How to Train an Irish Setter
- By T Brown
- Published September 20, 2009
- Pets
-
Rating:
Unrated
An Irish Setter, also known as Red Setter, is considered by many to be the most beautiful breed of dog. With long flowing red coats, they are elegant and graceful in stature and motion. Their faces are softly expressive and match their playful personality.
One of its distinctive features is its profusely feathered silky coat. Irish Setter's legs are long and muscular, very fitting for running in the fields. They are extremely quick and powerful movers and they have very keen sense of smell for tracking and setting game animals.
Irish setters have very frisky personalities and many find that their energy is usually through the roof and they always in high spirits. They are extremely friendly dogs and they get along with everybody. They will make poor guard dogs because they have no guarding instincts. If mixed with different pets, Irish Setters will have no trouble coping. In fact, they thrive in a diverse family.
Irish setters must be trained while still young. As early as possible, bad behavior should be modified. Dealing with them requires a firm and consistent leadership. Irish Setters are very intelligent but can be very stubborn and independent minded. Owners must have natural authority over the dog by taking the role of the pack leader.
If they developed dominance problems, they become nearly impossible to train and manage inside the house. They are always in play-mode and can be very funny at times. To prevent too much hyperactivity inside the house, you must give Irish Setters their daily dose of physical and mental exercises.
Irish Setters lacking in stimulation can be destructive. They need an outlet for their mounting energy. But when given lots of attention and exercise, their behavior is pleasantly enjoyable. They are never aggressive and they are very good with children. A little caution though, due to its size, small children may get accidentally knocked down by their lively movements.
Train them only with positive reinforcement. Don't teach the dog to be afraid at you. They may have short attention spans but with consistent, short duration training they are capable of picking up endless number of tricks. Training sessions should be short and sweet, about 3 to 7 minutes a few times a day and you can gradually, make sessions longer as they improve and mature.
One great thing about Irish Setters is that they are easily housebroken. They are naturally clean. They don't want feces in their immediate surrounding and they will naturally find a spot to deposit their wastes. If you see signs to eliminate, take them to your preferred spot. Eventually, they will learn to go to that spot when they need to.
Also, Irish Setters need wide spaces to run and spread their long legs. It is best if you have a yard for Irish Setters frolic all they want.
Always spread their meals apart, about 2-3 small meals a day to prevent bloating.
Owners must understand that Irish Setters will act like puppies for a long time, even as they get larger. They are notoriously slow to mentally mature so it will take about 2 years for your Irish setters mind to catch up with his body.
Grooming Irish Setters is relatively easy. They do shed but not profusely and they shouldn't need frequent bathing. They're nails, however, should be clipped at least once a month.
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