Primarily, setters are of course hunting dogs, and in that capacity they find their most congenial and successful occupation. But there is no reason why, with ordinary care and an occasional long run in the woods and fields, an English setter should not be absolutely healthy and a source of constant satisfaction to his owner, even though the latter may lack the opportunity or inclination to go shooting. It is not the case, as many people seem to believe, that a dog which has been trained and used for actual field work on birds is in any degree spoiled for ordinary life about the home. Among the most satisfactory and likable dogs I have ever known were setters which during the shooting season were used actively in the field, and throughout the balance of the year filled most acceptably the place of the ordinary general purpose dog. The character of a good specimen of the breed leaves little or nothing to be desired; he is full of intelligence and common sense, learns readily, has a kindly though courageous disposition that makes him an ideal dog about the place or on walks and tramps afield, and forms very strong attachments to his master and other persons with whom he may come in frequent contact. In fact, I doubt if there is any other breed that develops a stronger and truer love for man, or more quickly appreciates and repays wise, kindly treatment.
As a watchdog the English setter ranks high, and his reliability of disposition makes him a safe companion for children. There is about him nothing of that semi-treacherous meanness which makes certain other breeds so undesirable, and his general air of bigheartedness is sure to endear him to all who can recognize a good dog when they; see one.
The English setter yields to none in symmetry and grace of outline, beauty; of coat and attractive expression. His head should be long and with a pronounced "stop," as the break in profile at the eyes is termed. The skull is broad and shows plenty of brain room; ears of moderate length, set on low and hanging close to the cheeks. The eyes should be bright and kindly expression, of good size, and dark hazel in color. Nothing detracts more from the pleasing effect of the head than light-colored eyes. The muzzle is quite deep, long from the stop to the point of the nose, and rather square, while the jaws are of equal length. The body should be moderately long, loins wide, strong and slightly arched, and the chest deep, The feet are very compact and well padded, and the legs strong. The tail is, or should be, one of the setter's most beautiful adornments. A good specimen will carry his tail straight from where it leaves the body, for a curve in any direction is objectionable. It is of moderate length and bears that long, silken "flag-" or "feather" which, to my mind, is the most striking single feature of the dog's appearance. There is also a pronounced "feather" on the backs of the front and hind legs, but nowhere on the dog should the hair show any marked tendency to curl, although a slight waviness is permissible.
The color and markings of English setters vary considerably with the different strains, and even dogs of the same litter frequently differ widely in these respects. The generally accepted combinations of color are as follows: white and black, white and lemon, white and liver, white and orange, and tricolor, or white, tan and black. The darker color may be in patches of greater or less size, or in tiny spots which give the dog a flecked appearance. All, of these' combinations look well, so the intending purchaser has to consult merely his individual preference in the matter. In the case of the light-colored dogs perhaps a slight amount of extra care is required to keep their coats looking well.