English Setter

Classic pointing bird dog. Popular in Norway, especially for ptarmigan hunting in the mountains.

The English Setter is the most popular pointing bird dog in Norway. The breed is elegant, fast, and has a wide range that covers large mountain areas efficiently. For many hunters, ptarmigan hunting with a setter is the very definition of Norwegian bird hunting.

The setter works at high speed with a wide range. It crosses the terrain in large sweeps ahead of the hunter, always with its nose into the wind. When it catches bird scent, it slows down and freezes in a point with its body stretched forward and tail straight out. The hunter moves in, and on command, the dog flushes the bird.

Ptarmigan hunting in the mountains is the setter's signature discipline. The open terrain above the treeline gives the dog room to use its wide range. The best setters cover enormous areas and find birds the hunter would never have discovered alone.

The temperament is friendly and sociable. The setter is a social dog that thrives in family life but transforms into an intense hunter in the field. The breed has strong hunting passion, and training often involves channeling that energy correctly.

The training process is long. An English Setter is rarely fully developed before three to four years of age. The first year focuses on socialization and basic obedience. The second year gradually introduces hunting work, and the dog gets to experience birds. By the third season, the pieces start falling into place.

The setter is also used for forest grouse (black grouse, capercaillie) in denser terrain, but that requires a dog that adapts its range and works more closely. Not all setters are equally suited for woodland hunting.

The breed is popular throughout Scandinavia and Great Britain. Field trials and shows have dedicated classes for setters, and the community around the breed is active.