Do English Setters Shed Lots?

English Setters are medium-sized dogs that were originally bred to assist bird hunters by “setting” (or laying down) when they located game birds. When they’re not in they’re not in the field, however, they’re best known as friendly, relaxed companions.

And thankfully, they don’t shed lots.

The English Setter has a long, silky coat that sheds moderately. So you will notice some hair floating around, but it’s not difficult to manage the shedding with a proper brushing regime.

Read on to learn more.

English Setter Shedding – What to Expect

English Setters are a moderate shedding breed.

To help put this into perspective, they shed (or molt) about the same amount as a Welsh Springer Spaniel and Gordon Setter.

So you will probably notice more hair floating around than you would if you adopted a low shedding breed like the Pudelpointer. But not as much as you would with a heavy shedder, like the Labrador. Overall, they’re somewhere in the middle of these breeds.

And the good news is that with proper grooming it’s not difficult to get the molting under control. It mostly comes down to proper brushing and making sure his diet is optimal.

Brushing is probably the simplest and most effective way to limit the shedding. Not only does it help by removing the old hairs before the drop off of his coat and onto your floors and upholstery, but it massages his skin and distributes his coat oils. Which in turn promotes a healthier, stronger coat.

Getting your Setters diet right matters too. Not just for his overall health and wellbeing, but because a high quality dog food can help your dog develop healthier coat, that overall sheds less hair. There’s no such thing as as a dog food that eliminates shedding, but some are better than others when it comes to reducing the amount of fur they drop.

Related: How to Stop Your Dog Shedding Excessively

Either way, shedding is normal among most healthy dogs. They are simply shedding their old hair, which is then replaced by new hairs. So in most cases it is a simple matter of managing it.

Sometimes, however, excessive shedding can be cause for concern. For example, if your dog has some sort of health problem. So if you are concerned, contact a qualified veterinarian.

Grooming Your English Setter

Grooming an English Setter isn’t difficult, but depending on how you keep their coat, it can be bit of a chore.

Setters have long, silky, flat hair with longer feathering on the underside of their body, chest, ears and legs. Which comes in a variety of colors, but mostly white with blue, liver, or lemon “belton” (speckling and ticking).

The reason brushing can be a chore is the length of the coat. If you keep it long, which is required to enter him into the show ring, then you’ll need to brush at least three times per week to keep it looking good and to remove any tangles or mats. Especially if he goes outside a lot to work or play.

What most owners do, however, is have them trimmed by a professional groomer once every six to eight weeks. Which makes the job of brushing much easier.

Either way, when it comes to brushing, a bristle brush and metal comb is generally best. The comb will help you work out any tangles, while the bristle brush will massage his skin and add shine to his coat. So together, these are well suited to the English Setter.

You can learn more about the different types of brushes here.

What about bathing? Setters are fairly clean dogs that don’t need to be bathed very often. But a bath once every month or two can help maintain his coat and remove a bunch of the dead hairs, especially during shedding season.

It’s important not to over bathe though, and to always use a good quality dog shampoo that doesn’t dry out his skin and hair. Because not only can this cause irritation, but dryness is one of the leading causes of excessive shedding.

In any case, a good grooming routine can go a long way to helping you reduce the amount of hair that gathers around the home, so it’s well worth the effort.

Bottom Line

English Setters are natural born hunters that also make excellent companions. They do shed some hair but it’s generally not too extreme, and it’s easily managed with simple things like proper diet and regular brushing.

That said, if you’re looking for a lower shedding, easier to groom breed, then you may be interested in learning about the German Shorthaired Pointer. Either way, I hope you found this article helpful!

Read next: Do Irish Setters Shed?