The kind, loyal and goofy dog facing an AI-era identity crisis
Alice Hare meets the family-friendly — and a tiny bit stubborn — Gordon setter.
‘I was working from home recently with Penny asleep at my feet. I popped into the kitchen to fetch a coffee and a biscuit, only to return a few minutes later to find Penny very much awake and standing on my desk,' says Alexander Atkins. 'They’re full of surprises and never cease to entertain.'
Penny is Alexander's four-year-old Gordon setter. Annabel Brook, who has owned two Gordons, agrees: ‘You’ll never have a dull moment as a Gordon owner’.
Not familiar with the breed? You’re not alone. This distinctive dog, known for its striking, sleek black and tan coat, is recognised by The Royal Kennel Club as a vulnerable native breed, with annual registrations below 300 puppies. Only 93 litters were registered in 2025, a 52% decline from 2024.
The Gordon owners I spoke to were fiercely supportive of the breed, exalting its merits as the perfect family dog for those with the space and time to provide exercise (at least two hours a day) and stimulation. And it seems this isn’t classic owner bias speaking: the Gordon really does seem to be an ideal family dog provided its energy needs can be met. ‘They are so conscientious and aware of others that they effortlessly embed themselves as part of the family. They’re fiercely loyal pack animals and absolutely adore their owners’, says Alexander, who was persuaded of the virtues of the Gordon after previously owning an Irish setter.
Gordon setters are the largest of the setter family, but mature slowly keeping their playful puppy personalities well into adulthood.
For anyone seeking companionship and affection, the Gordon fits the bill and more. ‘We went camping once only to wake up to find Islah between my husband and I with her head on our pillow,' says Annabel. Islah was subsequently barred from a luxury kennel after refusing to sleep anywhere other than beside the kennel’s owner.
Given their endearing loving nature (‘Fraser is a total tart’ were Alexander's exact words about his other Gordon), why the current lack of popularity? The answer lies in the breed’s origins as a working dog. It was originally developed by the 4th Duke of Gordon at Gordon Castle in Scotland in the second half of the 18th century. And much like clothes or architecture, dog breeds act as a barometer for the environments in which our ancestors lived. They are a product of their times.
Gordon setters were originally known as 'black and tan setters'.
The breed still make fantastic general purpose gundogs.
The Gordon was bred for hunting grouse and pheasant, and in a time where game shooting was carried out by walking up, they thrived. Indeed, ‘the breed holds a special place in Royal Kennel Club history as a foundation breed, having been recognised when the Kennel Club was established in 1873’, a spokesperson for the Club tells me. Queen Victoria reportedly had a Gordon called Bony.
‘But game shooting has gone from walking up to driven shooting now, which the Gordon isn’t needed for’, Charlie Thorburn, owner of Mordor Gundogs, explains. Charlie founded his Perthshire training school in 2003 with a focus on training family dogs that also work in the shooting field.
Because Gordons haven’t been used for the original purpose for which they were bred for years, the breed’s genetics have shifted. ‘If you’re not working a dog, you can’t breed them for working ability because you can’t select the ones that are good at working’, explains Charlie. As a result, you’re unlikely to see a Gordon in the field. ‘I’ve trained about half a dozen Gordons, but none of them to a shooting level, more just getting them to be a bit more obedient — they’re pretty stubborn,' says Charlie.
But rather than relegating the breed to obsolescence, it seems the way forward is more about redefining the Gordon’s purpose as a dog for the active, outdoor-driven family. (I can’t help but think of the Gordon as the dog world’s equivalent of the person whose job has recently been replaced by AI). ‘Loyal, goofy, funny, kind and just adorable’, raves Annabel, whose current Gordon is a 10-year-old called Aggie. (Some Disney fans claim Goofy himself was modelled after a Gordon setter).
‘We used to do Cannicross when she was younger and we got a Parkrun PB together,' says Annabel.
One modern conundrum the Gordon hasn’t quite turned its chameleonic capabilities to yet? White jeans and cream sofas. No doubt the 4th Duke of Gordon didn’t have this problem in the 1700s. ‘The price you pay for their love and affection is muddy trousers and dirty furniture,' says Alexander. A small price very much worth it, it would seem.
