saves the breed . . . They really are lovely dogs, though. I had a neighbor when I was in high school who had one and he was just a sweet, handsome, obliging, trustworthy soul.
 
My second dog growing up was a beautiful Irish Setter , but a real bone head !!! When he died I looked into other hunting dogs for my Dad and we went Goldens from then on . I think that there was too much in breeding back when . Too bad that they went astray . I think that the only serious breeders are for the ring .
 
My moms friend has one. He takes his to the dog park daily and I see him all the time. But other then his dog, I never see any other Irish setters.
 
You know another formerly popular breed that I almost never see is Shar Pei . . .they were a fad and way, way overbred . . .and I haven't seen a purebred Shar Pei since high school I think. These things come in waves . . . breed gets popular . . . is overbred . . . reputation suffers . . . becomes rare.
 
There are a few around here... I even saw a red and white last week. My aunt has a red and white as well.

Lilavati: Shar Pei's aren't very common anymore at all! One of my old managers had two, and there's one more in town here that I know of, but not many at all.

Kinda like dalmatians too.
 
I agree, haven't seen one in person in quite a few years...........huh, never even thought about it until now either.
 
I know a rather dashing Irish Setter named Oats. He's such a charming fellow. Trying to woe all the ladies.


As for Shar-Peis I have seen so many lately. They boomed up all over the place for a week. First time I had ever seen one in person then they were popping up all over the place.
 
I love setters - I remember my aunties old irish (years and years ago now) called Scooby!

And my librarian when I was in school showed English Setters - quite well - at crufts.

I loved that librarian, I kind of lost touch with her, but I bet she's still at the school... She used to take me to ringcraft with her!! We'd sit and watch all the puppies... I remember 2 dobie pups, one red, one black... they were called Guinness and... something else!! Cor, that's years ago now! :yikes:
 
I've had acouple of Irish red and whites show up to my agility classes. Come to think of it, I have had some really interesting breeds show up to my agility classes.
 
I've seen one Irish Setter in real life, at a fun run. He was a half-grown puppy . . . so incredibly skinny!
 
A guy who used to work with me had a couple Irish Setters that he would show. I think they are not so popular because they have more grooming needs and are not a very easily trained dog.
 
I've seen a couple Irish around--a few that would come into board and then a guy I knew in high school has one. Another place I used to work had a Red & White come in daily for daycare.
 
Lilavati said:
You know another formerly popular breed that I almost never see is Shar Pei . . .they were a fad and way, way overbred . . .and I haven't seen a purebred Shar Pei since high school I think. These things come in waves . . . breed gets popular . . . is overbred . . . reputation suffers . . . becomes rare.
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thank goodness, i have yet to meet one that wasn't grumpy and aggressive.
I imagine Irish Setters are like brittneys and the rest, a bit to high bred to be the pefect house dog. What i don't understand is why the clumber spaniel doesn't reign for popularity, a slower less impact dog, glad to lay around. It wsa the only one i would recommend for alot of people.
 
Our Irish was pretty laid back ...just dumb and very head strong . .Ended up with bad heart and dropped dead eating his supper .
 
smkie said:
thank goodness, i have yet to meet one that wasn't grumpy and aggressive.
I imagine Irish Setters are like brittneys and the rest, a bit to high bred to be the pefect house dog. What i don't understand is why the clumber spaniel doesn't reign for popularity, a slower less impact dog, glad to lay around. It wsa the only one i would recommend for alot of people.
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All the "what kind of dog should you get" websites tell me my life will never be complete without a Clumber. I have to conceed that I am very fond of the breed. However, I sincerely hope they do NOT become popular . . . they have plenty of problems without being puppy milled. So many genetic problems that I pretty much took them off my list . . . that all that white, sheding fur.

Yeah, I was never a fan of Shar Peis . . . many of the adults are both ugly and mean . . . but I remember when they were everywhere and a Shar Pei puppy was THE thing to have. It is a little spooky to see a breed that was so popular just sort of vanish . . .you end up wondering what happened to them all . . . though I guess they'd be dead of old age now.

Irish settlers are just lovely . . . but I have to admit their reputation is 'boneheads' . . . but that is probably the result of all the overbreeding. Sporting dogs can't be dumb and really do their jobs. I do have to admit that I have never figured out why big high energy dogs are always touted as family dogs . . . my family maybe . . . but we lived in the country.
 
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