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Do Irish Setters Shed a Lot?

Irish setter laying outdoors in grass

Just as the name says the Irish setter’s home country is Ireland and this dog breed has been around for a very long time. The first recorded instance of an Irish Setter is back in the late 16th century. It was bred as a hunting dog.

But even that long history does not prevent this dog breed from shedding. The Irish Setter is a double-coat dog so you can expect some heavier shedding than say a Poodle. You will have some fine red hairs to clean up during shedding seasons.

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Do Irish Setters Shed?

The answer to this question is yes, they will. This dog breed does grow a double coat and twice a year they need to shed that extra fur. The Winter coat comes off in Spring and the Summer coat departs in the Fall.

They may also lose some hair throughout the year as their long fur will get caught in different items or when they play. Besides the shedding hair, some dogs in this breed may smell a little when they shed their fur.

If you groom them regularly, they should not smell that bad. They will smell a lot worse if you do not groom them on a regular basis.

Irish Setters Need Regular Grooming

Irish setter at the groomers

To control their hair loss, you will need to groom them on a regular basis. But because debris, mattes, and knots can easily get into their fur, you may end up brushing your Irish Setter 2 to 3 times each week.

However, you do not need to bathe them that often. Maybe 4 to 5 times per year is sufficient to keep this dog breed nice and clean. Except if they roll around in the dirt, mud, or some other substance that is messy.

What you have to watch out for are ear infections. These long-eared dogs do not get the airflow needed to keep their ears clean or free from bacteria. While you may be worried about controlling the falling dog hair, you cannot forget about checking their ears often.

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Take Time to Manage Your Dog’s Shedding

Irish setter outdoors standing in a field

There are tried and true methods you can use for your Irish Setter when you need to control that falling hair. Because they have a double coat, you should use a de-shredding tool to get those undercoat hairs before they fall to the floor.

Also, watch out for infections or allergies. These are triggers for dog hair loss. The right medication should alleviate the problems. Do not forget about feeding your dog a nice nutritious meal every day.

If that is not enough to help control the shedding, do not forget about supplements. But before you give these to your dog, talk to your vet first. That way your dog will not be getting useless supplements that do nothing for them.

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Some Final Words

Irish setter laying on a couch

Irish Setters are moderate shedding dogs but that does not overshadow their playfulness or their loyalty. They are great dogs to have as family pets despite their annual hair loss.

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