MALE ENGLISH SETTER — AI Analysis

This male English Setter is bred from a cross that leans hard toward hunting blood, with a noticeable mix of grouse-dog influence, southern shooting dog grit, and proven field-trial names on the bottom side. The sire line through NATURE BOY TEBOW shows a blend of Grouse Train, Decatur Duke, Quickmarksman's Sue, Erins Hidden Shamrock, Tomoka, No Regrets, and Tug Hill blood. The dam side, through SMITH'S SHADOW OAK DOT, carries the Shadow Oak and Bowaymakers family through 2X NAT CH SHADOW OAK BOWAYMAKERS DANDY MAN, backed by Shak Ti, Carolina Casey, Tarheel Sunrise, and older Cooter, Smoke, Hicks, and Mosley stock. Put together, this pedigree reads like a working setter first and foremost, with enough trial and champion influence to suggest class, but without losing the kind of foot, nose, and bird sense hunters still value in a day-long dog.

The English Setter is one of the great bird dogs, built for reach, style, and a natural way of finding birds that makes a hunter look smart. A good setter covers country with purpose rather than waste, hunts with its head up, and carries that classic blend of intensity and cooperation that has kept the breed relevant from grouse coverts to quail plantations and western prairies. In the field, the breed is prized for nose, pattern, and that high-tailed, stand-off point that freezes a covey or a running grouse. Temperament-wise, most well-bred English Setters are biddable, people-oriented, and easier to live with than some harder, more mechanical trial breeds. This pedigree fits the hunting side of the breed well, especially for buyers looking for a dog with natural range, enough brain to handle wild birds, and blood that suggests both endurance and style.

On paper, this is the kind of pedigree that tells a hunting story before the pup ever leaves the box. The top side comes in from NATURE BOY TEBOW, where the names suggest a dog bred around practical field ability and regional bird-dog families rather than fashion. The Grouse Train influence hints at dogs selected for handling difficult birds and rough country, while Decatur Duke, Quickmarksman's Sue, Erins Hidden Shamrock, Tomoka, No Regrets, and Tug Hill point toward a broader field base with trial credibility and old setter toughness. The bottom side has more obvious banner names. SHADOW OAK BOWAYMAKERS DANDY MAN brings real field-trial authority, and behind him are CH SHAK TI and old southern setter families that have been tied to competitive bird-finding dogs for years. There are holes in the pedigree where ancestors are not listed, so it is not fully transparent, but what is present suggests a purposeful cross between practical gun-dog stock and proven field-performing blood.

Based on the pedigree provided, the estimated coefficient of inbreeding is low to moderate and appears to be roughly 0% over the visible named generations, because no clear duplicate ancestors are identifiable within the listed pedigree itself. That said, this should be treated as a pedigree-based estimate only, not a DNA-based calculation, and the true COI could be higher once the blank or unknown ancestors are filled in. Genetically, the dog appears likely to carry a balanced field package rather than a sharply concentrated single-family type. The sire side contributes mixed grouse and all-age/shooting dog character, while the dam side adds stronger concentration of southern field-trial and champion blood. In practical terms, that often means hybrid vigor in traits hunters care about: nose, stamina, mental toughness, and a little versatility in how the dog handles different covers and bird species. As with all English Setters, any serious breeding or buying decision should also include direct health testing for hip quality, thyroid status, hearing, and other breed-relevant screening, because pedigree strength and health soundness are not always the same thing.

The biggest named influence in this pedigree comes from the dam side, where 2X NAT CH SHADOW OAK BOWAYMAKERS DANDY MAN stands out as the most accomplished immediate ancestor and gives the cross a stronger competitive field identity. CH SHAK TI adds established class and likely contributes style and bird-finding credibility. Behind that, COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, and HOF HICKS RISING SUN all point to old-line southern setter grit, ground application, and field endurance. On the sire side, the influence feels more blended and less title-heavy, but that can be a good thing in a hunting pedigree. The Grouse Train branch suggests dogs selected for real bird work in demanding country, while MOORES DECATUR DUKE, QUICKMARKSMAN'S SUE, CH ERINS HIDDEN SHAMROCK, HOF CH TOMOKA, 2X CH SEE JOHNNY RUN, and the Tug Hill blood hint at style, pattern, and enough bottom to stay useful over a long season. Overall, the ancestors suggest a dog likely to be driven but not necessarily wild, stylish without being purely ornamental, and bred with actual bird work in mind.

This pedigree contains a fair amount of titled and notable field stock for a hunting-bred English Setter. Clear champion or major winner references visible in the pedigree include 2X NAT CH SHADOW OAK BOWAYMAKERS DANDY MAN, CH SHAK TI, CH ERINS HIDDEN SHAMROCK, CH RIDGE CREEK CODY, HOF CH TOMOKA, 2X CH SEE JOHNNY RUN, CH CANT GO WRONG, CHGROUSE RIDGE JOHN, 7X CH GRID IRON, CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, CH CROCKETTS NEW HORIZON, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, CH PINNACLE 10-62-292, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, and CH AMOS MOSLEY 16-99-531. That gives the pedigree a solid champion presence, though the strongest concentration of obvious title power sits on the dam side. The sire side looks more mixed between titled dogs and practical producing stock, which is often how strong hunting crosses are built.

If this dog turns out true to paper, he ought to have the makings of a serious hunting setter with enough style to catch the eye and enough substance to stay useful after the first hour. The Grouse Train and Shadow Oak influence suggests a dog that may handle wild birds with some intelligence rather than just raw speed. Expect the best prospects from this breeding to show good nose, natural point, and a forward race that can be shaped to the country. There is enough southern field blood here to hint at range and animation, but enough practical hunting stock to keep the dog from becoming one-dimensional. For a hunter, that likely means a dog suited for quail, grouse, woodcock, and likely prairie work if conditioned and developed right. The real upside in this pedigree is versatility. It does not read like a soft kennel pet bred for pretty papers. It reads like a dog that should want birds and should have the engine to hunt them.

The first thing that stands out is balance. This is not an over-stacked pedigree around one repeated sire, and that generally helps preserve soundness and working flexibility. The second is the dam side strength. Shadow Oak Bowaymakers Dandy Man gives the pedigree a real anchor and raises the ceiling on field ability. The third is that the sire side, while less flashy in titles, looks like it may add useful hunting realism and bird sense. For buyers, that can be a good combination because the cross may produce dogs that are competitive in quality but still practical for an owner who hunts more than he campaigns. From a breed standpoint, this pedigree reflects what keeps the English Setter valuable: nose, style, natural game sense, and enough mental softness to be trained without fighting the dog every day. The caution is that several blanks in the pedigree leave some uncertainty, so final judgment should always come from seeing the parents and, if possible, older littermates or half-siblings work.

The most notable close relative named in the pedigree is 2X NAT CH SHADOW OAK BOWAYMAKERS DANDY MAN on the dam side, along with CH SHAK TI and several older champion ancestors that have recognizable value in field-oriented setter pedigrees. Beyond those visible names, no famous full siblings, littermates, or offspring for this specific dog are provided in the pedigree data. Because the registered name given is generic and no additional production record is included, there is no reliable way to identify notable brothers, sisters, or offspring from the information supplied.

Based on the structure of this pedigree, likely good outcross directions would be well-proven English Setter lines that bring health, consistency, and either stronger wild-bird grouse instinct or a little more pattern and finish without tightening too heavily on the same southern champion stock. A good outcross would likely be a clean, unrelated grouse or foot-hunting line with strong natural handle and bird work, or an athletic shooting-dog family known for biddability and temperament. Because Shadow Oak and older southern setter blood are already present, I would avoid doubling too tightly on the same Casey, Tarheel, or Cooter-rooted dogs unless the goal is linebreeding for a very specific field type. For a hunter-breeder, the safest outcross is usually to a proven producer from a healthy, bird-finding family that complements range and nose while preserving cooperation.

As breeding stock, this male would be most interesting if he matures with the traits this pedigree promises: natural bird sense, a strong nose, honest point, and enough composure to be useful on wild birds. The pedigree suggests he could nick well with bitches that are strong in trainability, consistency, and health testing, especially if they come from families with full records and fewer unknowns in the first generations. If he turns out very forward and stylish, pairing him to a slightly calmer, highly cooperative bitch could make a lot of sense. If he is more moderate and methodical, he may cross well on stronger race and animation. Either way, I would breed him based on field performance first, because this is the kind of setter pedigree that ought to prove itself on birds before it is asked to reproduce.

This male English Setter carries a pedigree that ought to catch the eye of any hunter who appreciates a dog bred for birds instead of brochures. Sired by NATURE BOY TEBOW and out of SMITH'S SHADOW OAK DOT, he brings together practical grouse-dog blood on the top side and stronger, title-backed southern field stock on the bottom. The cross is anchored by 2X NAT CH SHADOW OAK BOWAYMAKERS DANDY MAN, with support from CH SHAK TI, CH ERINS HIDDEN SHAMROCK, HOF CH TOMOKA, 2X CH SEE JOHNNY RUN, CH CANT GO WRONG, 7X CH GRID IRON, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, and other old names that still mean something to folks who study setter pedigrees. What stands out most is balance. This pedigree does not look overly inbred on the face of it, and the visible coefficient of inbreeding appears to be about 0%, though that estimate is limited by several unknown ancestors in the chart. Even so, the structure suggests a healthy blend of line types rather than a tight concentration around one fashionable dog. That usually gives a breeder or buyer hope for hybrid vigor in the traits that matter in the field: stamina, nose, mental toughness, and adaptability across covers. From a performance standpoint, this dog has the look of a serious hunting prospect. The Grouse Train influence hints at bird sense and practical application in rough country, while the Shadow Oak and older southern champion blood adds style, reach, and some field-trial class. In the right hands, a dog bred like this could make a very useful wild-bird setter with enough range for open country and enough brains to handle grouse, woodcock, or quail. For hunters looking into English Setter pedigrees, this is the sort of cross that suggests a dog with bottom, nose, and a real chance to become the kind you remember after the season is over.