Gordon Setters typically live 10 to 12 years, which is solid for a large, deep-chested setter. Because this is a less common breed, the second half of your question matters as much as the first: the documents a breeder shows you are the best early evidence you will get about whether a particular litter has been bred with those 10 to 12 years in mind. A careful breeder treats health results as selling points to display, not paperwork to produce reluctantly after pressure, so the manner of the showing tells you almost as much as the results themselves.
The Two Documents to Ask For First
Hip scoring comes first. Ask to see hip evaluation results for both the sire and the dam, with the dogs' registered names matching the paperwork, and ask the breeder to explain how those scores compare with the breed's typical results rather than accepting a bare claim that they are fine. Breeding from parents with sound hips does not guarantee a puppy's joints, but it is the clearest available evidence that joint health was weighed before the mating. Recent eye examination results come second: ask for current eye exam documentation for both parents, check the dates are recent rather than historical, and ask what the examiner recorded. A breeder who tests eyes once and breeds for years on that single result is showing you a weaker pattern than one who retests on a sensible cycle.
The Wider Conversation a Good Breeder Welcomes
Ask about stomach awareness, because Gordons are deep-chested and bloat is an emergency risk in such breeds: a knowledgeable breeder will discuss it plainly, may describe feeding routines used at home, and will expect you to learn the signs of a swollen, restless abdomen needing immediate veterinary help. Ask what ages the grandparents and other relatives reached and what health issues, if any, have appeared in the lines, including joint, eye or digestive problems. Straight answers with specifics, including honest mention of a problem that was then bred away from, build more confidence than a claim that a line has never had any issue at all. Also ask what the puppies have been fed, how they have been socialised and what records will come home with your puppy.
Red Flags and Green Flags
Treat these as warning signs: no documents available to view, pressure to decide quickly, reluctance to let you meet the mother, vague answers about relatives' ages, or health testing described as unnecessary for this breed. The green flags mirror them: results shown unprompted, both parents tested before breeding, dates and names that match the dogs in front of you, questions welcomed about longevity, and a breeder who asks you as many questions as you ask them. Keep copies of everything you are shown, since those parent results belong in your puppy's lifetime file alongside its own vet records.
Starting that file complete, with parental hip and eye papers in place, makes every later vet conversation about your Gordon Setter sharper. KinsLe's Pet Passport gives those breeder documents and your dog's own health records one home, so the evidence behind the litter stays attached to the dog for life.