The Irish Red and White Setter is a highly intelligent breed that is very responsive to dog training at a young age. They do tend to be somewhat independent but with firm, consistent expectations, they are fast learners. Irish Red and White Setters will not respond well to negative dog training techniques or even loud or raised voices and may become rather timid or likely to avoid people if harshly punished even verbally.

The Irish Red and White Setter quickly learn what their owners want and will learn just as quickly what they can get away with. Most people, even if this is your first dog, will have little trouble in working with the Irish Red and White Setter provided they use a consistent, firm, and loving dog training style.

Since the breed is very quick to learn unwanted behaviors, they do need to be consistently challenged. As a dog used to working with people they also need to be mentally challenged. A great way to keep this breed both thinking and learning is to train them in obedience or hunting. Natural scent dogs they are highly effective in hunting trials and dog obedience training events. Many owners also use the Irish Red and White Setter in agility dog training where their natural enthusiasm and energy is best suited to the test.

They are excellent dogs to take to competitions, as they are not typically aggressive nor are they timid or shy around new people. As with all dogs the more socialization and dog training they receive throughout their lives the more likely they are to get along well with all types of people and other animals. Occasionally Irish Red and White Setters can be habitual cat chasers so socializing the breed with a cat is important as a puppy if you have cats in the house.

If there is more than one dog in the family, it is important to isolate the Irish Red and White Setter during dog training times. They tend to be highly distractible as puppies but once trained they can attend to the owner with the exclusion of other things in the environment. They can be trained to respond to hand signal or whistles relatively easily.

As with any dog training to be successful, it takes repetition, repetition, and then more repetition. An even firm voice and steady patient hand is always the best way to teach your dog. Remember to train only as fast as your Irish Setter can handle. If during a dog-training lesson your dog seems reluctant to do what the lesson requires then stop and return to the part of the training session they did accomplish.

For puppies, the dog training lessons should only last 20 minutes at a time, any longer and your dog will lose focus and will no longer learn. For older dogs, the lessons should last until your dog understands the command and accomplishes the goal.

Taking the time to understand your dog as well as following these simple suggestions you and your dog will achieve success in dog training lessons. There is nothing more rewarding then owning a well-trained dog, when you do you will truly understand the meaning of “mans best friend.”