Are English Setters Good With Kids?

If you're hunting for the ideal family dog, consider that hunting breed, the English setter. Although this breed requires a lot of exercise, the English setter is an ideal dog for an active family with kids. The high energy level and the good disposition makes this canine a wonderful companion for school-age children.

  1. Toddlers

    • Babies and toddlers should never be left alone unsupervised with any dog. In the case of the English setter, however, it might become a case of the toddler causing harm to the dog, rather than the other way around. The English Setter Association of America states that parents must be concerned with the animal's welfare rather than that of the small child, because "many English setters are so tolerant, they will allow children to inflict pain on them."

    Schoolage Children

    • For school-aged children who know how to treat animals, an English setter easily becomes their best friend. He'll run around with them in the backyard, then settle in for TV watching at night. Older kids can help provide the exercise this dog needs by taking him for walks, keeping themselves fit in the bargain. This gentle soul gets along with their friends -- they're just new playmates for him. If your kids have friends who are scared of dogs, the English setter can help them get over their fears with his kind, companionable temperament.

    Temperament

    • English setters quickly become part of the family. They get along with non-human family members, too, such as dogs, cats and other household pets. Both genders are good-natured, with neutered males showing little, if any, aggression. Your typical English setter hasn't got a mean bone in his body -- crucial for any child's dog. Remember that they were bred as bird dogs, so they require a secure, fenced yard. Don't let your setter roam off-leash - he'll be off looking for quarry and putting himself in danger. Your English setter makes a decent watch dog. He's unlikely to attack, but he'll certainly bark to alert you to any strange activity. You can leave your kids in the yard with their setter, knowing he'll bark to let you know if anything's amiss.

    Considerations

    • At maturity, male English setters stand 25 to 27 inches high at the shoulders, while females are between 23 and 25 inches tall. Males weigh between 65 to 80 pounds while females are about 45 to 55 pounds. That makes these dogs a "just right" size for older kids. English setters aren't delicate dogs that kids can accidentally hurt easily, nor are they so big that they'll inadvertently harm children during play. Purebred English setters fall into field or conformation lines. The former are bred for their working ability as active hunting dogs, while the latter are bred with showing in mind. If you don't intend to hunt your dog and strictly want a family pet, seek out the setter with the conformation pedigree. They don't require quite as much exercise and have more desire to play with their smaller human best friends than go after birds.