dogage.co
LargeSporting Group

Gordon Setter

The Gordon Setter is the heaviest of the three setter breeds, named for the fourth Duke of Gordon who established the type at Gordon Castle in the early 1800s.

Calculate Gordon Setter age
Lifespan12.4 yrrange 12–13
SizeLargeSporting Group
Weight45–80 lb20.4–36.3 kg
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the Gordon Setter

The Gordon Setter is the heaviest of the three setter breeds, named for the fourth Duke of Gordon who established the type at Gordon Castle in the early 1800s. Distinguished from Irish and English Setters by its black-and-tan coat.

Aging

How Gordon Setters age

RVC VetCompass data gives a median lifespan of 12.4 years (n=531). Elbow dysplasia at 12.4% on OFA screens is the most notable orthopedic finding; progressive retinal atrophy at sub-2% rates warrants routine eye exams from age 4.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 12.4 yr · range 12–13Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10Common health issues7 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
45–80 lb(20.4–36.3 kg)
Height
23–27 in(58.4–68.6 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
Black & TanRedTan
Temperament

Temperament

How Gordon Setters tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

boldloyalalertathletic
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Periodontal Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Periodontal Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
90min
per day

Gordon Setters are high-output dogs — plan for 90 minutes of daily activity across a mix of walks, off-leash play, and purposeful work.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

Compare

Compare Gordon Setter to another breed

Pick any of the 200 breeds in the library and we'll open a side-by-side comparison.

Start typing a breed name.

References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.