White on a red setter: Hate it or love it?

[Henk ten Klooster]

Comments on white on red setters seen on my videos from Ursula and Camilla made this topic. Do you hate, love, dislike, like, don't mind white on red setters and exactly why?

[Katariina Roiha]

Love it. And as you can see in my photos one our setters has a lot of it. Though he is a mixture, we want to be in the belief that the more white, the better hunter. I know for a fact that a real hunter chooses always the puppy with a lot of white from a litter. There is more of the ancestor in them ;-)

[ursula wilby]

I have actually no strong oppinion on likes or dislikes. As far as I understand it, the breedstandard will not allow that amount of white. And, having looked at your video, I have to say I have never seen anywhere near the amount of white on any purebred setter before.
What I do know is that puppybuyers love (at least a little) white on the chest. I believe that mainly stems from the fact that they can tell their particular puppy from its littermates.
I may not be heavy on the showing side, but I would not breed "against" the breedstandard. Even if temperament is far more important to me than looks...

[Carmel Murphy]

I like to see some white on the red setters as it is part of their heritage!! The breed standard here allows white on chest, neck, chin, toes and a blaze on nose or top of head!! Rua has a litte white on her chin and chest and her son Darby has a lovely streak on his neck and many of her pups have white chins and one pup from '07 litter has a big white chest!! Rua's brother also has lovely white chest and with his full coat he looks lovely!!

[Pauliina Artiola]

I love a little (or more ;D) white on the chest. can`t eaxactly tell why but I think it`s charming.
In the last litter there was two puppies with some white toes - I think they are cute. But most propably the white will disappear.

[Kristina Brannlund Westin]

I dont mind if it´s a little spot on the chest or the chin. I have seen Irish with a lot of white and that I dont like.

[Laura Kolbach]

When I chose Odin from the litter (ok, only 3 pups whereof only 2 bitches), with no experience at all in choosing (wanting just a pet...) I told Emese: I would like to have the one without the white on the chest :-) I knew that white was allowed but I wanted the one without. Don't ask me why :) Danka has very very little white, more visible when she is totally out of coat. But when choosing her, I did not have it in mind at all to make the decision according to having-white or not-having-white. :-)
So: I don't really care as long as it is limited to the chest and not too big.
Comment: there are still judges around that are totally against the white and would place the dog further back...

[Loma I. Clark]

I don't mind the white and have learned to live with it as my Abbott has a large streak running down his throat and on to his chest. The problem's I've run in to with it, is some Judges hate it and wouldn't give him the win because he was the only one with it. The odd man out so to speak.
But our standard allows it in certain places and the judges need to learn the standard. Some judges would tell me that Abbott was a example of where the Red Setter came from. I think its flashy and we are seeing more and more dogs with white in the rings now.

Loma

[Gene]

White on the chest doesn't bother me in the slightest. Seems to add to the character of the dog.

[Carmel Murphy]

I think that looks great on Abbott (like you forgot to zip up his red coat!!;o))
Carmel

[Loma I. Clark]

That's too funny........but you're right. Loma and Red Friends

[Sue Klein]

As an Akc judge for Irish setters and I am speaking only for meyself....A patch of white on the chest or a blaze on the chest can be most attractive. I do not care for a wide blaze that starts at the throat and is wide . However, having said that if you have two dogs one with the white and one without, if the one with the white is the better overall dog that would be my winner! Of course no white on the toes, top head etc...Abbot for one has proven that a good judge can find the best dog on the given day. I have not had a setter that had any large amount of white. I'd be leary of an Irish that walked into the ring that was one solid color........ that would raise my eyes more than a white blaze...

[ursula wilby]

Judging by the comments, I wonder how many of you have actually looked at Henks video-clip? I have bred (and seen) quite a few dogs with white chests, and I have never heard a judge say anything about the amount of white. But neither have I ever seen Irish setter puppies with as much white as the ones Henk had. I am not certain how judges would react. But we do have plenty of judges amongst us...do we not?