English Setter vs Gordon Setter

An English Setter
Photo: Rjgunn007
A Gordon Setter
Photo: Radosław Drożdżewski (Zwiadowca21)

Side by side

English Setter
Gordon Setter
Adult weight
Males 29–36 kg (65–80 lb); females 20–25 kg (45–55 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 25–36 kg (55–80 lb); females 20–32 kg (45–70 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 65–69 cm; females 61–65 cm (breed club figure)1
Males 61–68.6 cm; females 58.4–66 cm (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 13.1 years3
Median 12.4 years3
Fully grown
12 months, both sexes4
Group
Pointing dogs5
Pointing dogs6
Coat
Long coat5
Coat with feathering6
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Daily brushing
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
Plenty
Health
No sourced figure
Lymph node cancer (more likely)7
Class
Field
Field

Which suits you

Grooming
The English Setter needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the Gordon Setter needs brushing a few times a week.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (English Setter: a lap or leaning dog; Gordon Setter: affectionate on its own terms) and on loyalty (English Setter: bonded to its family; Gordon Setter: sticks close to its people).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 28 kg (61 lb) for the English Setter and 28 kg (63 lb) for the Gordon Setter.
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

English Setter
Pointing dogs · Large

In temperament the English Setter is gentle, affectionate and sociable, and usually friendly with strangers and other dogs.

Gordon Setter
Pointing dogs · Large

In temperament the Gordon Setter is confident and alert, closely devoted to its own people and often reserved with strangers. It tends to mature slowly and keeps a strong hunting instinct.

The English Setter page →The Gordon Setter page →

Breed traits

Day to day
English Setter
Gordon Setter
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
English Setter
Gordon Setter
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Bonded to its family
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
English Setter
Gordon 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 behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 28 kg.
English Setter
Gordon Setter
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More comparisons

Compare the English Setter with
English Setter vs English Springer SpanielEnglish Setter vs Irish SetterAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·