The coat of the Irish Red and White Setter is beautiful with it's long and luxurious fur. However, it does take some maintenance and regular care to keep their coat in excellent condition. Although the breed is an average shedder, the medium length white hair left around on the carpet and furniture often appears to be more than it actually is.

 Like most dogs, they do have a heavy, twice a year, seasonal shed. Daily brushing for about a half hour will remove quite a bit of hair. Invest in a good quality dog brush and always brush in the direction of the fur. Your dog will love the attention and you will appreciate a cleaner house.

 As the fur is long around the tail and stomach it is prone to collecting twigs and small burrs when they are outside. This is especially true if you take your Setter hunting. Work the burrs out with your fingers as soon as they come in the house, doing so will keep them from becoming embedded in the hair. Should you find that debris is tangled, use blunt tip dog grooming scissors to cut it out being careful not to nick the skin.

 Typically, this breed does not require regular clipping of their fur. If you have your dog professionally groomed make sure to tell them only trim around the paws and ears. Once you start clipping the rest of the body, it will change the texture of the fur from soft to coarse.

 Since the Setter is bred to be a hunter, spending time outdoors trudging through the woods and lakes, their fur has developed natural oils for protection. Therefore, bathe your Setter as little as possible to retain the natural oils. When you do give your dog a bath, be sure to use only pet specific dog shampoo and conditioner. Human products contain different ingredients that will cause skin irritation on your dogs' skin. There is some dog shampoos sensitive enough to use more often if would like to bathe your Setter every couple of months.

 Once the bath is over it's time for a full dog grooming session, that is brushing, towel drying, brushing their teeth, and the dreaded nail trimming. If you are like most dog owners this can be a lesson in taxing your patience especially for puppies that just want play and wiggle around or older dogs that prefer to just lie down.

 The easiest way around this is to invest in a dog grooming table. Although this may sound extravagant for the home groomer, their ease of use and the quality results from your grooming session more than make up for it. There are new hydraulic dog grooming tables on the market that are easy on the budget, simple and convenient to use, and offer a safe and frustration free grooming session.

 These new dog grooming tables work just like the salon chair from your local hair stylist with a foot pedal to raise the table to your perfect height. They can hold up to 150 pounds, have a skid free tabletop, and rounded corners. They also come with an adjustable grooming arm and grooming loop to hold your dog in place and standing upright. Imagine being able to use dog nail clippers and brush his/her teeth without them running away or wiggling around.

 Grooming Your Irish Setter should be fun for you and give your dog that "Oh...Ya, that feels great!" moment. Using quality dog grooming supplies will keep the process aggravation free for you and safe for your dog. Dog grooming tables work wonderfully and because of their adjustability will accommodate all your dogs. There is a reason professional dog groomers use a table, the results are amazing. You too can now have the same results without breaking the bank.