From the best authorities on the subject, it appears that the English Setter was a trained bird dog in England approximately four hundred years ago. A perusal of some of the old writings leads us to believe that the English Setter had its origin in some of the older of the land spaniels that originated in Spain. We are indebted, however, to Hans Bols, who, in Partridge Shooting and Partridge Hawking written in 1582, presents quite definite pictorial evidence that the setter and the spaniel breeds were quite different in appearance, and even at that time the tails of the spaniels appeared to have been docked as they are today and the tails of setters left as nature intended them.

There is little doubt that the major credit for the development of the modern setter should go to Mr. Edward Laverack, who about 1825 obtained two dogs, "Ponto" and "Old Moll" and through a remarkable process of inbreeding, produced some remarkable specimens.

The first show for English Setters was held at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1859 and from this time on dog shows flourished throughout England. The English Setter has retained its popularity since its introduction into the Americas, primarily because of its usefulness and beauty. As a result of intelligent breeding it has been brought to a high state of perfection and there is always to be found a representative entry at all shows and field trials.

The mild, sweet disposition characteristic of this breed along with the beauty, intelligence and aristocratic appearance it makes in the field and in the home, has endeared it both to the sportsman as well all lovers of a beautiful, active and rugged outdoor dog.