Gordon Setter vs English White Terrier - Breed Comparison

Both English White Terrier and Gordon Setter are originated from United Kingdom. English White Terrier may grow 24 cm / 9 inches shorter than Gordon Setter. English White Terrier may weigh 27 kg / 59 pounds lesser than Gordon Setter. English White Terrier may live 4 years less than Gordon Setter. Both English White Terrier and Gordon Setter has almost same litter size. Both English White Terrier and Gordon Setter requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Terrier dog
Sporting dog
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United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Height Male:
44 - 46 cm
17 - 19 inches
65 - 70 cm
25 - 28 inches
Height Female:
42 - 44 cm
16 - 18 inches
65 - 70 cm
25 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
6 - 9 kg
13 - 20 pounds
32 - 36 kg
70 - 80 pounds
Weight Female:
5 - 8 kg
11 - 18 pounds
32 - 36 kg
70 - 80 pounds
Life Span:
5 - 8 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 9
6 - 8
Size:
Small
Large
Other Names:
Old White English Terrier, White English Terrier Old English Terrier British White Terrier. Old White Terrier
Gordons, Black and Tans
Colors Available:
brown, white with brindle, black or other markings
Black and tan
Coat:
Close, hard, short, and glossy
Straight and silky and wavy
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Aggressive, Docile, Friendly, Gentle, Lively, Loving
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

The English White Terrier was developed in the 1860’s by a group of breeders from the Sealyham terriers, the Jack Russell terrier, and the Fox Terrier. These breeders were looking for a white terrier that could be more successful in the show ring than the current prick-eared English terrier. They named their new breed, the English White Terrier or the Old English terrier. In later years in the United States, the English White Terrier was mixed again with the Rat Terrier and the Old English Bulldog to create both the Boston terrier and the Bull terrier.

Although the breed did not last long it did have a prestigious ancestry that could be traced back centuries in England among ancient terriers. The word terrier was in use in England in 1440, showing that the dogs were well known at that time. Most historians agree that the dogs were even older than the 1400’s. It is believed that terriers who “went to ground” after prey, existed as far back as the time of Christ in England.

Most of these ancestors of the English White Terrier were not white. White terriers came onto the scene around the 1700’s.The first picture of white terriers appeared in 1790 when Sawre Gilpin, a British artist, painted “A Huntsman with Hounds Foxhunting” and the terriers in the painting were white with brown marks. Others began to show the same kind of terriers in their artwork – white coated. Before this it is believed that breeders killed the white terriers at birth because they were often deaf and inferior to the other terriers. In the early part of the 19th century, the white terrier began to be completely white with no markings. The Kennel Club recognized them in 1874 as the White English Terrier.

The breed faced many genetic issues, deafness and the Kennel Clubs felt there was no difference between the current White English terrier and the English White terrier despite the difference in their ears. The new English White Terrier had dropped ears instead of Prick-ears. They considered them to be the same breed and not even different types. They were the smallest of all terriers and considered to be a good pet but not a show dog or a working dog. Because of this it was not very popular, and it actually had been bred to be a show dog and not a working dog. The English White Terrier was not recognized by any Kennel Club and within 30 years it was extinct.

gordon setterThe Gordon Setter includes mixes of the English Setter and the Irish Setter. The original purpose of the breed was to hunt game birds.

The dog breed hails from Scotland with a history that dates back to the 17th century. The dog was developed in Gordon Castle by the Duke of Gordon IV.

The dog became popular among hunters in the early 19th century. He is the biggest of the setter breeds. It was in 1884 that the American Kennel Club recognized the Gordon Setter.

Description

The English White Terrier had a pure white coat with no markings of any kind. His coat was short, hard, and glossy and his body was firm, muscular and hard. The breed was small – almost a toy. They had a body like the Manchester Terrier. They had long legs and large feet. The tail was medium size and straight out from the body.

The English White Terrier had a very refined head with a fairly long muzzle. Their bite was even, and their eyes were brown, amber or black. Their ears dropped – unlike the pricked ears of the White English Terrier.

gordon setter puppy - descriptionThe Gordon Setter is a large dog, capable of reaching up to 69cm in height and weighing up to 36kg in weight.

He belongs to the Setter family and is somewhat heavier than the other Setter breeds. Setter dogs are classified as sporting- or gun dogs. He is a beautiful dog with a pitch black coat with tan markings found around the chest, muzzle and paws as well as those two familiar tan dots above each eye.

Sometimes you can find a small amount of white on the chest. The coat is straight and silky but it can be slightly waved with feathering around the legs, chest, ears and tail. Both the tail and the ears of the dog are also long and feathery. The Gordon has an intelligent, dignified look about him.

Temperament:

The Gordon Setter is a confident, fearless, loyal and affectionate dog. They do well with their human families, when there are other pets in the house as well as children.

He can be a boisterous dog so training and socialization will become necessary. Your Gordon Setter is an intelligent dog and also a dog ready and willing to learn. He is calm and even-tempered but playful too.

He isn’t a dog suited to life in the city if there isn’t an adequately sized garden. He is essentially a country life dog well suited to farms or large fenced gardens.

Characteristics

The English White Terrier was affectionate and devoted to his family. It was the softest tempered of all terriers and made an excellent pet. Some of the English White Terriers were animal aggressive while others were not. Training was difficult because of the wide-spread deafness in the breed. IT loved to be cuddled and held. They were also tenacious and game for any type of fight or hunt despite their size and deficiencies.

gordon setter dog - characteristicsBeautiful to look at, the intelligent and even-tempered Gordon Setter has everything to be confident about. He loves the attention he gets from his human family and is always looking for a pat.

He can be stubborn and he certainly won't like the idea of being left cut off from his family for long periods of time as he is a social dog with those he knows and loves.

The Gordon Setter is energetic and playful so he will need regular exercise. When you bring a Gordon Setter into your home, you bring in a wonderfully loyal pet and companion.

Health Problems

The breed was considered to be unhealthy for the most part and became extinct because of this. Many complained that the breed was inbred and had a weak constitution because of it. Deafness was prevalent throughout the breed. This deafness occurs in many white animals, but the English White Terrier had the highest rates among all white dogs.

gordon setter puppies - health problemsLife expectancy for the Gordon Setter is usually about 10 to 12 years and with good nutrition and care, your Gordon can easily reach 12 years of age.

Every dog is prone to some common health issues and these include among others hip dysplasia, gastric torsion or bloat, retinal atrophy and ear infections.

Hip Dysplasia:

Large dogs are more prone to hip dysplasia. The disease is a malfunction of the hip joints causing pain and loss of function in the rear legs.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye conditon just gets worse over time and can lead to vision loss.

Hypothyroidism:

An under-active thyroid causes a decrease in metabolism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs include weight gain, obesity, cold intolerance, changes in the skin and coat like hair loss and your dog is lethargic.

Gastric torsion or Bloat:

This can be very dangerous with your pet as the stomach is swollen and the stomach rotates and twists and can lead to death.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

It was best to feed the English White Terrier 1-2 cups of dry meal per day served in 2 meals.

Health issues

As mention previously, the English White Terrier was congenitally deaf and had a weak constitution.

Exercise and games

This little dog with all its problems was still a very energetic dog and needed considerable exercise. Owners had to develop exercises and games to keep the English White Terrier occupied as with any terrier. If they didn’t have a job or something to occupy their minds and bodies, they were destructive.

Exercise:

gordon setter dogs - caringGordon Terriers are energetic dogs so he is going to require a good deal of exercise each day. Take him with you on your walks and make sure that you give him lots of ball games and rope games.

Grooming:

All Gordon Setters shed, and their coat will require a good brushing at least twice a week. Check nails, teeth and ears regularly. Brush teeth at least twice a week to prevent dental decay.

Diet:

As a working dog your Gordon Setter has a special need for a high fat content diet. You can include some raw meat in his high-energy dog kibble. He can also have some cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables added into his kibble from time to time. Make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Comparison with other breeds

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  9. Gordon Setter vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Gordon Setter vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Gordon Setter vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
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  26. English White Terrier vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. English White Terrier vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. English White Terrier vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. English White Terrier vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. English White Terrier vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. English White Terrier vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. English White Terrier vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. English White Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. English White Terrier vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. English White Terrier vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. English White Terrier vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. English White Terrier vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. English White Terrier vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. English White Terrier vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. English White Terrier vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. English White Terrier vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. English White Terrier vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. English White Terrier vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. English White Terrier vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. English White Terrier vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. English White Terrier vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. English White Terrier vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. English White Terrier vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. English White Terrier vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. English White Terrier vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison