The Irish Red and White Setter temperament will make you wonder when the battery will ever run out. This is not a dog that enjoys being cooped up indoors. For the sake of both of your sanities, exercise him well and often.
Table of Contents
Irish Red and White Setter Temperament and Personality
There are six traits that you need to know about the Irish Red and White Setter temperament.
Pro Tip: If you’re not into daily exercise, and lots of it, then this is not the breed for you.
Devoted
He is devoted to his family, and he loves spending time with them. This is one of those dogs that will start to show signs of separation anxiety if left alone for too long.
What this means is that he may destroy your stuff when you’re gone for too long. Or he may act out when you come home and become destructive or not willing to listen.
Therefore, if you have a busy schedule that requires you to be away from home for long periods of time, then this is probably not the best dog for you.
Loyal
You can tell what kind of family dog the Red and White is going to be from how he acts as a hunter’s companion. He is very loyal to his people.
He never strays too far from his hunter. He’s a curious dog, and he’ll do what he needs to do to cover some ground, but he never loses sight of his people or wanders too far without knowing what he’s doing.

Affectionate
The Red and White is affectionate both with people and with other dogs.
He can even grow to love cats, so long as you raise him with them. Keep in mind, though, that his breed does not, on average, do well with cats, so you may still have some trouble.
Energetic
As a sporting dog, the Red and White has enough energy to spare some, so it’s important that you exercise him well every day.
Once he’s older and his limbs have finished developing, you can, and should, push him (and yourself!) to the very limit every day.
Play fetch with him until you physically can’t anymore on weekdays, then take him for a long hike or walk on weekends until you’re both ready to drop. It’s good exercise for both of you!
If you’ve ever known someone who isn’t happy unless he’s busy all the time, then this is that person in dog form.
Playful
His playful nature makes him a joy to be around children.
However, as with many other breeds, he can become a bit overexcited, so you must supervise him when he is around toddlers. He may just knock them down and accident