Within twenty-two seconds of the clip below, you’ll hear a word found in the breed standard of the only AKC breed to use it. See if you can spot-hear the word.

The word is ‘rollicking,’ a word we don’t hear much anymore unless you’re a fan of traditional Irish and British folk songs, sea shanties, and drinking songs. But you likely know the word intimately if you are an Irish Setter fancier.  No other breed’s standard anywhere in the world is known to use the word “rollicking,” the term is unique to the Irish Setter.

By definition, rollicking means lively, exuberant, high-spirited, and full of joyful energy; when applied to the Irish Setter, it doesn’t just describe an active happy dog, it paints a dog filled with buoyant enthusiasm. Writers of the standard intentionally signaled that the breed should appear happy to be working and exude a cheerful eagerness that is core to the breed’s personality. This spills over to Irish Setter movement described in the standard as lively, graceful, and big (which is to say that in the field, s/he covers a lot of ground, and in a show ring, exhibits the ground-covering motion with great forward reach and powerful rear drive). If we read between the lines, however, we can infer that the Irish’s gait is also expressive. Its slightly jaunty, buoyant carriage reflects the spirit of a dog delighted to be in its skin. The term reassures judges that a bit of sparkle or exuberance in their entry isn’t not a fault—it is breed character.

Since “rollicking” also appears in Irish Setter standards from multiple kennel organizations (not just the AKC, though not the FCI), it underscores that a rollicking temperament is regarded as central to the breed’s character worldwide.

Photo of a happy Irish Setter by Aleksandr Zotov | Dreamstime