How often should I brush an English Setter?

Two to three times a week is a reasonable routine for most of the year, increasing to daily during the heavier spring and autumn seasonal sheds. Regular brushing prevents the feathering from matting as much as it manages loose hair.

Are English Setters a good choice for someone with allergies?

Not typically the best choice — they shed a moderate to noticeable amount year-round, which is generally more challenging for allergy sufferers than a lower-shedding breed. No dog is truly hypoallergenic, so anyone with allergies should spend time around an adult of the breed before committing.

Why does my English Setter's coat get matted?

The long feathering on the ears, legs, chest and tail tangles easily if it isn't brushed through regularly, especially after walks where it can pick up debris or get damp. Consistent brushing, particularly of the feathered areas, is the main way to prevent matting from building up.

Does trimming an English Setter's coat reduce shedding?

Trimming the feathering can make grooming more manageable and reduce how much gets tangled or picked up outdoors, but it doesn't meaningfully change how much the dog sheds overall, since that's driven by the coat's natural growth cycle rather than its length.

Do English Setter puppies shed as much as adults?

Puppies carry a softer, shorter coat and typically shed less noticeably than a full adult coat, but this changes as their proper feathering comes through, usually over their first year or so. Expect shedding to become more noticeable, and grooming needs to increase, as they mature.

Do English Setters shed?

Yes, English Setters shed, and moderately at that — their long, silky feathered coat drops hair steadily through the year with a heavier seasonal shed, usually in spring and autumn. It isn't a low-shedding breed, but regular grooming keeps the loose hair manageable rather than letting it end up on every surface in the house.

What an English Setter's coat actually does

English Setters carry a long, flat, silky coat with feathering on the ears, chest, legs and tail, and that coat sheds continuously at a low level with two more noticeable seasonal drops as the undercoat turns over. It isn't the kind of constant, heavy shedding you'd see in some double-coated breeds, but the length of the hair itself makes what does come out more noticeable around the home.

The feathering in particular is prone to picking up debris, tangling and matting if it isn't brushed through regularly, which affects how the coat looks and feels day to day more than the sheer quantity of hair shed does.

Keeping the shedding manageable

Brushing an English Setter two to three times a week, more during the heavier seasonal sheds, removes loose undercoat before it ends up on furniture and clothing, and prevents the feathering from matting. A slicker brush or a comb suited to longer coats works through the feathered areas better than a bristle brush alone.

Regular grooming also gives you a chance to check the feathering on the legs, ears and tail for tangles, grass seeds or debris picked up on walks, which is a genuine practical concern for a coat this long and low to the ground.

What to expect day to day

Even with regular brushing, expect some loose hair on floors and furniture, particularly during the spring and autumn coat changes — this is a shedding breed, not a low-shedding one, and no amount of grooming eliminates that entirely. A good vacuum routine and washable throws on furniture help more than trying to stop the shedding itself.

If shedding becomes suddenly much heavier than usual, or is accompanied by bald patches, sore skin or excessive scratching, that's a change worth having checked by your vet rather than assuming it's a normal seasonal shed.

Kit for this breed

Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.

Microfibre Pet Drying Robe

A super-absorbent microfibre drying robe that soaks up the wet fast after baths, swims and walks.

From£10.99

Absorbent Microfibre Dog Drying Robe

A super-absorbent microfibre drying robe with a handy front pocket to dry your dog off fast.

From£13.99

Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles

A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.

£18.99

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Common questions

How often should I brush an English Setter?: Two to three times a week is a reasonable routine for most of the year, increasing to daily during the heavier spring and autumn seasonal sheds. Regular brushing prevents the feathering from matting as much as it manages loose hair.
Are English Setters a good choice for someone with allergies?: Not typically the best choice — they shed a moderate to noticeable amount year-round, which is generally more challenging for allergy sufferers than a lower-shedding breed. No dog is truly hypoallergenic, so anyone with allergies should spend time around an adult of the breed before committing.
Why does my English Setter's coat get matted?: The long feathering on the ears, legs, chest and tail tangles easily if it isn't brushed through regularly, especially after walks where it can pick up debris or get damp. Consistent brushing, particularly of the feathered areas, is the main way to prevent matting from building up.
Does trimming an English Setter's coat reduce shedding?: Trimming the feathering can make grooming more manageable and reduce how much gets tangled or picked up outdoors, but it doesn't meaningfully change how much the dog sheds overall, since that's driven by the coat's natural growth cycle rather than its length.
Do English Setter puppies shed as much as adults?: Puppies carry a softer, shorter coat and typically shed less noticeably than a full adult coat, but this changes as their proper feathering comes through, usually over their first year or so. Expect shedding to become more noticeable, and grooming needs to increase, as they mature.

Sources

Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.

Blue Cross — Pet advice

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.