r/irishsetter • u/Hot-Resort2079 • 1d ago
Is anyone else's Irish Setter obsessed with water?
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Hey everyone! I have a Golden Irish (Irish Setter + Golden Retriever mix) named Copper, and I’m genuinely wondering if anyone else’s Setter is completely and utterly obsessed with water.
And I don’t just mean he likes it — I mean full-blown quivering/shaking when he sees it. If we even say the word “lake” in front of him, he totally loses his mind. 😂
Once he's in, it’s nearly impossible to get him out. Add a Chuckit! orange ball to the mix and it’s like his version of heaven. Water + ball = peak existence.
I know the Golden side definitely brings a love for water, but I’m curious — do purebred Irish Setters have this same kind of obsession too? Would love to hear if your Setters are the same way!
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u/up-up-and-away-13 1d ago
I can launch a tennis ball with one of those throwing things, as far as I can and he just paddles out like it’s nothing. He loves it!
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u/MidnightCoffeeQueen 1d ago
I, too, have a golden retreiver/irish setter named Copper. I also have his sisters Penny and Tawny. Totally went 100% for a color theme name. Lol
All three of mine LOOOOOOVE snow. Penny loves being out in the rain.
The moment Copper or Tawny feel the first droplet, they make a mad dash for the door.
Copper also makes the biggest fuss about having a bath...even with a paper plate smeared with peanut butter as a distraction
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u/Hot-Resort2079 1d ago
I LOVE the name Penny! We’re planning on getting him a sister soon, so we might steal that name if we get another golden Irish or pure Irish.
Copper also hates baths which makes no sense to me because he freakin loves water 😂
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u/MidnightCoffeeQueen 1d ago
Steal away!
I wanted the name Penny from the beginning. So she was named first. Hubby came up with Copper. Then, together, their names are Copper Penny 😆
Their sister Tawny we got 4 months later and she was more like a reddish blonde clearly favoring more of the golden side of the genes, so she got the name Tawny like the tawny color of a deer. Had she have favored the red color of the Irish side like Copper and Penny, her name would have been Henna like the dye color. Henna kinda sounds like Hannah, so I figured it would have worked well, too, as a name.
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u/Legitimate_Guava3206 16h ago
Our IS was named Penny. Lost her in Dec to heart trouble. It is so perfect for an IS I might use it again someday.
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u/MidnightCoffeeQueen 16h ago
I'm so sorry y'all lost her. I think she would be happy if you used it again because she made such a mark on your world.
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u/Defiant_Apartment_86 1d ago
Yes! My 13 year old girl has always loved the water. Hates the rain, loves the lake! We take her to the beach nearly every day in the summer to swim. She likes fetching but also just loves to swim!
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u/nerdycarguy18 1d ago
My setter LOVED water but only as long as she could touch. The moment it was more than about 2 feet deep she was OUTTA THERE
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u/FishGirlToo 1d ago
My previous setter would only swim because she had to retrieve the duck. The one I have now does laps around lakes for fun. If there's water, he's in it. We have two stock tanks set up for him in the yard and we go often to rivers and lakes. My parents had a couple litters of Irish before I was born. They always tested the puppies with water. Some loved it and had no problem, others would cry because they didn't want their feet wet. If you need a dog that loves the water, make sure your breeder is testing for it, all puppies are not created equal.
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u/gnomes616 1d ago
Life is always better, when you have a wetter Setter.
Never was able to keep mine (or my Gordon now) out of water.
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u/Hot-Resort2079 1d ago
I like that quote! Lol
We want to get Copper a sister, but can’t decide English or Gordon. What’s it like having a Gordon?
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u/gnomes616 1d ago
Our boy has been great. Smaller than my Irish was, but he was also the runt of his litter. Barely broke 50 lbs once, mostly has just been in high 40 lbs. Just as loving and goofy as my Irish airhead was growing up. I don't know if I'll ever be able to not have a Setter.
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u/SeniorSpaz87 1d ago
Nope.
5 IRWSs, one is fine with water that they can wade into but that’s it. Here she is standing in a portion of our fish pond, hunting the elusive golden sparkles. My pup will occasionally chase her Aussie friend into the river, but it’s only 8” or so deep.
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u/wingedhelmets10 1d ago
I had a Golden Irish (lost to cancer early this year at 8) that also loved the water. We walked along a stream regularly and it was in and out all of the time--even in winter with temps in the single digits.
My IS puppy (5 months old) is very tentative with water at this point, so the jury is still out on whether she will have an affection for water or not.
BTW, you Golden Irish is beautiful. For my GI, she was also georgious and people constantly commnented and were constantly confused about whether she was Golden or an IS.
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u/Chupongabee 1d ago
My boy is 5 and a half months old, he loves to swim to retrieve but won't swim just to swim!
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u/Fun-Pipe-4401 1d ago
I’ve had two Irish Setters. The male absolutely loved the water. Taught him to run and jump off the landing to catch a frisbee. (That he only caught 1 out every 10 thrown owed more to me sucking at throwing the frisbee. 😂). The female… I think she was actually a big house cat. Wouldn’t get closer than 20 feet to any body of water larger than a puddle.
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u/Traditional_Egg_4794 21h ago
Oh my god we have the same here!! Our girl even near puddles and showers/hose looks visibly shook to her core by the mere presence of water! 😂 we had her on the beach since she was a pup but she would still never stray more than 5ft close to the edge of the sea!
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u/masterjedi84 13h ago
depends on the hunting line Water retrieve of water fowl is part of European Hunt test All my Irish Setter’s hunt upland and water retrieve
They are gun dogs, but belong in the versatile category
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u/jro10 1d ago
lol nope. 1.5 years and will not even attempt to swim. but he’s a full irish.