Gordon Setter
The heaviest of the setters, developed on a Scottish estate to work birds over rough highland ground. Real stamina, a long black-and-tan coat that wants brushing three times a week, and an affectionate dog with a stubborn streak.
- Weight
- 20–36 kg
- Lifespan
- 12–13 years
Weight and lifespan are reference ranges from the breed guide. They vary by sex, lineage and individual dog and do not predict your dog’s ideal weight or lifespan. Read the care descriptions alongside the individual dog’s history.
Background and characteristics
The Gordon Setter takes its name from the Duke of Gordon's kennels in Scotland, where it was bred to find game birds across heather, rock, and weather that would discourage most dogs. It is the most substantially built of the three setters, and it worked at a steady, methodical pace rather than a headlong gallop. That trade-off still shows: a Gordon is not the fastest gundog on the hill, but it keeps going long after quicker dogs have quit.
Exercise and play
Budget an hour to ninety minutes of daily exercise, and make some of it more than walking. Long-line runs in open country, retrieving games, and scent work all suit the breed. Gordons mature late, staying adolescent well into their second year, and an under-exercised adolescent Gordon is loud and destructive.
Meet the requirement and you get a dog that settles remarkably well indoors.
Coat and everyday care
The coat is straight, glossy, and moderately long, with heavy feathering on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. Brush about three times a week and keep the hair between the pads and inside the ear leather trimmed back. Drop ears plus a swimming habit means otitis is a recurring theme, so checking and drying the ears after baths and wet outings belongs in the routine.
Temperament and living together
What first-time owners underestimate is the breed's independence. Gordons are affectionate and want to be near you, but they bore fast on repetition and dig in when pushed. Keep training short, varied, and worth the dog's while.
Health topics for the breeder conversation are hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, and gastric dilatation-volvulus, which the deep chest predisposes them to. Feed split meals and keep hard exercise away from mealtimes.
Home environment and care planning
One practical note for hot climates: a black coat absorbs sun. In a US or UK summer heat wave, shift walks to early morning and evening and check pavement temperature with your hand before setting out.