Fun Gordon Setter Facts For Kids

The Gordon Setter dog breed is an enormous breed of dogs that is a member of the Setter family that is a mix of both the better-known English Setter and the Irish Setter.

Gordon Setter dogs are a member of either the sporting or the gundog group, contingent upon the American Kennel Club (AKC).

The history of the Gordon Setter unravels in Scotland, and it traces all the way back to the 17th century, but this breed of dog was not officially recognized until the 19th century by the English Kennel Club.

Although the exact history of this breed of dog is not clearly known but it is accepted to be a consequence of crossbreeding between the English spaniel and the Spanish pointer.

The Gordon Setters owes its name to Alexander Gordon, the fourth Duke of Gordon. It was in his kennels that this breed of dog was initially bred.

Gordon Setters were essentially utilized as hunting dogs during the olden times with the help of setting birds to help hunters chase them. The AKC first recognized this breed in the year 1884.

The Gordon Setter is an adoring, warm and dutiful breed. However, it is one of the slowest breeds to develop.

It acts like a pup until the age of three years or more. They are extremely compatible with children and get along with them very easily, functioning admirably as a friendly breed.

Apart from that, this breed is also good with different other pets, including cats. Gordon Setters also tend to be very attentive and cautious with outsiders, which makes them reliable guard dogs.

This breed is an agile breed of dog; therefore, it needs plenty of open space and opportunities to be free. The absence of this can result in numerous health problems and hinder its overall growth and ability to live to its fullest potential.

Here, we have gathered many fascinating facts about the Gordon Setter for you to enjoy. Let's take a look at these facts and information, and if you enjoy these then, do also read our English Setter facts and Irish red and white Setter facts.
 

Gordon Setter Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Gordon Setter?

Gordon Setters are a large breed of dog, colored black and tan, and named after the fourth Duke of Gordon. They are alternatively called the black and tan Setter because of the color of their coat.

Male Gordon Setters are a bit larger than the females and a puppy is well-built.

These are generally healthy dogs, but they can suffer from a variety of health issues. Gordons were earlier used as hunting dogs to hunt birds, but now these dogs are a member of either the gundog group or the sporting group, depending on the national kennel club.

What class of animal does a Gordon Setter belong to?

Gordon Setters, just like all other breeds of dog, belongs to the class Mammalia.

How many Gordon Setters are there in the world?

The exact number for the total population of Gordon Setters is yet not available.

Where does a Gordon Setter live?

Gordon Setters are a domestic breed of dog and are therefore usually found living in houses with humans. They are a very friendly breed of dog that is considered extremely loyal, alert, and careful by various international dog organizations. Due to their alert and attentive nature, they are also used as a watchdog by many people.

What is a Gordon Setter's habitat?

The majestic breed of dog can be found in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Who do Gordon Setters live with?

Gordon Setters are dogs that have been domesticated by humans in the fashion of household pets. These wonderous dogs are very friendly, affectionate, smart, and loyal in nature.

Due to this, they are able to co-exist with other animals as well, including dogs of similar or different breeds, cats, and other pets. As per the Setter Club of America, the Gordon Setter temperament has been described as alert, confident and interested, making them all the more fun to interact with.

How long does a Gordon Setter live?

The average life expectancy of a Gordon Setter is around 10-12 years without any health issues, and when looked after in a considerable manner, keeping their wellbeing in mind, that is; with proper grooming, environment, and feeding, their life span can be increased much more than that.

They come under the category of an energetic dog breed that possesses a high energy level and requires daily exercise needs and requirements all throughout their life.

How do they reproduce?

Setters follow the traditional method of reproduction to produce six to eight puppies at a time. Male and female Setter dogs mate consistently during the proestrus stage, leading to the impregnation of the female Setter.

The gestation period lasts for about 60-64 days after which, the female gives birth to six to eight Setter puppies at one time.

The newly born Gordon Setter puppies are extremely small in size and feed on their mother's milk for about three to four months. The breeding season usually occurs twice a year but keeping health conditions in mind, Gordons should be bred only once a year.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of Gordon Setters is not available, though as they are a domestic breed, they are in no danger of becoming extinct.

Gordon Setter Fun Facts

What do Gordon Setters look like?

Gordon Setters, otherwise called black and tan Setters, have a jet black coat with unmistakable markings of a rich chestnut or mahogany tone on their paws and lower legs, throat, and vents. They additionally have tan markings and one spot over each eye; and two spots on their chest.

A small patch of white is also present on their chest.

Although extremely uncommon, red Gordons are at times born to ordinary shaded parents. This is the consequence of the articulation of a recessive red gene.

Prominently possessing a tan or buff coat, red is extremely rare.

Gordons mostly have a straight or wavy (not curly) coat with long and velvety hair on the bottom of their ears, chest, stomach, leg, and tail padding.

They are the heaviest of the Setter breed, with male dogs reaching up to 27 in (69 cm) in length and as much as 80 lbs (36 kg) in weight, whereas the female dog possessing the weight of up to 45–70 lbs (20–32 kg).

How cute are they?

This hunting and sports dog is extremely cute in appearance, especially its puppy, which has a beautiful black coat, long and hairy ears, body, and tail. With proper grooming and training, this dog becomes even more attractive.

How do they communicate?

These dogs communicate just like the other breeds of dogs by using barking sounds. The adult dog usually expresses its dominance and desires by barking at other dog breeds.

How big is a Gordon Setter?

Gordon Setters are hunting dogs and are therefore quite big in size, with an average male dog measuring in the range of 24-27 in (60.9-68.5 cm), whereas the female measures fall in the range of 23-26 in (58.4-66.0 cm). These dogs are almost similar in size to the German Shepherd, which is another popular hunting dog breed.

How fast can a Gordon Setter run?

The exact speed of this breed of dog is not known yet, but they are believed to be very fast runners, owing to their agile and swift nature.

In fact, they are one of the most popular sports dog breeds of America, and they frequently make records in various dog sports organized by Gordon Setter Club or other popular dog organizations.

How much does a Gordon Setter weigh?

The weight of the females falls in the range of 45-70 lb (20.4-31.7 kg) whereas the male with weight 55-80 lb (24.9-36.2 kg) on average. Their weight is roughly similar to the weight of the german shepherd breed.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The males are referred to as dogs whereas the females are referred to as bitches.

What would you call a baby Gordon Setter?

A baby Gordon Setter is called a puppy. A puppy is born very small and fragile, entirely dependent upon its mother for its basic needs. The puppy has small ears and tail, but as it grows up, it attains maturity and becomes independent of its mother when it reaches four to five months.

What do they eat?

Gordon Setters are omnivores, and they usually eat raw meat, vegetables, and dog food. A Gordon Setter puppy, on the other hand, is entirely dependent upon its mother's milk until it is two to three months old.

Are they slobbery?

Gordon Setters are not very slobbery in nature, but they are a highly energetic breed of dogs which implies that they run, exercise, play, and do a lot of training which results in fatigue and a lot of heat generation thereby making them a bit slobbery.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, this breed of dog makes for an amazing pet. They are extremely friendly with children and with other groups of humans and animals, but they can get a bit aggressive toward other dogs.

Also, they possess all the good qualities that are needed to pet a dog, and with proper training, these qualities get all the more enhanced, thereby making them an extremely amazing pet.

Did you know...

Rachel and Rake were the founding parents of this breed of dogs purchased by George Blunt and Daniel Webster in 1842.

Gordon Castle Setter was among the first known nine breeds to be recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878. Gordon Castle was the dog of Alexander Gordon, the fourth Duke of Gordon.

Grooming a Gordon Setter dog is a task in itself because owners have to trim the hair of their Setter regularly as they have very rapid growth.

Some other similar dogs include the Irish red and white setter, Irish setter, and English setter.

How smart are Gordon Setters?

Gordon Setters are indeed a very smart breed of dog, but they are also very stubborn in nature. They have been titled as the most alert, attentive, and careful dog of the Setter breed. Also, they are extremely amazing with children and other pets, but they can sometimes try to dominate over them.

Do Gordon Setters bark a lot?

Gordon Setters are not an aggressive breed of dog that barks a lot but can have moments of anxiety and urges that make them bark continuously and irritatingly. With proper training exercise needs, this problem can also be tackled very easily.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other dogs from our brush rabbit facts and silver marmoset facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable gordon setter coloring pages.