Brittany vs Irish Red and White Setter

A Brittany
Photo: Pharaoh Hound
An Irish Red and White Setter
Photo: Ordinary Guy

Side by side

Brittany
Irish Red and White Setter
Adult weight
Males 14–18 kg (31–40 lb); females 13–17 kg (29–37 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 19–27 kg (42–60 lb); females 16–23 kg (35–50 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 48–51 cm; females 47–50 cm3
Males 62–66 cm; females 57–61 cm (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 11.1 years4
No sourced figure
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes5
Group
Pointing dogs3
Pointing dogs6
Coat
Coat with feathering3
Coat with feathering6
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Field
Field

Which suits you

Size
The Irish Red and White Setter is larger on average: about 21 kg (47 lb) as an adult, against 16 kg (34 lb) for the Brittany.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Brittany: affectionate on its own terms; Irish Red and White Setter: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (Brittany: keen to work with you; Irish Red and White Setter: cooperative, with its own ideas).
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Brittany
Pointing dogs · Medium

In temperament it is quick, eager and soft-natured, with great stamina and a strong wish to work with its handler; it tends to respond poorly to harsh handling.

Irish Red and White Setter
Pointing dogs · Medium

In temperament the breed is affectionate, lively and friendly, a good-natured companion at home and a keen, determined worker with plenty of stamina in the field.

The Brittany page →The Irish Red and White Setter page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Brittany
Irish Red and White Setter
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Differs
Needs daily brain work
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
Brittany
Irish Red and White Setter
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Brittany
Irish Red and White Setter
Sensitivity
Differs
Needs a calm, predictable home
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Differs
Likely to chase small pets
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour7. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home8,9.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Irish Red and White Setter grows to the heavier adult, about 22 kg against the Brittany's 16 kg.
Brittany
Irish Red and White Setter
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More comparisons

Compare the Brittany with
Brittany vs English Springer SpanielBrittany vs Welsh Springer SpanielBrittany vs German Shorthaired PointerBrittany vs KooikerhondjeAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·