Does anyone out here have and/or ride with a Red Setter? I am really keen to get one, they look like great fun. I was put off a Border Collie by the possibility of it going a bit mental. Setters seem to require a bit less exercise (although still quite a lot) and are generally a bit more laid back.

Are they suitable riding buddies? (Obviously once it’s fully grown – have heard they shouldn’t be allowed up/down stairs till 9 months) Can they be trained to run behind the bike (rather than in front) for 20 odd miles?

Any other stories would be very welcome 🙂 I am trying to figure out how much my lifestyle will have to be adapted. Specifically, if I can take a dog to work, or find a new job where that’s possible. I wouldn’t get one if it’d be kept indoors on it’s own all day.

Cheers!

Setters go mental with time according to friends who have had numerous ones. Energetic and very friendly though.

We grew up with them and my lasting memory is that they are a bit daft. And a bit dangerous around bikes. Otherwise – lovely.

Springer spanniels are great trail buddies. Clever enough not to get in the way, Fit enough to keep up round a trail centre.
I’ve never owner a Setter but friends do and said thatthey can be a little stupid when it come to their own safety…

Setters are mental from birth – in a lovely way 😉

Hmm. This kind of mental at least sounds a bit better than the collie neurotic-ocd sort of mental. Think I had better go and meet a few…

setters are a great example of a good working breed totally and royaly **** by the Kennel Club.

How do you mean? Inbreeding? I don’t care about pedigree and think dog shows are a bit sick. I think Setters look beautiful and seems to have a fun friendly nature.

Beautiful but thick as mince ime

Beautiful, intelligent, energetic and loving etc… We’ve had two in the last 15 years.

Perhaps not really bike-dogs though – to intelligent to just follow you around. They would be off investigating whatever took their fancy and chasing wild fowl generally. I think you’d spend too much time worrying what the dog was upto instead of enjoying your ride 😆

They do have plenty of energy and they are as fit as any dog I’ve ever owned.

Beautiful, intelligent, energetic and loving etc… We’ve had two in the last 15 years.

Perhaps not really bike-dogs though – to intelligent to just follow you around. They would be off investigating whatever took their fancy and chasing wild fowl generally. I think you’d spend too much time worrying what the dog was upto instead of enjoying your ride 😆

They do have plenty of energy and they are as fit as any dog I’ve ever owned.

The grooming would concern me – bit time-consuming surely? Just think of the undergrowth getting buried in that mass of fur!!

I would have thought a Border Collie would be a good choice but obviously you would need to research the line.

I think they’re probably as mental as collies

Gordon setters are where its at!

Gordon setters are where its at!

Hey, now you’re talking. 8)

Did I hear that numbers are down?

Beautiful but thick as mince ime

I was trying to put it nicely but Heather Bash has summed it up perfectly! Seriously – they dont get on with bikes.

Daft as a brush. Remember a mates squashing a bird once when it rolled on it.

My girlfriend had one when I was younger and it was nutty as a fruitcake.

Just lately, out with my dog, we frequently pass a chap with 2 of them, they get on great with my dog, are not bothered about my bike and seem very well mannered.
The owner usually just walks off and leaves them to forage, then whistles with a high-pitch dog whistle and they immediately run after him.
So, obviously, they can be trained to act sensibly!

My Irish setter goes out with us on the bikes and is fine with it but only where we can trust him not to disappear across a road etc.

Completely independantly minded dog, never just follows as just runs for the sake of running, loves the muddiest puddles to lie in, nightmare to train, mad as a box of frogs at times, but softest dog I’ve ever owned as he wants to be everybodys best friend and is completely non-agressive.

We had acouple back in the late seventies/early eighties (Paddy & Crisp!).
Both pedigrees and both mad as mad jack mcmad….One of them jumped through a large sash window to chase a cat on th inside of the building…unfortunately the window was closed……Priceless!!
They have a great nature…and make good pets….but ours were both pedigreed to the max which meant a good few health problems…..

They sound great. I’ve not owned a dog before, so I guess puppy training will be a fairly full-time occupation!

Having had dogs of all kinds in our extended family – spaniels of various types, Newfie, boxers, collies, irish setter, border terriers and currently 2 labs myself – the setter is a lovely dog but definitely not the brightest or easiest to train of the bunch. And the last(OK, apart from the Newfie) that I’d take biking! Still – YMMV of course. Good luck whatever you go for – best decision of your life is to get a dog – I really mean that!

Actually, they sound just like a bigger, hairier version of my GSP!

The problem with Red Setters is that their heads are too narrow to actually fit a brain – hence why they are all as daft as a brush 🙂

Cheers, Rich