Gordon Setter vs Billy - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Billy is originated from France but Gordon Setter is originated from United Kingdom. Both Billy and Gordon Setter are having almost same height. Both Billy and Gordon Setter are having almost same weight. Billy may live 3 years more than Gordon Setter. Billy may have less litter size than Gordon Setter. Both Billy and Gordon Setter requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Sporting dog
undefined
France
United Kingdom
Height Male:
58 - 68 cm
22 - 27 inches
65 - 70 cm
25 - 28 inches
Height Female:
56 - 66 cm
22 - 26 inches
65 - 70 cm
25 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
22 - 32 kg
48 - 71 pounds
32 - 36 kg
70 - 80 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 29 kg
44 - 64 pounds
32 - 36 kg
70 - 80 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
6 - 8
Size:
Giant
Large
Other Names:
Chien de France-Comte
Gordons, Black and Tans
Colors Available:
White or off-white; may have orange or lemon patches or mantle.
Black and tan
Coat:
harsh, short
Straight and silky and wavy
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Courageous, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Outgoing, Stubborn
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 Billy (or Billie) Dog is a rare breed developed in France and mostly still only found in France. Created in the 19th century by Monsieur Gaston Hublot de Rivault and named after his home, Chateau de Billy, he is hunting dog of high quality. The Billy dog was developed by crossing the Poitevin’s original three lines – the Larrye, the Ceris and the Montemboeuf. In developing the Billy, Rivault favored the colors found in the Ceris and Montemboeuf strains as opposed to the tricolors of the Larrye strain. The Billy is a scent hound from all the lines leading back to the monks of the Saint Hubert Monastery in the middle ages, in Belgium, then refined in Gaul (France). The Billy line was considered the most elegant French breed and they were the last breed to come from that large scent hound type that the French nobility and royalty loved to breed.

In 1886 the Federation Cynoloquique Internationale established the standard for the Billy breed. The breed was a great hunter with resilience, speed, scenting and fortitude. The Billy hunted in large packs in pursuit of Wild Boar and Roe Deer. This was accomplished by the crossing of great hunters developed for their specific skills. The Ceris was amazing in its skill to hunt down wolves and hares. The Montemboeuf was a large, elegant dog that hunted wild boar and Larrye for his strong scent ability. Since these three breeds were true French breeds, the Billy was a true aristocratic scent hound in a pure scent hound line.

This gregarious, handsome dog became extremely popular in France in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the World Wars of the 20th century would take their toll on this rare breed and they were almost extinct by the late 1900’. There were only two hounds left by the end of the Second World War. Anthony Rivault, the son of Gaston, set about saving the breed by incorporating the lines of Harrier, the Poilevin and the Porcelaine with the two remaining hounds. From there the breed has been revived and is no longer on the verge of extinction. They are still rare and certainly not “popular”, but they are excellent hunters, especially hunting in packs. Today they are considered one of the breeds used to develop the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Orange in France and there are several packs that hunt roe deer in France, while a couple packs are used to hunt wild boar.

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 Billy dog is powerful, beautiful and built extremely well. He is large but he should also be light weight and lean. He has an athletic look, powerful muscles, and strong bones. He has floppy ears, dark eyes with dark rims and a white coat. This breed has a medium size head with a domed forehead and square muzzle. The ears are high on the head, flat and floppy while the neck is long and strong. Shoulders are also long and the back broad, the thighs muscular and the feet round. He has a long fluffy tail. The coat is short and can be seen through to the skin. He has white skin with brown spots and the fur is white or off white. The females are smaller than the males. He is a great family companion as well as a hunter. They have high pitched voices and they can be howlers. They have a strong prey drive and are great hunters. They can be great companion dogs for any family, just watch them with small children and small animals. They are big enough to need a lot of space and a lot of exercise. Scent hounds can be stubborn, and that trait is not lost on the Billy dog.

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

Even though the Billy Breed is very rare and faced potential extinction it is a terrific sporting dog who loves children, other dogs, and adults. He could be a good family dog if his exercise needs are met. He is social, gregarious, and gentle with people. They are happiest in a pack and do not do well in a one dog household. They form extremely strong bonds with their people and household. They are friendly and outgoing. This makes them a poor choice for guard dog. They have an exceptionally well-developed prey drive do they might be aggressive toward any animal smaller than them. This includes the family cat, other smaller dogs, hamsters etc.

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

Despite their history of almost becoming extinct the Billy dog is a hearty and healthy group. They do tend to get Bronchitis and colds due to the short, thin coat. Keep them indoors during winter. Another area of concern is the ears. They are prone to ear infections so keep their ears clean. They should not be exposed to cold weather. The Billy life expectancy is 10-14 years which is very good for such a large dog.

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

The Billy dog is large, muscular and lean. Do not overfeed him, but you can safely free feed. Watch to be sure he does not gain too much weight and if he does go to two feedings per day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this is a healthy, long-lived dog. Watch for ear infections and keep him out of extreme cold.

Exercise/Games

This is a very athletic, active hunter, who needs a lot of exercise. Daily walks are good, but he needs 45 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. Remember he was bred to hunt and loves to do so. Find activities that let him use his athletic skills and strong sense of smell. He needs a big yard to romp in. He will excel at obedience, barn hunt and agility. A lure game might be good also, but he would be happier with a scent oriented “find it” game.

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

  1. Gordon Setter vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Gordon Setter vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Gordon Setter vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Gordon Setter vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Gordon Setter vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Gordon Setter vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Gordon Setter vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Gordon Setter vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Gordon Setter vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Gordon Setter vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Gordon Setter vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Gordon Setter vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Gordon Setter vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Gordon Setter vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Gordon Setter vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Gordon Setter vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Gordon Setter vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Gordon Setter vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Gordon Setter vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Gordon Setter vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Gordon Setter vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Gordon Setter vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Gordon Setter vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Gordon Setter vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Gordon Setter vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Billy vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Billy vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Billy vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Billy vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Billy vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Billy vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Billy vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Billy vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Billy vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Billy vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Billy vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Billy vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Billy vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Billy vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Billy vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Billy vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Billy vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Billy vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Billy vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Billy vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Billy vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Billy vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Billy vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Billy vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Billy vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison