English Setter Grooming

English Setter grooming can be easy, or it can be high-maintenance. If you keep these Setters as hunting dogs, you will want and appreciate a practical cut. There will be some care required, but not nearly as much as those dogs whose coats are maintained for show. Still, the hair is silky and fine, and it gets long quickly, so there will be a fair amount of grooming required even when their coats are kept short.

English Setter grooming is essential to this breed's good looks and health. These dogs' coats have significant feathering, and the long, silky hair can easily get tangled and matted if left unbrushed. The longest hair is found on their legs, ears and the underside of their torsos. These body parts are prone to collecting debris when moving. It's recommended that you learn how to groom an English Setter. Otherwise, be prepared to find a good professional groomer who is experienced with grooming English Setters.

Even if you don't use these dogs for hunting, where they tend to get burs and dirt in their coats, you will need to brush them a few times a week. A hair de-tangler for dogs is practically mandatory before brushing or combing. You'll also want to use your fingers to search for and undo any tangles or mats first. If you want a coat that looks like it might be for a dog show, you can get an English Setter grooming chart. This should show you the bone structure and how the dogs' coat can correspond to it in a beautiful fashion.

English Setter brushing will need to happen 2-3 times per week. These dogs do shed some, so regular brushing will be necessary to help with dead hair collection, and to keep the coats looking their best.

The best brush for an English Setter is a medium bristle brush--but a pin brush will do the job too. It'll also be good to have a greyhound comb on hand, to use for separating tangles and smoothing out the coat's featherings.

How to brush an English Setter: first wet the coat with water mist from a spray bottle (with some de-tangling solution mixed in if desired). Then go through the coat section by section with the brush, moving in the direction of hair growth. If you run across a tangle, separate it with your fingers or the end teeth of the comb (or both). Depending on the length of the featherings, you can also use the comb to neaten them.

English Setter coats can be done in two basic fashions. When used as hunters, the coats should be styled for maximum benefit. The hair should be short enough to catch the least amount of debris while in the field, and long enough to protect the dog from injury by said debris as well as sunburn, scratches, etc. Coat care is no less important for English Setters as companion animals. Because they aren't as physically active as when hunting, their coat won't get the natural raking from branches and brambles. Dead hair will need to be brushed out. Brushing also allows inspection for critters and other skin and coat concerns.

The Show Style, which has many variations, is nonetheless at its best when the dog's coat resembles a classic sea-going vessel with all the sails out. The feathering will follow the bone structure and fan out as if a great tailwind is indeed powering the dog's presence. Most obvious will be the feathering on the undersides of the tail, torso, and brisket.

It should be noted that the Show Style comes in two variations: the American Cut and the English Cut. The English Cut is described above. The American Cut is distinguished by the back being heavily clipped. The result is a billowing below the lower torso and slightly wavy coat hair on top.

The Sporting Cut is far less fancy, to be sure, but it is nevertheless a cut that allows the English Setter look to shine through. Nearly all the feathering is clipped away save for some on the tail, which allows for easier sighting when the dog points game. The ears are also allowed some feathering as this hair protects the inner ear.

Show styles are best done by pro groomers. You can learn how to do this kind of English Setter haircut, but beware that clipping the hair harshly or even hand-stripping the coat can result in less-than-silky hair when it regrows. Field cuts are easier done by less-experienced dog owners.