English Springer Spaniel vs Irish Setter

Side-by-side comparison of two popular breeds — temperament, exercise, grooming, lifespan and common health issues. Use it to decide which breed fits your home.

	🐕 English Springer Spaniel	🐕 Irish Setter
Group	Sporting	Sporting
Origin	England	Ireland
Weight	18–25 kg	25–32 kg
Height	46–53 cm	63–69 cm
Lifespan	12–14 years	12–15 years
Energy level
Trainability
Grooming needs
Good with kids
Good with other pets
Hypoallergenic
Watchdog instinct
Novice-owner OK

🐕 English Springer Spaniel

Temperament

Cheerful, friendly, eager-to-please, sociable. Springers are excellent with children and other dogs.

Exercise

90+ minutes of daily exercise. They love retrieving, scent work and water.

Grooming

Medium-length coat with feathering. Brush 3× weekly. Long ears need weekly cleaning.

Health

Hip dysplasia. Eye conditions (PRA, retinal dysplasia). Ear infections. Phosphofructokinase deficiency (DNA test). "Rage syndrome" historically, mostly bred out.

Full English Springer Spaniel profile →

🐕 Irish Setter

Temperament

Joyful, affectionate, sociable, sometimes scatterbrained. Excellent with children and other pets. Bonded with everyone.

Exercise

90+ minutes of daily exercise. They love to run.

Grooming

Long silky red coat. Brush 3× weekly. Light trimming around feet/ears.

Health

Bloat / GDV. Hip dysplasia. PRA. Hypothyroidism. Epilepsy in some lines.

Full Irish Setter profile →

Which is right for you?

Pick the English Springer Spaniel if

Active families, hunters, country homes.

Pick the Irish Setter if

Active families, multi-pet homes, owners who enjoy running.

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English Springer Spaniel vs Irish Setter