The best home for an Irish Setter is one with a large fenced yard or acreage. This breed needs room to run. He is a hunting dog, so he must be contained by a fence or restrained by a leash to prevent him from wandering off. He should live indoors with his family, never alone in a kennel or backyard.

Irish Setters need at least an hour of exercise daily. This can be done in a variety of different ways, but one of the best ways is to allow the Irish Setter to run. He's a great jogging companion and will also enjoy running alongside a bicycle. Long walks, playing fetch, swimming, and of course hunting are other excellent ways to exercise your Irish Setter.

Irish Setter puppies have different exercise needs. From 8 weeks to 4 months of age, puppy kindergarten once or twice a week is a great way for them to get exercise, training, and socialization, plus 15 to 20 minutes of playtime in the yard, morning and evening. Throw a ball for them to fetch. From 4 to 6 months of age, weekly obedience classes and daily half-mile walks will meet their needs, plus playtime in the yard. From 6 months to a year of age, play fetch with a ball or Frisbee for up to 40 minutes during cool mornings or evenings, not in the heat of the day. Continue to limit walks to a half mile. After he's a year old, your Irish Setter pup can begin to jog with you, but keep the distance to less than a mile, run on soft surfaces such as grass or dirt, and give him frequent breaks along the way. As he continues to mature, you can increase the distance and time you run. These graduated levels of exercise will protect his developing bones and joints.

Irish Setters are intelligent dogs who are easy to train, although they require firmness and consistency to prevent them from taking advantage of you. You must be able to provide leadership without using anger or physical force. Training an Irish Setter is primarily a matter of preventing boredom on his part. He tends to suffer from attention deficit disorder. Help him focus by keeping him entertained. Use positive reinforcement techniques such as food rewards, praise, and play, and avoid repetitive exercises. Switch rewards and activities frequently to retain his interest. He accepts fair corrections good-naturedly.

Crate training is a must for your Irish Setter puppy. This breed is curious and will examine anything and everything with his mouth. A crate will help keep your puppy and your belongings safe when you aren't around to supervise.

Most Irish Setters are easy to housetrain. Be consistent, keep the puppy on a schedule, and use a crate. The most important thing to remember is that housetraining is a long process. Your Irish Setter puppy may understand where he needs to do his business, but he may not have the bladder control to see it through until he's 4 months or older. If you will be gone for long periods of time for work or other activities, it's important to have someone who will let the puppy out for a pee break.

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