How long does a Irish Setter live?

The listed lifespan for a Irish Setter is 12–15 years.

How tall is a Irish Setter?

The listed height for a Irish Setter is 27 in (male), 25 in (female).

Is a Irish Setter good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Irish Setter is 5 out of 5.

When is a Irish Setter full grown?

The growth size band for a Irish Setter is up to 24 months.

Sporting Group

Irish Setter

Irish Setter is a large dog in the Sporting Group. Adult weight is 70 lb (male), 60 lb (female), height is 27 in (male), 25 in (female), and the listed lifespan is 12–15 years. AKC describes the temperament as Active, Sweet-natured, Outgoing.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Irish Setter dog — Photo: localpups · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan12–15 years

Weight70 lb (male), 60 lb (female)

SizeLarge GroupSporting Group

Height

27 in (male), 25 in (female)

Energy

5 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

3 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 119 single-size large breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 13.5 years is about 0.9 years longer than the 12.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 65 lb is about 5.8 lb heavier than the 59.2 lb average for those large breeds.

The listed origin is Ireland. The coat is described as silky, medium. The AKC energy score is 5 out of 5, 0.9 points above the group average of 4.1 for the Sporting Group. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 3 out of 5. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 5 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 73 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in up to 24 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): larger breeds require up to 24 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Hip Evaluation, Thyroid Evaluation, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Irish Setter) (PRA-rcd1) - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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