10+ Irresistible Irish Setter Mixes

Highly sociable, energetic, swift, and agile, featuring a mahogany-red wavy coat and graceful build, the Irish Setter is a favorite of outdoorsy pet parents, and a cherished family pet. While purebred Irish Setters are popular in their homeland of Ireland and abroad, Irish Setter mixed breeds have become increasingly sought-after.

These mixed-breed pups can be the result of unplanned litters or the intentional crossing of an Irish Setter with a complementary breed. Unlike purebreds, the genetic diversity of these mixes can result in a range of appearances and traits that make a pup wonderfully unique. And when comparing mixed breeds vs. purebreds, mixed-breed pups may have a lower risk of developing several genetic health conditions.

If you’re considering adopting an Irish Setter mix, read on to learn about some of the most popular crosses and mixes you might find in rescues and shelters.

Irish Setter mixes

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Golden Irish: Golden Retriever + Irish Setter mix

Crossing two famously friendly breeds — the Golden Retriever and the Irish Setter — the Golden Irish is a wonderful choice for active and social families. These energetic, outdoorsy pups tend to love swimming, inheriting an affinity for water from both parent breeds. Their social, outgoing, and loving nature also makes them excellent additions to multi-pet households.

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Irish Doodle: Irish Setter + Poodle mix

Combining the Poodle’s intelligence and retrieving traits with the Irish Setter’s energetic and social nature, the Irish Doodle tends to be outgoing, smart, and a fantastic working and family dog. Since both the Poodle and Irish Setter have coats that require regular maintenance, potential pet parents of this mixed breed should be prepared to maintain a weekly grooming schedule.

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Lab Setter: Labrador Retriever + Irish Setter mix

Best suited for active and social homes, the Lab Setter is a friendly, happy-go-lucky bundle of energy. These energetic pups thrive with pet parents who regularly take them on hikes, swimming adventures, and to the dog park. These mixed-breed pups can excel at dog sports and activities like dock diving, rally trials, agility, and scent work.

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German Shepsetter: German Shepherd + Irish Setter mix

Alert, highly athletic, and intelligent, the German Shepsetter combines the friendly and sociable nature of the Irish Setter with the alert, loyal, and protective nature of the German Shepherd. Their coats tend to be medium to long and may be wavy and silky, or dense and straight. 

Depending on the genes they inherit, German Shepsetters may be prone to a bit of wariness around strangers — but they can also be social butterflies. So make sure to provide a supportive, positive socialization experience to bring out the best in this unique mixed breed.

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Irish Borsetter: Irish Setter + Border Collie mix

With off-the-chart smarts, a love for outdoor adventures, and a social nature, the Irish Borsetter is an excellent match for experienced pet parents seeking a high-energy, intelligent, athletic, and friendly dog. With both herding and working traits in their lineage, these pups thrive on lots of play and mentally engaging enrichment. 

They can easily become restless and destructive without consistent and varied enrichment, so potential pet parents should plan on engaging in lots of pup-friendly activities to keep their Irish Borsetter pal healthy and happy. 

More Irish Setter mixes

In addition to the delightful mixed breeds mentioned above, you may also come across dozens of other Irish Setter mixes at rescues and shelters. They feature a diverse range of features and traits, but most do best with experienced pet parents. Here are some more Irish Setter mixed-breed cuties. 

• Irish Cocker (Irish Setter + Cocker Spaniel mix): A charming, gentle, and friendly mix, these pups tend to thrive in the company of other pets and people, and often feature large, expressive eyes and a wavy coat.

• Aussie Setter (Irish Setter + Australian Shepherd mix): This sporty mix can feature a medium- to long-length coat, can be highly intelligent and active, and often excels in agility.

• Irish Pit Bull (Irish Setter + Pit Bull mix): These mixed-breed pups tend to be snuggly, enthusiastic, and a bit of loveable class clowns. 

• Golden Irish Doodle (Irish Setter + Golden Doodle mix): Sometimes featuring a low-shedding and low-allergen coat, the Irish Setter and Golden Doodle mix can result in a smart, playful, friendly, and water-loving pup.

• Irish Beagsetter (Irish Setter + Beagle mix): Combining two breeds with an especially keen sense of smell, these mixed-breed dogs are often excellent outdoor partners, but may be prone to roaming without consistent, rewarding recall training. 

• Irish Setter + German Shorthaired Pointer mix: This mix combines two pointer breeds, resulting in a mixed-breed dog with, historically, a strong working instinct and inclination to freeze and point upon locating game birds. 

• Irish Setter + English Springer Spaniel mix: Crossing an Irish Setter and an English Springer Spaniel will typically result in a pup with an upbeat personality and long, floppy, and silky-haired ears.

Things to know about Irish Setter Mixes

Because of the greater genetic diversity of Irish Setter mixes (compared to their purebred counterparts), these pups may avoid some inherited health conditions. According to a study published in 2013 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, out of 24 genetic diseases evaluated, 13 diseases occurred at similar rates in mixed-breed and purebred dogs — while 10 diseases were more likely to occur in purebreds. Only one condition (ruptured cranial cruciate ligament) occurred more often in mixed-breed individuals.

In addition to possibly having a reduced risk of genetic illnesses, Irish Setter mixes can feature a range of coat types, builds, sizes, and temperaments. Still, they’ll likely inherit some characteristically Irish Setter traits, which may include an outgoing and social personality, a silky and wavy coat, a love for water, or a high-energy nature. 

Irish Setter mixes tend to be large dogs

According to the American Kennel Club, purebred female Irish Setters should weigh 60 pounds and stand 25 inches at the shoulder, while male Irish Setters should weigh in at 70 pounds and measure 27 inches tall at the shoulder. 

The most common breeds mixed with Irish Setters — such as Golden Retrievers, Pointers, Labrador Retrievers, and Standard Poodles — are also large-breed dogs, resulting in large-size offspring. They also happen to make some of the best pets among large dog breeds. (Of course, Irish Setters crossed with Cocker Spaniels or other smaller breeds, for example, may reach a medium size at maturity.)

Irish Setter mixes come in many colors

While purebred Irish Setters should have a chestnut, red, or mahogany coat, Irish Setter mixes can feature a range of coat colors. For example, an Irish Doodle (Irish Setter + Poodle) could feature an apricot, black, blue, brown, red, white, gray, silver, silver-beige, cafe au lait, red, mahogany, or chestnut coat.

Irish Setter mixes are high-energy

Most Irish Setter mixes are high-energy thanks to the energetic nature of Irish Setters and most of the popular breeds that mix with them. Since the common breeds that cross with Irish Setters are also traditionally hunting or herding dogs, these mixed-breed pups are best suited in active homes with outdoorsy families where they can have a job. 

Irish Setter mixes tend to shed a lot 

It’s common for Irish Setter mixes to feature a coat that is wavy and medium-to-long in length. These coats can shed a lot, and Irish Setter mixes typically require grooming at least once per week to keep their coats healthy and free from a buildup of dead hair. The exception are Irish Doodle mixes who may, depending on their genes, feature the low-shedding and low-allergen coats of Poodles.

Considering adopting an Irish Setter mix? 

Irish Setter mixes aren’t the most common mixed-breed pup, but you can still find these wonderful dogs in need of loving homes at shelters and rescues across the U.S. Some breed-specific Setter rescues may also take in Irish Setter mixes, so make sure to check with those as well.

If you’re ready to welcome an Irish Setter mixed-breed pup into your home, start with a search on Adopt a Pet. You can search by breed, age, size, location, and more to find your new canine BFF. 

Commonly asked questions

Do Irish Setter mixes have double coats? 

Irish Setter mixes can have double coats, depending on traits inherited by their parent breeds. Purebred Irish Setters do have double coats, so an Irish Setter mix may inherit this coat type. Additionally, some of the breeds who are commonly mixed with Irish Setters, like Poodles, Golden Retrievers, and Cocker Spaniels, are also double-coated. 

Are Irish Setter mixes good with other dogs?

Irish Setter mixes can definitely be good with other dogs, especially if the mixed-breed pup inherits the Irish Setter’s characteristically social and dog-friendly nature. Of course, genetics only play a part in influencing your dog’s sociability. Supportive early socialization and consistently positive experiences (as they grow up) with other dogs are crucial to helping your Irish Setter mix feel safe and comfortable with other pups. 

References

American Kennel Club

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association