Mitt Romney’s family dog, Seamus, became a news sensation after it leaked that Romney strapped the Irish setter to the roof of his station wagon during a 1983 family vacation. Somewhere along the way from Boston to Ontario, the Romney boys noticed dog excrement running down the roof and windows of the car.

Romney stopped and hosed Seamus off, only to put him back on the roof in his kennel.

Romney Faces Backlash Over Travel Arrangements For Dog

When the news broke, dog lovers reacted with anger and even formed a group called “Dogs Against Romney.” Questions were asked about the legality of the traveling situation, and many groups against cruelty toward animals harshly criticized the incident.

“It’s definitely something I’d want to check out,” an officer for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told Time Magazine when the incident first broke.

But now the Irish setter, who died a few years later at a California ranch belonging to Romney’s sister, is back in the news. Romney’s wife, Ann, appeared on ABC with Diane Sawyer this week and defended her husband’s actions.

Ann Romney Defends Husband Over Treatment of Seamus

“The dog loved it,” Ann Romney said, laughing. “He would see that crate and, you know, he would go crazy because he was going with us on vacation. It was to me a kinder thing to bring him along than to leave him in the kennel for two weeks.”

Sawyer responded by questioning how much Seamus really enjoyed the twelve-hour drive, pointing out his intestinal distress along the way. Romney responded that Seamus had eaten turkey before the drive, and had simply gotten a bad case of diarrhea.

Dog Lovers Unite Against Romney

But regardless of the truth of the matter, one thing is for certain—Seamus’ ordeal has captured the attention of Irish setter lovers the world over, and they aren’t happy. “Dogs Against Romney” now boasts a blog detailing the extent of what they believe to be animal cruelty and even sell t-shirts with slogans like “dogs aren’t luggage” and “I ride inside.”

When asked if he would ever transport a dog the same way again, Romney said he would not as the story had become “the most wounding” to his campaign.

“Wrong reason,” one Twitter user responded.

One of the fastest growing trends in the food industry is the gluten-free movement. Even those whose diets do not call for gluten free food have found themselves opting out of flour.

These people say that without wheat in their lives they feel like they have more energy, they’ve lost weight and they feel better about what they’re eating.

But even though humans may choose to eat gluten free, many vets are finding that the Irish Setter is predisposed to be gluten-intolerant.

What Does This Mean for Dogs?

Just like humans, dogs with Celiac disease have an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that includes chronic diarrhea, fatigue and even a failure to live past infancy.

This is caused by a reaction to gliadin which is a gluten protein found in wheat, barley and rye. If gluten is continually fed to the dogs the vili lining of the small intestine will cease to work and absorb nutrients.

Are There Any Cures

Again, just like humans, there have been no cures for Celiac disease and dogs, like the Irish Setter, that suffer from this problem are left with one option a gluten free diet.

Unlike humans who thrive so much on wheat and carbohydrates, dogs live on much more protein and thus don’t have to make quite as many concessions as humans do.

If your local pet store or supplier doesn’t carry gluten-free dog food, you’re sure to be able to find wholesale prices on gluten-free food online.

Don’t let your Irish Setter suffer from this disease any longer. If you have any suspicions that your dog is gluten-intolerant, take them into the vet as soon as possible.

Owning a dog does not come without its own challenges. However owning an Irish Setter is another matter altogether. Irish Setters require lots of grooming and long walks in the park.

Show Dog

This beautiful dog is also a show dog. They have an impressive gait, respond easily to commands, and a beautiful glossy coat

High Maitance

Looking at the pictures now, do you notice the glossy coat an Irish Setter has? If you do not brush, wash, and detangle their long hair, it will build up on the poor animal and can cause some serious damage. An Irish Setter can take up more hair time than your own!

Wild Energy

If you are the type of person who likes to work all day than come home and relax on the couch, than this dog is not for you. When dogs have more energy than they can handle, they tend to break, tear, and chew things. However, if you are an avid hiker, walker, or runner, the Irish Setter is perfect for you!

Hunting Dogs

The Irish Setter was created to hunt birds and other small animals. They are also fast runners and meant for the wild.

Have you ever seen Pixar’s Up? The talking dog, Doug was on the hunt for the ‘bird’ or Kevin. When Doug found Kevin, he did a ‘point’ with his tail straight and his nose pointing towards the animal. This is just how an Irish Setter’s body would get when they found animals. They would freeze and ‘point’ at the prey until the hunter shot them down.

Conclusion

Irish Setters are great dogs. They are really friendly and love to be around people. Before you buy one on your own, be sure you can handle the maintenance required for this animal.

Owners and friends Alicia Copping and Natasha White helped the Irish Setter dog named Romy give birth to 15 puppies. The atonishing amount doubled the average litter size for Irish Setters. However, with the help of ALicia and Natasha, Romy was able to give birth to 15 healthy puppies

The Labor

When Romy started to go into labor, her owners knew they were in for a long night. What they didn’t know what that 15 puppies were waiting to come out! As Romy kept pumping out more puppies, she grew more and more tired. After delivering the first 10, Alica and Natasha took Romy out for a walk to help stimulate the remaining puppies birth. After several hours, Romy started to give birth again. The remaining pups were the largest and most difficult. Number 15 was the largest and most difficult becasue Romy was so tired. However she perservered and was able to give birth to 15 healthy puppies.

Not Enough Milk!

After the birth of 15 puppies, poor Romy did not have enough milk to feed them all. It is a good thing Alicia and Natasha were there to feed the extra pups a milk supplement until their mother could reproduce more milk.

The Names

The owners are giving out 14 puppies and keeping 1. They have named the smallest pup Rosie. Their goal is to name all the pups after a fairy tale character starting with the letter R. Maybe they should consider Rapunzel or Rumpelstiltskin. The owners are looking for any suggestions for the pups.

Cute Little Things

The 15 puppies can hardly move and can’t even open their eyes, but they still know where to get their milk! Even though they sleep most of the day, these pups are so adorable and lovable. They need to be watched 24/7 as Romy cannot keep up with all of them. This is the first time Romy has been a parent, but she seems to be a natural.

Getting a puppy is always a big commitment. It doesn’t matter what breed of animal you may chose, a puppy is a big chore. Having a dog is not always cuddles and love, it takes determination, dedication, and a willingness to be the leader.

Things to Prepare for

Having a puppy means that they have just come from their mother and a litter full of pups. They may be used to constant attention and company so it would be wise to comfort them and play with them often. Also, be sure to have patience with the puppy; they are new to the world and should be treated and handled with care.

Because they are a puppy, they will not be potty trained. If you are keeping the animal inside, keep in mind that this can take time to train your dog. There will be accidents so have a carpet cleaner handy to prevent unwanted odors from stinking up your home.

How to Get an Irish Setter

There are plenty of websites that sell Irish Setter puppies. Once of them is Smyth Irish Setter Puppies. They sell male puppies for $550 and females for $700. They have puppies ready now for you to look at on their website.

Another way of finding the right Irish Setter puppy for you is by typing it into a search engine. Sellers of this breed will come up right away for you to see what puppy you want.

Patience

Remember to have patience when choosing a puppy. Sometimes it may not work out with the owner, they flake out, or the puppy has already been purchased. It can take time to get the right pet for you, but with patience and determination, you are could be well on your way to having the perfect companion.

The Origins of any animal is always a curious thing. How people can mix breeds together to make a whole new species. This article is able to target some of the key points of the Irish Setter’s Origin, how they got their name, and

Origination

The Irish Setter is a combination of a bunch of different breeds. Some of them are the Irish Terrier, the English Setter, the Irish Water Spaniel, and even the Pointer. This combination was used to help produce the best sporting and show dog.

Another fun fact about the Irish Setter is that they share an ancestor with the English Setter. They are both related to the Spanish pointer. It is very useful having that blood for dogs that aspire to be hunters.

The Name

A Setter’s job in the hunting field would be to ‘set’ the game. Their short legs would allow them to crawl up behind the game (the game was generally birds) and wait for the hunter to come. Then the hunter would then throw a net over the birds and the dog. An Irish Setter was so useful because they have great noses and can race very quickly.

After the gun started to get used, the dogs changed tactics. Instead of crawling up to their prey, they would just sand and point at the birds with their bodies. Another technique the dogs would use would be to race back and forth in front of the hunter to alert them of the prey.

The Result

The end result of mixing breeds is a great hunting and show dog. This dog is the perfect companion for the bird tracker and hunter. Anyone wishing to improve their skills with hunting should consider getting one of the fabulous dogs.

Even though the Irish Setter has been selected since the 18th century as a breed that can perform at its best in any arena, the breed has become susceptible to the pangs of hip dysplasia.

What Is Hip Dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is a genetic and abnormal formation of the hip socket that affects mainly larger breeds of dogs.

Dogs that suffer from this condition have a hip that doesn’t hold the caput of the leg bone in tight enough. This loose, or partial, fit results in either the caput or the acetabulum (a surface of the hip) becoming misshapen and rough.

Unsurprisingly, this results in painful friction, and even tearing of the tissues surrounding the joint.

The dog’s body reacts to this condition by continuing to repair itself and laying down new cartilage, even though the process of forming cartilage is a very slow one. This then causes the hip to be inflamed and cause further damage.

If left unchecked, hip dysplasia can even result in osteoarthritis with small outcropping of the bone and further degradation of the joint.

How to Tell If Your Setter Has Hip Dysplasia

Although there are many things that could be causing your dog pain, especially as he/she ages, hip dysplasia is common enough to suspect it if your dog ever exhibits stiffness or pain in the hips.

Hip dysplasia is especially common after exercise and your dog could have a hard time, or be resistant to, getting up again after he/she has recovered from exercise.

You should especially be worried if you notice that your dog’s gait has changed or has ever been abnormal from other dogs’ running patterns.

Even though your vet will most likely take an X-Ray or run a hip scoring test before he/she diagnoses your dog, it is important to keep an eye out on your dog before more damage is done.

It is not uncommon for people to use the terms “Red Setter” and “Irish Setter” interchangeably when talking about such famous dogs as the one who starred in the Disney movie Big Red, and the pet of former President Nixon’s dog, King Timahoe.

But these terms are not synonymous and are just as separate of breeds as Irish Setters are from White Setters.

How Reds and Irish Are Different

Red Setter is a term that can be used generically when referring to all red-hued setter type dogs. In other words, any heavily marked orange belton show, or field English setter, or even a Gordon Setter with a particularly red coat.

The AKC recognizes and registers only 4 different kinds of setters: English Setter, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, and White Setter.

It wasn’t until the middle part of the 20th century that a split in the development of the Irish Setter came about. After a breeder was dissatisfied with the field performance of the show-type Irish Setter, some field aficionados began to cross birddogs and other high performance dogs with their Irish Setters.

This resulted with pups that looked very much like the Irish Setter show dogs with copious coats and elegant forms, but with a better grasp of their hunting technique.

Since they weren’t able to be registered by the AKC as Irish Setters, this new breed came to be known as the Red Setter.

Red Setters tend to be smaller in stature from Irish Setters, often being broader and stockier with a shorter neck and leg. Their coats are also not quite as profuse or as long as the Irish Setters, with shorter, higher set ears.

Although Red Setters aren’t quite as beautiful to look at, they are beautiful to watch as they outperform the more showman–like Irish Setters.

We all love puppies. They have so much energy and they are so new to life that it’s absolutely adorable when they trip over their big paws or long ears. But then they grow up to be a large dog that’s too big for your space, or they end up being more energetic in their teenage years than you’re ready for.

None of this does, or should, deter us from choosing to have a companion that will love us unconditionally forever.

Why Would Anyone Ever Not Want a Puppy?

Despite the uncontrollable adorableness that comes with puppies, you might want to consider adopting an older Irish Setter if you’re looking for a new addition to your family. By buying a puppy that is for sale, not only do you take the risk of buying from a puppy mill that treats dogs more like machines than living beings, but you also make one less home for an older Setter that is looking to be adopted.

Puppies can be a lot of work. Not only do you have to housetrain them, but you have to clean up after their messes until they are house broken. Then you have to go through the process of teaching them simple commands like sitting, staying, walking on a leash, etc. These skills are often too difficult for a young puppy’s mind to process, whereas older dogs can pick them up quite fast. Older dogs are almost always potty trained if you adopt them from the shelter, but you can ask your local shelter which ones are and which ones are not ready to live in a home full time.

Puppies Can Be Hard for First Time Dog Owners

If you and your family have never owned a dog before and you want to dive right in with a new puppy, you might want to reconsider this. Puppies require the amount of work and attention and clean up that ten adult dogs require.

By adopting a mature Irish Setter from your local shelter, not only will you save a life, but you will also have a more relaxed dog owning experience.

Magnolia Setter Rescue is a non-profit, Charitable organization that helps in protecting the Setter breeds (Irish, Gordon, English, and Irish Red & Irish White). Their mission statement is sweet and compassionate:

“Our mission, as Setter fanciers, is to strive to take care of our Setter friends who, through no fault of their own, are lost, impounded in a shelter, have been placed in the wrong home, are unwanted because they no longer fit the family setting, or have to be given up by their owners who can no longer care for them for one reason or another. Our goal is to find responsible, loving “forever homes” for our rescued Setter friends.”

They assist in local setter rescuer efforts by promoting education to the public in different matters such as responsible dog ownership, spay/neuter, and heart worm prevention. And as part of this effort, every dog that is rescued by Magnolia Setter Rescue is spayed or neutered before being placed with a new home and family.

The organization was established back in 1995 by a network of volunteers. The current coordinator for the organization is also the Irish Setter Club of America Rescue Coordinator for Region three and is also on the National Rescue Committee of the Gordon Setter Club of America.