The Setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. A setter silently searches for game by scent. When prey is encountered the dog's behavior defies nature, and the dog freezes rather than chases after the game. Setters get their name from their distinctive stance; a sort of crouch or “set” upon finding their quarry. Most setters are born with a natural proclivity to hunting. The ancestors of modern setters probably originated in Spain in the 1500s and evolved from spaniels.

The English is one of the most popular and elegant sporting breeds, often grouped with its cousins, the Irish and Gordon Setters.