Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter" Compare Portuguese Pointer and Bergamasco. Which is better: Portuguese Pointer or Bergamasco or Irish Setter?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Portuguese Pointer	Bergamasco	Irish Setter
Origins	Portugal	Italy	Ireland
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Gun Dog	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Gun Dog
Popularity Rank	374	181	72
Reviews	1	0	0
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Other Names	Perdigueiro Portugues, Portuguese Pointing Dog	Bergamasco Shepherd Dog, Bergamasco, Cane da pastore Bergamasco, Bergermaschi	Red Setter, Irish Red Setter
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2015 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878 as a Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Pointing Dogs group, in the Continental Pointing Dogs section.	Not recognized by FCI.	Recognized by FCI in the Pointing Dogs group, in the British and Irish Pointers and Setters section.
Breed Recognition	No set	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale North American Purebred Registry, Inc. United Kennel Club American Canine Association, Inc.	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry
Price	$800-$1000	$1000-$1300	$800-$1000

General Appearance - Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter

Size	Medium	Large	Large
Weight	Male: 44–60 pounds (20–27 kg), Female: 35–49 pounds (16–22 kg)	Male: 70-84 pounds (32-38 kg), Female: 57-71 pounds (26-32 kg)	Male: 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg), Female: 55-65 pounds (25-29 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 44–60 pounds (20–27 kg), Female: 35–49 pounds (16–22 kg)	Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 61 pounds (29 kg)	Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg)
Height	Male: 20–24 inches (51–61 cm), Female: 19–22 inches (48–56 cm)	22-24 inches (54-62 cm)	Male: 26-28 inches (66-71 cm), Female: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 20–24 inches (51–61 cm), Female: 19–22 inches (48–56 cm)	23 inches (58 cm)	Male: 27 inches (68.5 cm), Female: 25 inches (63.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter

Coat	Rough	Dense Fine	Fine
Colors	White Yellow Light Brown	Grey	Mahogany Red
Grooming	Easy to groom: The Portuguese Pointer doesn't require a lot of grooming.	Easy to groom: The Bergamasco doesn't require a lot of grooming.	Advanced: The Irish Setter requires a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Portuguese Pointers are low shedders.	Bergamascos shed none to minimal.	Irish Setters shed moderately.

Characteristics - Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter

Temperament	Affectionate Lively Calm Submissive	Determined Patient Quiet Vigilant	Affectionate Energetic Lively Intelligent Companionable Independent Playful
Intelligent Rank	Average: Portuguese Pointer's has average obedience intelligence.	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.	Smart: Irish Setter's has great intelligence.
Trainability	Portuguese Pointers are quite easy to train.	Bergamascos aren't famous for their trainability.	Irish Setters are very easy to train.
Playfulness	Portuguese Pointers are not the most playful dog breed.	Bergamascos, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Irish Setter is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Portuguese Pointers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Bergamascos are less sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Portuguese Pointers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Bergamascos are highly affectionate dogs.	Irish Setters are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Portuguese Pointers need a lot of social interaction.	Bergamascos are a social breed.	Irish Setters need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Low to Average: The Portuguese Pointer rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Bergamasco rarely barks.	Low: The Irish Setter barks none to minimal.
Watchdog Ability	Portuguese Pointers are good watchdogs.	Bergamascos are good watchdogs.	Irish Setters are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Portuguese Pointers strongly protect their territory.	Bergamascos strongly protect their territory.	Irish Setters are not the best to protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Portuguese Pointer has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Bergamasco has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Irish Setter has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Portuguese Pointers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Bergamascos have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Irish Setters have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Portuguese Pointers have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.	Bergamascos tend to escape less than other breeds.	Irish Setters have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.
Prey Drive	Portuguese Pointers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Bergamascos have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Irish Setters have a high impulse to chase and catch something.
Apartment Friendly	Portuguese Pointers are not apartment-friendly dogs.	Bergamascos are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Irish Setters are not apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Portuguese Pointers don't adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Bergamascos adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Irish Setters adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Portuguese Pointers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Bergamascos do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Irish Setters tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter

Stranger Friendly	Portuguese Pointers are average friendly towards strangers.	Bergamascos are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Irish Setters are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Portuguese Pointers are average friendly dogs towards children.	Bergamascos are very kid-friendly dogs.	Irish Setters are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Portuguese Pointers are not the most cat-friendly dogs.	Bergamascos are average friendly towards cats.	Irish Setters are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Portuguese Pointers are average friendly towards other dogs.	Bergamascos are average friendly towards other dogs.	Irish Setters are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Portuguese Pointer is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Bergamasco is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Irish Setter is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Portuguese Pointers are commonly okay with elderly people.	Bergamascos are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Irish Setters are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Portuguese Pointers usually don’t get on well with other pets.	Bergamascos are generally with other pets.	Irish Setters are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Portuguese Pointers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Bergamascos are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Irish Setters are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Portuguese Pointer breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Bergamasco breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Yes Irish Setter breed usually likes being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter

Health Issues	Portuguese Pointers tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.	Bergamascos tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.	The Irish Setter is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	No set	Bloat Joint Dysplasia Skin Allergies	Bloat Cancer Canine Leukocyte Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy Hypothyroidism Osteochondrosis Dissecans Panosteitis Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	13-15 years	12-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	Yes	No
Energy Level	Portuguese Pointers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Bergamascos have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Irish Setters are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Portuguese Pointers need quite a lot of exercise.	Bergamascos need quite a lot of exercise.	Irish Setters need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Portuguese Pointers are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Bergamascos are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Irish Setters don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	4 to 5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to warm weather conditions	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Bergamasco can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Irish Setter can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Medium The Portuguese Pointer has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Bergamasco has an average chance of bad smell.	High The Irish Setter has a high chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Portuguese Pointer is an average drooler.	The Bergamasco is an average drooler.	The Irish Setter is a perfect example for low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Portuguese Pointer vs Bergamasco vs Irish Setter

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	5-8 puppies	6-10 puppies	7-10 puppies
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