Irish Setter vs English Springer Spaniel NZ: Which Gundog Breed Is Right for You?

Two of the most enthusiastic, family-friendly gundogs available in New Zealand — and both are genuinely excellent choices for active households. The Irish Setter and the English Springer Spaniel were both bred to work alongside hunters all day in the field, and that working heritage translates into outdoor dogs that love exercise, water, and the company of their family. They differ in size, trainability and grooming demands.

Quick comparison

Full profiles: Irish Setter · English Springer Spaniel

Personality and energy

Irish Setter: possibly the most exuberant dog breed in existence during its first three to four years. Irish Setters are famously slow to mature — they remain boisterous, clownish and easily distracted well into adulthood. They're affectionate, sociable with everyone (not a watchdog by any measure), and have a boundless enthusiasm for life that either delights or exhausts their owners depending on temperament. An Irish Setter that's given adequate exercise is magnificent; one that's cooped up with insufficient activity is a force of destruction.

English Springer Spaniel: more focused and biddable than an Irish Setter. Springers were bred to work closely with their handler — flushing birds and retrieving — which required constant attention to the handler's cues. This makes them more consistently responsive and easier to train. They're equally enthusiastic but channel that enthusiasm more productively. Springers can be intense in their play style, which suits families with active children.

For NZ first-time gundog owners: the Springer is significantly more manageable. For NZ households that want an exuberant, loving "everyone's best friend" and can match the energy: the Irish Setter is wonderful.

Exercise: both need real work

Irish Setter: needs 90 minutes to 2 hours of vigorous exercise daily. Not a slow walk — running, swimming, fetch over distance, off-leash running where safe. This is a large, fast breed with the stamina of a working field dog. Under-exercised Irish Setters are one of the most challenging dogs to manage in NZ suburban settings.

English Springer Spaniel: needs 60–90 minutes of genuine aerobic exercise daily. They're strong swimmers and excellent fetch dogs. They also benefit from scent work — their nose was the working tool, and activities that engage it provide excellent mental exercise.

Both breeds excel as companions for NZ outdoor enthusiasts: running, cycling (at a trot), beach trips, tramping, and hunting. See our best dogs for runners and active Kiwis for more active-owner breed options.

Trainability

Irish Setter: intelligent but easily distracted — especially by birds, scents and movement. They learn commands well in training sessions but a butterfly can derail a well-drilled recall in a second. Recall training and impulse control work need to be consistent and ongoing. Reward-based training works well; the Setter is sensitive to harsh corrections.

English Springer Spaniel: among the most reliably trainable medium dogs available. They learn quickly, hold commands well and genuinely enjoy the engagement of training sessions. Their handler-focus from their working background makes them more reliable in distracting environments than an Irish Setter. Spaniel-specific behaviours (hunting instinct, flushing) should be channelled constructively — dogs used in the field or for hunt testing have happier outlets for their instincts.

Grooming

Irish Setter: the long, silky mahogany coat requires brushing 2–3 times weekly to prevent tangles in the ear and leg feathering. Bathing every 3–4 weeks (or after particularly muddy NZ coastal or bush walks). Some Irish Setter owners have the coat professionally trimmed. Regular ear checks are important — long ear flaps trap moisture.

English Springer Spaniel: the wavy coat with moderate feathering needs brushing 2–3 times weekly. Many active NZ Springer owners opt for a "working trim" — a shorter field cut that's significantly lower-maintenance than the show trim. Regular ear cleaning weekly (same moisture-trapping issue as all long-eared spaniels in NZ's damp conditions).

Health

*General information only — consult a registered NZ vet.*

Irish Setter is prone to hip dysplasia (buy from hip-scored lines), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA — DNA testable), bloat/GDV (deep-chested — the usual large-breed precautions apply), and hypothyroidism. A form of immune-mediated disease (Irish Setter-specific gluten-sensitive enteropathy) exists in some lines. Average lifespan 12–15 years.

English Springer Spaniel is prone to hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA — DNA testable), phosphofructokinase deficiency (a hereditary muscle enzyme deficiency — DNA testable), and Springer rage syndrome in some specific lines (a behavioural condition, more common in show lines than working lines). Buy from working-line breeders or those who can demonstrate clean health testing. Average lifespan 12–14 years.

Which breed suits you?

Choose an Irish Setter if:

• You want a large, spectacularly coloured, exuberant companion for an active NZ lifestyle
• You can provide 90+ minutes of vigorous daily exercise
• You appreciate a dog that never loses enthusiasm, even if it also never quite loses the puppy energy
• You're patient with the slow-maturing phase (years 1–3 are genuinely testing)

Choose an English Springer Spaniel if:

• You want a highly trainable, focused gundog that's more consistently responsive than an Irish Setter
• A medium-sized dog (rather than a large one) suits your vehicle and home
• You're interested in gundog sports or hunt testing
• You want similar outdoor enthusiasm with more handler-focus

Related reading

• Irish Setter breed profile NZ
• English Springer Spaniel breed profile NZ
• Best Dogs for Runners and Active Kiwis NZ
• Best Family Dog Breeds NZ
• Cavalier vs Cocker Spaniel NZ
• Find your perfect breed

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References

• American Kennel Club — Irish Setter breed standard, checked 2026-07-08: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/irish-setter/

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*This guide provides general breed-comparison information for NZ prospective dog owners. Health information is general only — consult a registered NZ vet for advice specific to your dog.*