You rescued "an" Irish setter? Who was responsible for the breeding? What did it say on the pedigree? Who worked the dog and was responsible for it's training before and during your ownership? How many hunt events did you participate in with the Irish Setter? How much money did you spend on care, training and professional guidance? How long did you own it?
Some would have us believe that all setters and especially Irish Setters from the period of forty or so years past are useless. There was a time when anyone with a female Irish setter could breed her in the backyard and reliably sell the pups-they were the most popular dog in the US for a period of time back then. Still, there were good dogs then, but, they didn't come from a backyard, or from a rescue situation, usually.
Is your Munsterlander a rescue dog? Tell me, why not? On second thought, don't bother. I think I know why not. I think everyone does.
Yet, it's the dog's fault, and nothing has changed, and what was going on with the dogs in any other part of the world doesn't matter. Or, so you woyuld have us believe.
My Gordon setter came to work with me every day for two years. If he had been anything other than calm and well mannered this simply would not have been possible-the owner was not a dog lover until after being around my Gordon. "Stoke" could sleep next to a Heidelberg KORD printing press running wide open. He never caused a problem at the job. He never missed a retrieve in his life, either.
Every setter I've ever owned lived in my home, with my roomates, or, today, my family. Not much trouble, except my English destroying TV remotes as a pup. She grew out of it.
No breed of dog throws perfect dogs with every litter. But, since the field Irish setter of today is being pretty closely held by hunting people, for hunting people, the breed as a whole has improved much from whatever you remember about your "free" dog, which, it would seem, was worth about what you paid for it.
Best,
Ted
