Editing English Setter (section)

==Early history==
"Setting dogges" is an old term used for setters and the original purpose of the English Setter was to set or point upland [[game (food)|game birds]]. From the best available information, it appears that the English Setter was a trained [[bird dog]] in England more than 400 years ago and there are works of art created in the early 15th century showing dogs that are discernible as being of a “setter type”. There is evidence that the English Setter originated in crosses of the Spanish [[Pointing breed|Pointer]], large Water Spaniel, and [[English Springer Spaniel]], which combined to produce an excellent bird dog with a high degree of proficiency in finding and pointing game in open country.{{sfnp|Brigden|1990|pp=12,13|ps=none}}{{r|AKC}}{{r|AKCsetters}}

Writing in 1576, Dr [[Johannes Caius]] states: "There is also at this date among us a new kind of dogge brought out of Fraunce, and they bee speckled all over with white and black, which mingled colours incline to a marble blewe". Argue speculates this may be a description of the blue belton colour found in English Setters.{{sfnp|Argue|1993|p=28|ps=none}}

Caius went on to describe the dog called a setter using the Latin name index:
{{Blockquote|Another sort of Dogges be there, serviceable for fowling, making no noise either with foote or with tongue, whiles they follow the game. They attend diligently upon their Master and frame their condition to such beckes, motions and gestures, as it shall please him to exhibite and make, either going forward, drawing backeward, inclinding to the right hand, or yealding toward the left. When he hath founde the byrde, he keepeth sure and fast silence, he stayeth his steppes and wil proceede no further, and weth a close, covert watching eye, layeth his belly to the grounde and so creepth forward like a worme. When he approaches neere to the place where the byrde is, he layes him downe, and with a marcke of his pawes, betrayeth the place of the byrdes last abode, whereby it is supposed that this kind of dogge is calles in Index, Setter, being in deede a name most consonant and agreeable to his quality.{{sfnp|Cunliffe|2001|pp=9-10|ps=none}}{{sfnp|Farrar|1910|p=5132|ps=none}}}}

By the 17th century setters, or "setting dogges", had become established and were widespread on British estates, although the evolution into the more specific individual breeds of setters occurred at a later date. The interbreeding of the different colours was still taking place during this period but it gradually changed and sportsman/breeders began to segregate matings to dogs adapted to the terrain it was required to work on.{{r|AKCsetters}}{{sfnp|Brigden|1990|p=13|ps=none}}