English Setter: gear and buying guides
The English Setter is a gentle, affectionate pointing dog at home but tireless outdoors. This large breed of roughly 25 to 30 kg with a feathered, medium-length coat calls for gear built for long outings: a comfortable harness, a long line and proper grooming tools. Its passion for scent trails means walks must be secured until recall is reliable.
Profile : Large dog of 61 to 68 cm and 25 to 30 kg, silky feathered medium-length coat, very high energy.
See it in the Planète Pets shop: Cooling neck snood for dogs, soak-and-wear fabric (€17.90) · the whole shop
See it in the Planète Pets shop: Folding wire dog crate 24 in (61 cm), single door, with tray ($62.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
Outside our shipping area? The downloadable practical guide: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)
Species profile
- Lifespan
- 11 to 13 years
- Adult weight
- 25 to 30 kg
- Size
- 61 to 68 cm
- Temperament
- A gentle, affectionate pointing dog at home, obsessed with scent trails outdoors.
- Health watch
- hip dysplasia · congenital deafness
🩺 Reminder: this page informs, it does not diagnose. For any symptom or health question, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
English Setter gear, family by family
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Food
Choose a kibble for large active dogs, rich in quality protein, with portions adjusted to activity: a Setter that hunts or runs for hours can need far more than a sedentary companion. Split the ration into two meals and avoid intense exercise right after eating, as the breed is exposed to bloat risk.
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Care & grooming
The feathered coat picks up twigs, seeds and mud: brushing two to three times a week with a slicker brush and metal comb is essential, plus a check after every outing in brush. The drop ears need weekly cleaning with an ear solution, as they predispose to ear infections.
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Toys & enrichment
This gundog needs to use its nose: snuffle mats, tracking games and retrieving dummies (10 to 25 €) satisfy it far more than a simple ball. Without a daily physical and scent outlet, it can become destructive at home.
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Bedding & habitat
Pick a large bed (around 100 cm) with a removable washable cover: the feathering carries in a lot of dirt after outings. The English Setter copes poorly with long periods alone and does best with access to a securely fenced garden with a tall, solid fence.
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Travel & safety
In the car, a rigid L/XL crate or a boot divider secures this large dog, often soaked and muddy after walks. In open country, keep a 10 to 15 m long line until recall is solid: hunting drive can take it very far.
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Accessories
A well-padded Y-shaped harness avoids breaking the chest feathering, and a microfibre towel plus an absorbent boot mat quickly become essential. For outings in game-rich areas, a bell or a GPS collar (100 to 250 € plus a possible subscription) brings real peace of mind.
🍖 Feeding a English Setter: portions, kibble and budget
The right daily ration for a English Setter
For an adult of 25 to 30 kg, plan on 270 to 420 g of complete kibble per day, split into two meals and adjusted for age, neutering and actual activity. This is an athlete: during hard-working periods its needs can climb 20 to 30% above maintenance. The reference is the weight curve: you should feel the ribs without seeing them.
Matching the food to the breed
Like every breed this size, the English Setter should eat two calm meals a day, with no intense exercise in the following hour: the basic precaution against gastric dilatation-volvulus. Choose large-breed kibble (slow growth, joint support) and a stable, wide bowl.
Budget and smart buying
Budget €50 to €90 a month for quality kibble for an adult English Setter. Big bags cut the price per kilo, provided you store them dry in an airtight bin and use them within six weeks of opening. All our label-reading pointers are on the full English Setter profile.
Quick answers
- How much kibble per day for a English Setter?
- Start from the manufacturer’s table, i.e. 270 to 420 g a day for 25 to 30 kg, served in two meals; then adjust to actual body condition, and ask the vet at any doubt.
- How many meals a day for a English Setter?
- Two meals for an adult — essential at this size, which is exposed to gastric torsion, three to four for a growing puppy.
In our shop, for this use: Spiral slow-feeder dog bowl, 23 cm (€22.90) · the whole shop
Outside our shipping area? The downloadable practical guide: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)
🏠 Bed and sleeping setup for a English Setter: size and materials
What bed size for a English Setter?
Standing 61 to 68 cm at the withers, the English Setter needs a bed around 110 cm long — enough to stretch flat on its side, not just curl up. When torn between two sizes, always take the larger.
Materials and comfort
At this size, memory foam is not a luxury: it relieves joints and pressure points — a real issue in a breed concerned by hip dysplasia. Demand a zipped cover washable at 60°C, bolster edges as headrests and a base that grips tiled floors.
Where to put it?
Place the bed in a calm corner, out of foot traffic and draughts, from which it can watch the room: dogs sleep better when they can see what is coming. An adult dog sleeps 12 to 15 hours a day: placement matters as much as the bed.
Quick answers
- What bed size suits a English Setter?
- Around 110 cm long for an adult of 61 to 68 cm at the withers: the dog must be able to stretch out fully.
- Can a English Setter sleep outside?
- Not advisable: its profile and need for contact make it an indoor dog, with daytime garden access.
In our shop, for this use: Ice-silk cooling mat for dogs (62 × 50 to 100 × 70 cm) (€40.90) · the whole shop
In our shop, for this use: Folding 3-step wooden pet stairs for beds and sofas ($75.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
We don’t ship products to your country yet; our practical guide downloads anywhere: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)
🧳 Travelling with a English Setter: car, crate and rules
In the car with a English Setter
At 25 to 30 kg, the only genuinely safe option is a crash-tested crate of about 105 cm secured in the boot — failing that, a solid partition grille. An unrestrained dog of this weight becomes a projectile under braking — and a possible fine for distracted driving.
Trains, planes, holidays
Too big for the cabin, the English Setter flies in the pressurised hold in an IATA-approved crate — an ordeal to reserve for unavoidable trips. On trains, a muzzle and lead meet the rules. Tame the crate weeks ahead — open in the living room, seeded with treats — so that on the day, your English Setter walks in by itself.
Identification and good habits
Identification (microchip or tattoo) is mandatory, with vaccinations up to date for boarding or border crossings (EU passport, rabies shot). In hot weather, never leave a English Setter in a parked car, even “for five minutes”: the cabin turns lethal within a quarter of an hour.
Quick answers
- What crate size for a English Setter?
- Aim for 105 cm long for an adult: it must stand head-up and turn around freely — and for flying, only the model’s IATA dimensions count.
- Can a English Setter fly in the cabin?
- No, it exceeds the cabin limit (8 kg including the bag): it travels in the pressurised hold in an IATA crate — avoid it when you can.
An accessory from our shop for this use: Dog car seat belt with elastic shock absorber (€30.90) · the whole shop
An accessory from our shop for this use: Adjustable dog car seat belt tether ($21.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
Our products don’t ship to you yet, but the PDF practical guide is instant: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)
🧰 Accessories for a English Setter: harness, bowls and essentials
Harness and lead sized for the English Setter
For its 25 to 30 kg, pick a Y-fit harness in size L to XL, two-point adjustable and ideally tried on: a good fit lets two fingers slide everywhere without slack. Add a 10-metre long line for outings: freedom without escape risk — it transforms walks for such an active dog.
Bowls and daily kit
A stable stainless bowl sized to its ration (270-420 g/day), slow-feed if meals last under a minute. Complete the set with an always-full water point, a mat under the bowls and an airtight bin for the kibble.
The extras that genuinely matter for this breed
a collar GPS if your garden is not fenced — the roaming instinct is real; a boot ramp to spare its joints — each under €40. The detailed picks are on the full English Setter profile.
Quick answers
- What harness size for a English Setter?
- Size L to XL for an adult of 25 to 30 kg, in an adjustable Y-cut — measure the girth behind the elbows to decide between two sizes.
- What starter budget for a English Setter?
- Expect €200 to 350 for the full kit (bed, harness and lead, bowls, crate, toys, brush), food excluded.
In our shop, for this use: 1.5 m reflective round rope lead with padded handle, for dogs (€20.90) · the whole shop
We don’t ship products to your country yet; our practical guide downloads anywhere: Raising Your Puppy: The First Six Months (€19)
Guides to read
- No-pull front-clip harness for dogs: what does the science actually show?Accessories
Front-clip no-pull harness for dogs: what a recent study measured on pulling force, compared with a plain collar and a prong-style collar.
- Why does my dog eat grass? What the research actually saysCare & grooming
Dog eating grass: what two studies show about how common the behavior is, its link with vomiting, and the cases that should raise concern.
- Reflective vest vs light-up collar for dogs: what's the real difference?Accessories
Dog visibility at night: what pedestrian-conspicuity research reveals about the real gap between a reflective vest and a light-up collar.
- Anxious dog in the car: motion sickness or real fear of the ride?Travel & safety
Dog car travel anxiety: what a veterinary study shows about the signs of travel-related problems and the factors that explain them best.
- BARF raw diet for dogs: what are the real benefits, what are the real risks?Food
Raw BARF diet for dogs: what studies actually show about the claimed benefits, bacterial risk, and real nutritional balance.
- Separation anxiety in dogs: what does research show, what actually helps?Care & grooming
Dog separation anxiety: what a veterinary study reveals about how common it is, its risk factors, and the solutions that actually work.
- Mental activities for dogs in winter: which indoor games actually work?Toys & enrichment
Winter mental enrichment for dogs: what a study shows about scent games and indoor activities that make up for shorter walks.
- Microchip or tattoo: which ID actually gets a lost dog home?Travel & safety
Dog identification: what a study shows about return-to-owner rates depending on whether the dog is microchipped or not.
Free guide: the 10 mistakes new owners make
A dog or cat just moved in? Food, first vet visits, training, budget: get our digest of the ten most expensive first-year missteps — with instant on-screen access.
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