If you’re curious about the amazing Clumber Spaniel then you’re in the right place! We explain all there is to know about the wonderful breed.
Height: Male 18-20 inches, female 17-19 inches
Weight: Male 32-39 kilos, female 25-32 kilos
Clumber Spaniel Lifespan: 10-12 years
Pedigree Breed (recognized by the Kennel Club?): Yes, the Clumber Spaniel is KC registered
Positives and Negatives
Before purchasing your new companion it is important to understand what to expect. Most dogs carry a specific set of traits seen throughout their breed. Find out the positives and negatives related to the Clumber Spaniel.
Pros
- Calm, quiet, and relaxed indoors
- The breed is non-hypoallergenic
- Friendly with everyone, but highly affectionate towards family
- Playful with other dogs when out, they also get along great with other household pets
Cons
- Â Tendency to drool a lot
- Will shed fur and requires regular grooming multiple times a week
- Can put on weight much quicker than other breeds
- Can pick up habits such as fridge raiding and food stealing
Overview
Clumber Spaniels are known for their good nature and calm personality. They fall under the Gun dog group and were used to retrieve live or in some cases dead prey. This breed is viewed by many as the perfect and ideal family dog.
Although the Clumber Spaniel is quiet and lazy around their house, their personality completely changes once they get outdoors. They love to chase after the birds and squirrels and will often trot along sniffing the surface of the ground to locate prey. As a gun dog, Clumber Spaniels are particularly thorough when they are on the search.
Clumber Spaniels are regularly seen at dog shows often competing in obedience, rally, tracking, and other doggy competitions. They are fairly easy to train but can show their stubborn side and voice once they start having enough.
Don’t let the size fool you! This medium-sized breed is heavier than its other Spaniel cousins but loves to go out for daily exercise, after all, they originally spent most of their days hunting in the fields. Clumber Spaniels also like a swim with their thick coat protecting them from the cold water.
Like other spaniels they love to walk around with their favorite ball in their mouth, refusing to let go of it whilst greeting others, wagging their entire rear end in excitement!
History
It is believed the Clumber Spaniel originated from England and was named after Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. Although there is no proof, many believe the French Duke of Noailles transported these pooches to England during the French Revolution, passing them onto the Duke of Newcastle based in Clumber Park.
There is no supporting evidence to this however it is thought the Clumber Spaniel could date back to the 16th century. Clumbers were particularly loved by the Royal Family. King George V, Prince Albert, and his son King Edward VII, were all proud owners.
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Breeding was restricted in the UK to aristocracy only, with both King George V and King Edward VII breeding the Clumber Spaniels on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
They were even recorded in Queen Victoria’s diary. 16th October 1840, “Walked out directly after breakfast before Albert went to shoot. He had his 7 fine Clumber Spaniels with us and we went into the slopes, with such a funny old gamekeeper, Walters, in order that I should see how the dogs found out their game. They are such dear, nice dogs.”
Nowadays Clumbers are registered as a Vulnerable Native Breed by the Kennel Club. In 2019 there were only 175 Clumber Spaniel puppies bred, yet they aren’t the most unpopular breed of Spaniel.
Personality
Like any breed, training is important in order for you to have the best side of your Clumber Spaniels temperament. Adolescent males can be a little trickier to train so you must make sure they know who is the boss!
Their good and calm nature along with their excellent house manners make Clumber Spaniels an ideal companion, especially around the family. Like any breed, bad habits can occur with this pooch in particular being given the nickname Scavenger Spaniel. They can reach kitchen counters and will steal food from wherever they can.
Just like their Spaniel cousins and other gun dog and hunting breeds, Clumbers can have a stubborn side, so training your pooch from a young age is highly important. They are also chewers so you need to keep on top of this behavior and have plenty of chew toys lying around.
Clumber Spaniels should only be left alone for a few hours, if they are left on their own constantly, they may become destructive.
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Are Clumber Spaniels Good With Strangers?
Yes, overall the Clumber Spaniel is generally friendly with strangers however, some dogs within this breed type can become rather reserved, so training and socialization is key to determine their attitudes.
Are Clumber Spaniels Good With Children?
Yes, Clumber Spaniels are great with children and make excellent family pets, however, you must always supervise the contact especially around mealtime as the Clumber Spaniel will make anybody a victim when it comes to stealing food!
Are Clumber Spaniels Ok With Other Dogs?
Again, early socialization is recommended but this breed is generally good with other dogs and household pets. They are playful and enjoy mixing with other doggie friends whilst enjoying the outdoor space.
Health
If you decide the Clumber Spaniel is the dog you would like to take home, then you must understand the related health issues that are seen regularly with this breed type. Overall Clumber Spaniels are generally healthy, but below are the potential issues you should be aware of.
- Hip Dysplasia– An abnormal formation of the hip socket which causes pain and swelling, eventually leading to arthritis. It is a common skeletal condition.
- Obesity– Clumber Spaniels are prone to putting on weight which can cause massive health issues if allowed to continue. The weight can cause issues with the joints and even the digestive system.
- Entropion/Ectropion– Eyelids that turn inside or outwards.
- Intervertebral Disc Disease– The partial loss of limb function, potentially paralysis. This is the only major health concern linked to the Clumber Spaniel.
Exercise
It is recommended to give Clumbers up to an hour of exercise each day. Although they tend to be bigger than other Spaniels this doesn’t mean they can’t keep up. In their gun dog days, they used to keep the same space scouring the fields for game all day long.
You should split the daily hour of exercise into two or three walks for around 20 minutes each time. Clumber Spaniels are calm in the home but do need to let off steam every once in a while. A medium-sized garden would be perfect for this breed.
This breed love ball games and as they fall under the gun dog category, retrieving was the Clumbers main job. So you can be sure your pooch will be fascinated by retrieving balls. After all, Clumbers are known to hold multiple balls in their mouth at once, often refusing to drop them when greeting strangers!
Intelligence and Trainability
The Clumber Spaniel have amazing memories making it much easier to train your pooch. Obedience and Rally O activities are competitions this breed excels in.
Respect training is commonly used amongst these types of dogs. It should be focused on more than obedience, naturally, the Clumber Spaniel will listen, however, his lack of respect for ownership when it comes to food, must be controlled. Clear leadership needs to be established.
As Clumber Spaniels are prone to weight gain you should try to replace food rewards with chew toys and affection wherever you can.
The breeds intelligence make training this dog easier than others, however, you must be aware if the dog is simply obeying you or just for the food treats.
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Grooming
This breed will need their coat brushing at least 3-4 times a week. They shed a lot of fur so do be aware if you have any allergy sufferers in your home. If grooming isn’t kept up to date tangles and mats can form, which will be painful for the dog when trying to rectify.
Make sure the fur between your pooches paws are trimmed as these can also form mats if allowed to overgrow. Trim the area surrounding the eyes and ear so you can regularly access and clean them.
Ideally, your dog should be bathed once every month or even two. Equipment such as a bristle brush/comb, grooming rake/scissors/blades, shedding comb, slick brushes, hair clippers and grooming dryers can all be used on the Clumber Spaniel.
It is important to be gentle when grooming, especially around delicate areas. You want your pooch to enjoy this rather than resent it, as it is something you will have to do multiple times a week.
