An Introduction.

[Julia Grace]

 

Having joined up here last week meaning to introduce myself, I then got distracted by everyone else's gorgeous red boys and girls :).

I will introduce myself and my red and follow it up with a picture or two of him.

 

I'm Julia, 25 years old and in Gloucestershire. I've always admired Red Setters, ever since childhood (my mother is the same about them) but either due to financial reasons or circumstances that weren't right to have a Setter, I only got my first three years ago (he was three in July :) ).

 

I have gone from loving the breed to totally adoring them and I can honestly say now that i would not have any other breed (terribly biased!). They are absolutely wonderful dogs and have everything, the character, the soft-as-butter temperament and the looks.

 

I have a three year old boy who goes by the name of Harley. I say Harley but he's been called many other things when I have discovered he has tipped up the plant pots in the garden, traipsed mud through the house, or has been found sleeping on the bed. He knows going upstairs is banned but he seems to think that ordinary rules do not apply to the wonder that is him ;).

I can honestly say he has been the most trying but most rewarding dog I have ever had. I say he is 'mine' but in truth he is my mother's. I have just done the training on him. The hard work has paid off as he has gone from an errant young pup to coming straight back to call in open spaces, sitting and waiting at roadsides, sitting and waiting until he is given permission for his food (to the point where if I call him he will come away from it) and generally being the most loving and gorgeous dog ever :o).

 

I've not long moved out of my parents home (financial reasons) and I miss him like mad although I do go and walk him daily. I am planning to get a Setter of my own rather than just having shared access with my mum as my life now does not feel complete without a big ginger, hairy creature doing crazy things and thrusting it's head in to my lap for love and cuddles :-D.

 

Anyway, enough of me, here are some pictures of 'my' ginger beast :-D.

[Teresa]

Welcome Julia, I hope you enjoy ES as much as I have enjoyed it over the past two years!

You have a very pretty boy, and by the way you describe him, he's a setter alright! 

I have to agree with you in one thing - there are setters, and there are all the other dogs! I have got to the point were if people ask me if I have dogs my answer is "two dogs and two setters" ... But I'm guessing only setter owners will get this - that's why ES is so great!

 

Enjoy

[Julia Grace]

Thanks :). Yes, he is definitely a Setter alright! We also have a Field Spaniel and as lovely as he is, he is the old faithful whereas Harley, you never know quite what mischief he's going to get up to next! When people ask me about dogs, my response is always "a Spaniel and a Setter". I can't lump the two together somehow..

 

I must say, it is lovely to have found a place where people 'get' Setters and understand the obsession that often surrounds them.

[Ruth Findlay]

Hi Julia,

Lovely to hear your story and welcome to the site to you and Harley.  I don't often contribute but its always great to know there is a whole community out there ready to help and advise when we have a problem or just to share some of the great moments we have with our lovely dogs.  Your pics are lovely and I particularly love the expression in the last one - so loving, but mischief there too.  Just as it should be.

[Julia Grace]

 

Thank you for the welcome :).I joined this site partly for the wealth of information available on Setters (Harley being the first then there have been moments of 'eeeek, am I doing the right thing?!') and partly because if you don't have a Setter, you don't quite understand what a Setter owner means when they talk about theirs :).

 

Harley does have some great expressions. There is one picture of him where he is just beaming up in to the camera.

The other thing with him, man or beast, everyone and everything is there for his benefit and is a friend to him. He is so very friendly but surprisingly, did take a very strong dislike to a man in the park once. I've never quite figured out why this man was the only person Harley has ever taken a strong dislike to but he must have senses something I didn't because each time this man tried to approach Harley or me for a chat, Harley placed himself between me and this man, bared his teeth and had his hackles up. To say I was shocked is an understatement but he would not let this man within 5 feet of me and each time I tried to take a step forwards (putting Harley's reaction down to him being young and puppy-like) Harley pressed me back with his body against my legs.

 

He's never reacted like it before or since so I am fairly convinced now that there was something not right with this particular man.

[Ilona & Gina]

Welcome! It's not bias. It's love. Your Harley is gorgeous and has this special "No I am not doing this right now" look that I love so much about them. An old fashioned dog trainer once said to me "Your dogs are dominant". She doesn't know that they are no dogs - they are our reds, red-whites, ES and Gordons and the most wonderful mischievous darlings who know what they want. Call it "Dominance" - I call it character. God bless them all!

[Howard Glansfield]

Welcome Julia and Harley.I think you will like this group.I wish I had found it earlier.

[Julia Grace]

 

I won't tell him you said that, he already seems to think he is the most gorgeous creature in the world! They really do have a character of their own. It's a mix of love, affection, madness, playful-ness and total mischief.

Setters aren't dominant, they just know their own minds and know what they want and I would not ever change that in them.

Every Setter I've met has been full of character and Harley is no exception. Since having him in the household, it has brought home to me not only how wonderfully loving they are but also how they love to be at the centre of the mayhem and quite often, be the cause of it too! :)

[Julia Grace]

Thank you Sue :).

[Teresa Jones]

Hi Julia, welcome to ES what a lovely boy lovely photos totally agree with you I wouldn't want any other breed either our little  Murfee is just over 12 weeks old and is gorgeous (even though I say so myself).  Hope you are able to get one of your own soon

[Julia Grace]

Thanks Teresa :). I have some pictures of Harley as a puppy and can't believe he was ever that tiny and innocent! i look at him now and think 'where did my tiny ball of ginger fluff go to?!' He's grown so quickly that I am jealous you have little 12 week old Murfee! I will have to have a look at your pictures of him.

[Carmel Murphy]

Welcome Julia;o)) Harley is lovely and sounds so settery;o) I hope you get your very own Redhead soon!! Enjoy the site!

[Julia Grace]

Thank you Carmel. There is no mistaking that his personality is pure Setter. I find it almost impossible to stay cross with him as no sooner has he done something naughty, he comes bounding up to me with a huge grin on his face as much as to say 'I'm sorry but I know you still love me!'.