Raising dogs, in particular taking care of the irish setter, is a specialty of humans. Some zoologists have proven dogs were domesticated between twelve thousand and twenty five thousand years ago—and that all dogs evolved from wolves. Since then, human beings have selectively bred more than 400 breeds, ranging in size from 4-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose 3-ft stature has earned them the title of the tallest pooch. However, the most widespread dogs are non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The irish setter is also a popular choice among canine owners. Some owners are oblivious, however, of some of the most common irish setter care tips.
Typical cost of care for your irish setter
The yearly cost of providing for your irish setter—to include nutrition and treats, to vet bills, toys and license—can vary between $420 and seven hundred eighty dollars. This is not even considering capital costs for sterilization operations, a collar and leash, a dog carrier and a dog crate. Tip: Be sure you have all of your items before getting your irish setter home for the first time.
Basic irish setter Care
Feeding your irish setter
- irish setter pups between eight and 12 weeks old need four meals in a 24 hour period.
- Feed irish setter pups 3 to 6 months old 3 meals every 24 hour period.
- Feed pups 6 months to one year old 2 bowls of food in a day.
- When your irish setter hits his first birthday, 1 meal in a day is adequate.
- Many times irish setters, however, prefer 2 smaller bowls. It’s your job to learn your irish setter’s eating tendencies.
High-quality dry dogfood provides balanced nutrition for grown irish setters and may be mixed with broth, water, or canned food. Your irish setter may be fond of fruits and vegetables, cottage cheese, and cooked eggs, but these dishes shouldn’t be more than 10 percent of his daily calorie intake. irish setter pups need to be given high-quality, brand-name puppy food. Please try to cut down on “table food”, however, since it can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, bone and teeth problems, and might lead to very picky eating habits as well as obesity. Give clean, potable water only, and make certain to clean food and water dishes regularly.
irish setter Care Tips: Your irish setter needs physical activity daily
irish setters need exercise so they can stay in shape, recharge their minds, and remain in good health. Daily physical activity also really helps irish setters avoid boredom, which would often lead to difficult behavior. A little fun and games would quell most of your irish setter’s instinctual urges to chew, dig, chase, retrieve and herd. Exercise needs will depend on your irish setter’s age and his level of health—but ten minutes in the backyard and a couple of walks around the block every day probably won’t cut it. If your irish setter is a 6 to 18 month adolescent, her requirements will probably be greater.
Grooming tips for irish setters
Frequent brushing will help keep your irish setter clean and reduce shedding. Inspect for ticks and fleas daily during warm weather. Sometimes irish setters don’t need a bath more than a few times during the year. Prior to bathing, comb or cut out any and all mats from the irish setter’s hair. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or dirt will stick to the soap.
irish setter Handling
Pups, as opposed to adults, are clearly the easiest to handle. When carrying your irish setter pup, place 1 hand under the dog’s chest, either with the forearm or other hand supporting her hind legs and rear. Don’t ever try to grab or lift your pup by his forelegs, back of the neck or tail. When you need to pick up a larger, adult irish setter, pick it up from underneath, bracing her chest with one of your arms and rump with the other arm.
How to House the irish setter
irish setters need a cozy peaceful place to be able to relax apart from all the breezes and away from the ground or floor. You may want to think about purchasing a dog bed, or make one out of a wood box. Put a clean blanket or pillow inside the bed as cushion. Wash the irish setter’s bed covering often. If the irish setter will be outdoors frequently, make certain she has plenty of cool water and shade in the summer, and a dry, warm, covered area in the cold.
Licensing and Identification for irish setters
Your community has licensing rules to heed. Make certain to connect the license to your irish setter’s collar. The license, together with an identification tag, can help you recover your irish setter if she happens to go missing.
Info on irish setter Behavior
irish setter Training
A well-behaved, companion irish setter can truly be a blessing to raise. However, when untrained, your dog can possibly be trouble. Training your irish setter on the basics—”Stay”, “Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, and “Leave it”—improves the relationship both with the pooch and your relatives. If you own a pup, start training her on the right behavior as fast as you can! Meals can be used as incentive and recognition. Pups should commence obedience courses when they have been sufficiently immunized. Contact the local humane society or SPCA for information about obedience school recommendations. Invariably you should walk your irish setter on a leash while in public, even while a pup. Just be certain your doggie will come back to you at all times whenever you tell him. An aggressive or disobedient irish setter shouldn’t play with kids.
irish setter Health
Your irish setter should see the veterinarian for a thorough exam, shots and a heartworm test annualy, and ASAP when he is sick or hurt.
Your irish setter’s Dental Health
While many of us may simply dislike our irish setter’s halitosis, we must be aware of what it may represent. Halitosis usually indicates that your irish setter is in need of a dental examination. Plaque , which is brought on by unhealthy bacteria brings a terrible odor that can only be cured by the help of a professional. After a cleaning done by a professional, his gums and teeth may be maintained by brushing regularly, feeding a special diet focused on dental health, and eliminating table food. The vet can give you more tips on eradicating dental ailments and stinky breath. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your irish setter’s teeth. You can clean them with a nylon stocking wrapped around your finger, a gauze pad, or a child’s soft toothbrush. Sometimes irish setters develop periodontal disease, sometimes referred to as gum disease. This troublesome affliction can initiate tooth loss and also spread diseases throughout the body. The vet will most likely brush his teeth as a regular part of your irish setter’s health screening.
Halitosis (bad breath) in irish setters
Even though periodontal disease by itself is not that big of a deal when it is caught early, bad breath may be indicative of fairly serious, chronic issues. Intestinal or liver diseases sometimes cause halitosis, whereas a fruity, sweet smell may frequently be a sign of diabetes. Kidney disease may be the reason if your irish setter’s breath smells like urine or ammonia. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your irish setter has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Fleas and Ticks in irish setters
Throughout the summer, it’s important for you to perform daily, regular checks of your irish setter for fleas and ticks. Remove and find fleas using a flea comb. There are many new technologies of flea and tick control. Talk with your veterinarian about his or her recommendations.
Heartworms in irish setters
This parasite resides in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your irish setter by way of mosquitoes. Heartworm infections are known to be fatal. It is wise to give your irish setter a blood test for heartworms every spring—this is required for stopping infestations from the past year. You should also give your irish setter a once-a-month tablet throughout the warm, wet time of the year in order to protect him from heartworms. Whenever you travel in a warmer-than-usual region with your irish setter in the winter, your dog needs to be on the preventive medicine during the trip. In some of the more moderate regions, veterinarians recommend preemptive parasite medication year round.
Medications and Poisons
Do not ever give your irish setter medicine that has not been prescribed by a veterinarian. As little as one ibuprofen tablet is known to initiate stomach ulcers in irish setters. Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your irish setter. Be sure to call your dog’s vet if you have reason to believe your irish setter has eaten poison. You should also contact the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for twenty-four hr. help.
irish setter Reproductive Surgery
Male irish setters should be neutered – the removal of the testes – and females spayed – the extraction of the uterus and ovaries – by 6 months old. You will usually greatly reduce your female’s breast cancer risk by spaying before maturity. The chance of an infected uterus, which is another serious affliction that affects older females, will also be removed by spaying when young. Testicular cancer, prostate diseases, some hernias and certain types of aggressions are all preventable by neutering males.
irish setter Innoculating
- The combo vaccine (also called the “5-in-one shot”) must be given to your irish setter at two, 3, and 4 months old and then once yearly. This immunization protects your puppy from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. The irish setter puppy’s innoculation regimen cannot be finished before four months of age.
- If your irish setter has not been immunized and is older than 4 months, she will need to be given two innoculations promptly, two to 3 weeks apart. After that you must innoculate every year.
- Your irish setter pup’s innoculations should coincide with her socialization program. You may bring your irish setter puppy to socialization classes as early as 8 or 9 weeks old, as recommended by most vets. At this age, they should have already received their first immunizations.
Laws are so varied between different areas, the best thing is to contact your community vet to get rabies innoculation information. For example, in NYC, the statute requires all pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the original innoculation, you must get a second innoculation the next year, and then every three years after that. There are several immunizations, many of which are effective for your irish setter. Others, however, are not. Ask your irish setter’s vet for her opinion. Also, if your irish setter gets ill because he is not immunized, do not give the immunization until the dog has made a full recovery.
Intestinal Parasites in irish setters
irish setters are often exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Eggs that carry intestinal worms are transmitted through a dog’s feces. Even the healthiest of irish setter puppies carry intestinal worms. An accurate, early diagnosis is the key to treatment. This will make sure that the treatment is effective against the parasite your irish setter has. A dewormer that eliminates roundworms, for example, won’t kill tapeworms. Your irish setter’s doctor can best figure out the culprit—and decide the right treatment.
irish setter Care Tips: Additional Info
Checklist of irish setter Supplies
- Top-quality dog food and snacks specifically designed for irish setters and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water dish
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Brush and comb for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and identification tag
- Leash
- Dog carrier (for pups)
- Training crate
- Box or dog bed with blanket or towel
- Doggie toothbrush
Warnings to be Heeded
Never, ever feed your irish setter the following:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Chocolate
- Raisins and grapes
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, chives & garlic
- Poultry bones
- Salt or salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Dough
The scoop on poop
Retain your irish setter on a leash when you are outdoors, unless you are in a fenced-in, secured spot. When your irish setter goes number 2 on your neighbor’s lawn, her sidewalk or any other public space, please take care of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about irish setters
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