How much exercise does an English Setter need?
Daily exercise minutes, the activities an English Setter enjoys and signs of too much or too little.
Budget 60 to 90 minutes daily for an adult, including time to run and use that nose. English Setters love open fields, long rambles, scent games and gundog training. Given room, many will quarter back and forth across a field covering huge distances, so a fenced area or a well-proofed recall is essential before letting one loose.
An under-exercised setter becomes restless and destructive, digging and chewing when bored, and many will roam if a gate is left open. Young dogs, on the other hand, should build distance gradually. On hot days the feathering makes them warm quickly, so walk in cooler hours and carry water.
English Setter exercise in numbers
Activity ranges are editorial planning estimates. The five-minutes-per-month puppy rule lacks scientific evidence. Adapt activity to the individual and seek advice for pain or exercise difficulty. PDSA puppy exercise guidance.
Editorial activity estimate
90 to 120 min
Puppy activity
Individual plan
adapt to age, health and development
Senior activity
Individual plan
adapt to comfort and ability
Size
large
20 to 36 kg
Energy level
Playfulness
Handles heat
Handles cold