Dog breeds / Large breeds

What a Irish Setter really costs

Irish Setters cost about average to buy, but their silky feathered coat needs brushing twice a week and a trim every couple of months, and they stay puppyish and high-energy for years. Bloat is the most expensive emergency to plan for.

Size: Large, 60–70 lb
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Grooming: Moderate
Insurance risk: Average
Puppy price: $1,200–$2,500
Food a day: About 1,590 calories

Where the money goes each year

A typical adult year for a Irish Setter with mainstream food, a groomer, no insurance, in an average-cost area. That's $500 more than the median breed.

Food$826
Illness and injury (average)$763
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$451
Grooming$443
Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
Toys, beds and everyday supplies$280
Dental cleanings$213
Treats and chews$165
License$20
Typical year$3,490

Most years land between $2,230 (budget food, home grooming, lower-cost area) and $4,920 (premium food, groomer, insurance, big city). Dogs over about 6 add about $180 a year for senior checkups.

The first year

Buying a puppy front-loads the bill: the price, gear, puppy shots and spay or neuter.

Bringing a puppy home

Breeder price$1,850
Crate, bed, leash, bowls and gear$700
Spay or neuter$620
Microchip$50
Puppy or basic obedience class$149
Upfront$3,370

Running costs in year one

Food$826
Treats and chews$165
Puppy vaccines and checkups$738
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$451
Grooming$443
License$20
Illness and injury (average)$763
Year-one running costs$3,410

First-year total: $6,780. Adopting instead brings it to about $4,020.

Health costs to plan for

Irish Setters carry bloat risk plus chronic thyroid disease and epilepsy, but have moderate OFA hip (11.7%) and low elbow (2.8%) rates, so we rate them average for a large dog; no breed-specific claim data was found.

Condition	How it affects Irish Setters	Typical treatment	Cost
Gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat)	AKC warns that Irish Setters, as large deep-chested dogs, can bloat, and MetLife and Embrace both list setters among high-risk breeds. Source	Emergency GDV surgery with gastropexy	$2,000–$7,500
Hip dysplasia	OFA graded 11.7% of 13,528 Irish Setter hip X-rays dysplastic. Source	FHO or other non-replacement hip surgery, per hip	$1,500–$3,000
Epilepsy	The Irish Setter Club of America sponsors the AKC Canine Health Foundation epilepsy initiative and asks owners of affected setters to join research. Source	Anticonvulsant medication and monitoring, per year	$200–$5,000
Autoimmune hypothyroidism	OFA found autoimmune thyroiditis in 8.9% of 2,325 Irish Setter thyroid panels, among the higher rates in its database. Source	Lifelong thyroid medication per year ($20-$50 a month)	$240–$600

The yearly estimate already includes an average allowance of $763 for illness and injury. A single surgery can cost several times that, which is the case for an emergency fund or insurance.

What drives the cost of a Irish Setter

AKC recommends brushing at least twice a week, and Lemonade estimates $300 to $600 a year for professional grooming to keep the feathering neat.
A preventive gastropexy at spay or neuter costs about $300 to $400 extra per Embrace, compared with $2,000 to $7,000+ for emergency bloat surgery.
Thyroid medication is a likely recurring cost; budget $20 to $50 a month if your setter is diagnosed.
Setters need room to run; owners without a large fenced yard often pay for daycare or a dog walker.
Food for a 60-70 lb active dog runs about $60 to $90 a month per Lemonade; plan for a 42-48 inch crate.

Breeder or rescue

Reputable breeder: $1,200–$2,500
Rescue or shelter: $50–$300
Lifetime, from a breeder: $53,400
Lifetime, adopted: $50,600

Lemonade gives $800-$2,500 for reputable Irish Setter breeders; the Irish Setter Club of America warns buyers about breeders who skip health testing (hips, eyes, thyroid, CLAD and PRA DNA), and tested litters are in the upper part of the range.

Adopting vs buying: the full cost comparison

Similar-size breeds by yearly cost

American Bully$3,400 a year
Airedale Terrier$3,400 a year
Boxer$3,490 a year
Doberman Pinscher$3,510 a year
Alaskan Malamute$3,580 a year
Flat-Coated Retriever$3,590 a year
Compare all breeds

Common questions

How much does a Irish Setter puppy cost?

A Irish Setter puppy from a reputable US breeder typically costs $1,200–$2,500. Adopting one through a rescue usually costs $50–$300.

How much does a Irish Setter cost per year?

After the first year, a Irish Setter costs about $3,490 a year, or $291 a month, for food, vet care, preventives, grooming, supplies and average illness costs. Depending on food, grooming, insurance and where you live, a typical year ranges from about $2,230 to $4,920.

How much does a Irish Setter cost over its lifetime?

About $53,400 over a 14-year life when bought from a breeder, or $50,600 if adopted, in 2026 dollars.

Sources

Prices are averages from the sources above and the cost baselines on our methodology page, in 2026 US dollars. Your vet, groomer and city will differ. Updated October 14, 2026.