# GR confused with Irish Setter?



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

Has anyone else had their GR confused with an Irish Setter? If I had a dollar for every person that has asked if Samantha was an Irish Setter I would be rich! I understand the similarities, esp. with her color, but am still confused. i think that she looks just like the stereotypical American GR, which she is!


----------



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

I'm trying to attach a picture (after failing at my last post).


----------



## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

i could be wrong but i think the irish setter was used back in the day to devolpe the golden retriever.


----------



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

GoldenOwner12 said:


> i could be wrong but i think the irish setter was used back in the day to devolpe the golden retriever.


That makes sense then!


----------



## GoldenSummer (Mar 26, 2010)

My Bear (RIP) was dark, he actually had the color and shade of an Irish Setter and I remember being asked ALL the time if he was and I'd have to say no hes a Golden and then have to explain that he was American and thats why he was so dark adn red and as a kid saying this I don't think people believed me LOL once I hit my later teens I think people started to take me more seriously lol. I get asked what Tyson is, but hes not as dark or red as what Bear was so I don't think I'll be asked if hes an Irish Setter but I still have to explain how and why hes so dark :doh:


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

YEAH, pretty common, for those with red goldens, i use to have a red one, was asked all the time, Hope to have another some day, if i can find a breeder up this way.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Yes, my neighbor thought my Red boy had Irish Setter in him, which is not so. I'm guessing because he is such a dark Red.


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Aww! How old is Samantha?

I've been asked if my dog was an Irish setter, a toller, a smooth collie.... all sorts of things!

People just don't always know and are trying to make a guess. Think about if you saw some sort of cute terrier and wanted to know what it was.


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Yep...got to love those Irish Golden Retrievers  

We get it lots to....Your Irish Setter is so pretty!! Sometime I say thank you other times I say He is a Golden Retriever just depends on my mood


----------



## Kally76 (Jun 14, 2010)

Yes, I get that probably an average of once a week.


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Yup - even I get it every so often, and Tee only has a slight tinge of red in her goldness.

Kally - I originally hoped to have a Golden the colour of yours!


----------



## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

I haven't seen a red golden around here but after joining the forum and seeing all the reds here I just love them.


----------



## Kally76 (Jun 14, 2010)

Sweet Girl said:


> Yup - even I get it every so often, and Tee only has a slight tinge of red in her goldness.
> 
> Kally - I originally hoped to have a Golden the colour of yours!


I have to say, "I just loooooove the red." I have a blondie also (I love her just as much. LOL) but, there's just something about that bright shiney red!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

Ohhhhhhhhh yes - Duke was mistaken for an Irish Setter all the time.

I really have a tough time seeing it but he was so tall and red (and beautiful)


----------



## TomCat'sGirl (Aug 27, 2010)

Cash is on the blonder side so he is confused with a lab alot. His feathers are growing in nicley so not so much now. I think he looks all golden. The only time it bothered me was at puppy class another women was arguing with me about what kind of dog Cash was. She honestly did not believe me.


----------



## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

I do believe Goldens comes from the Irish Setter and Water Spaniel lines, which might be the explanation of their Setter characteristics. I however, just can't see it myself - I zoom in on the comparisons every time. I think I have OCD when it comes to dog breeds due to me not having much of a social life to keep me occupied with anything else. Lol.


----------



## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Milo has been mistaken for an Irish Setter a few times. One fella felt he needed to argue the issue - oh well?? Kaya is often mistaken for a Duck Toller - she is very red and has a white spot on her head.


----------



## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

TomCat'sGirl said:


> Cash is on the blonder side so he is confused with a lab alot. His feathers are growing in nicley so not so much now. I think he looks all golden. The only time it bothered me was at puppy class another women was arguing with me about what kind of dog Cash was. She honestly did not believe me.


Oh, I despise it when people try to insist that Ori is a Lab! I get it all the time, and a housecall doctor recently tried to insist as well that he wasn't "hairy" enough to be a Golden. I'm sure I saw Ori shoot him a dirty look as I had to lead him outside.


----------



## Kally76 (Jun 14, 2010)

Duke's Momma said:


> Ohhhhhhhhh yes - Duke was mistaken for an Irish Setter all the time.
> 
> I really have a tough time seeing it but he was so tall and red (and beautiful)


Beautiful photo!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## macchelle (Dec 28, 2008)

Yep, LOL, Molly too. I used to get upset about it but now I realize that not everyone is familiar with different breeds and with the shade of red that Molly is the first thought is Irish Setter. I just tell them she is a red headed Golden.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I get asked it regularly, yeah, but only by people who really have no idea what a Setter actually looks like. Even the darkest Golden is SO different from an actual setter.


----------



## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

has young Irish man (what an accent!) insisted Bridger was a setter this summer - figured he was just homesick

couple years ago a woman insisted Obi (RIP) and Bridger were golden/setter mixes - she "had raised Goldens and they aren't that dark"...yikes!! 

Bridge is just a gold dog - but we let him be a setter on St. Pat's Day


----------



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

Thanks everyone for posting such great pictures! I'm glad I'm not the only one with a Golden that "looks like" (ha!) an Irish Setter!


----------



## mag&bays mom (Sep 25, 2010)

both breeds are so gorgeous but the only thing that i see that could be kind of similar is the actual color of the fur. face, ears, and coats are so different on gr's vs irish setters. 

some people just really have no clue about dog breeds. 

my girl always gets called a lab since she is so blonde and has shorter fur. sometimes it makes me mad but oh well i know she is all golden and i love her dearly so thats all that matters 

i love all your guys' photos of your red headed babies. they are so beautiful. my next gr is going to be as red as they come!


----------



## MittaBear (Mar 9, 2010)

I don't even think they look that much alike. The only thing they share is really the color (for darker goldens). Chester looks nothing like an Irish setter because he's so light...but he does get confused for a lab a lot.


----------



## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

how about Goldens getting confused with Great Pry?? I've been around that 2x when someone saw a very, very white Golden


----------



## luvbuzz (Oct 27, 2010)

I am a golden lover. I never thought I could confuse an irish setter with a golden...but what is the Bush's beans dog???? Is he a golden or an irish setter???


----------



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

spruce said:


> how about Goldens getting confused with Great Pry?? I've been around that 2x when someone saw a very, very white Golden


That's a good one! I googled the Great Pyrenees to refresh my memory and found this picture... looks A LOT like a cream colored golden!


----------



## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

luvbuzz said:


> I am a golden lover. I never thought I could confuse an irish setter with a golden...but what is the Bush's beans dog???? Is he a golden or an irish setter???


 
He is def. a Golden Retriever (at least I think). Haha, that's prob. the second most common comment that I get after Irish Setter. "She looks just like the baked beans dog!"


----------



## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

luvbuzz said:


> I am a golden lover. I never thought I could confuse an irish setter with a golden...but what is the Bush's beans dog???? Is he a golden or an irish setter???


I met a golden once that I had to stumble around & confirm his breed..he was totally Irish setter red. 
Our Bridger has been referred to as "Duke" (Bush's dog) many, many times.. Bridger may not even be pure golden...anyone know Duke's lines?


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Duke is a golden!!! I just wish Chester and Murphy could talk like him


----------



## Bob Dylan (Mar 31, 2009)

Erica, is always mistaken for an Irish Setter, Frankie once in a while.
We had Irish Setters when we were first married, BIG difference in personalities!


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Here is our Mr. Sam... who was more gold than red when he was young and still got the Irish Setter Golden Retriever mix tag from a lot of people. He did have a really silky coat, but still would have been a very short and fat Setter.


----------



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Our Cooper was mistaken for an Irish Setter _all the time_. He was just as red as could be, so unless someone was familiar with Goldens, they didn't realize that's what he was. It didn't really bother me unless they insisted on arguing with me.


----------



## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I found my first golden and the first dog I'd had in 15+ years wandering around at my fishing hole 8 years ago.

He was a big red old guy. I called animal control, shelters and posted fliers for a "Big retriever type dog" since I had no idea what breed he was. He was not claimed and so began my love of the breed.

The three I've had since have all been older red male rescues. Not a requirement - just what I found at the time. I still have no knowledge of breed standards for GRs or Irish Setters. I thought Copper was a mix, but many people on here say he was a purebred. I don't know or care, but he sure was wonderful.:smooch:


----------

