View Clumber Spaniel Dogs and Puppies for sale on the Pets4Homes website.
This dog is named for a region in Nottingham named Clumber Park. It is a gundog with a typically heavier appearance than many other Spaniels and is suited to hunting in very heavy cover. It is often cited as being the easiest going off all Spaniels being docile and steady.
While the early history of the Clumber Spaniel is not well documented, it is likely that the Bassett, other Spaniels and the St Bernard contributed to its development. Some experts say that it originated in 18th century France in the late 1700's by French nobility. By the time of the French Revolution, he transferred his dogs to the Duke of Newcastle and it is here that it is though the breed took shape. Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's consort), King Edward VII and his son, King George V were all known to be fans of this breed.
The name Clumber derives from the Duke of Newcastle's 3,800 acre estate Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, with the name Clumber itself most likely being derived from the ancient name 'Clun' or river. Some vintage paintings depict white and orange dogs with the heavier appearance Clumber Spaniels.
The Clumber Spaniel is the heaviest of the Spaniels, and is a slow, quiet hunting dog able to work in both packs or alone. They have good stamina, very strong noses and can cope very well with heavy and dense undergrowth. They are mainly used to hunt partridge and pheasant and can be trained to retrieve. Clumber Spaniels remain a relatively rare breed of dog.
Average height to withers: Up to 20 inches in height, with males being larger than females.
Average height to withers: Up to 20 inches in height, with males being larger than females.
The Clumber Spaniel is a heavy-boned, low slung dog with quite short legs. The head is massive in proportion to the body with a broad muzzle and a heavy, prominent brow. The large nose comes in many shades of brown ranging from beige, rose and cherry. Freckles are common place on the muzzle and face of this dog. The wide chest is deep and flows into the front legs which are very straight. Eyes are dark amber in colour and set deep into the head. The rounded ears are triangular in shape and are set low on the head. The neck is thick and heavy with profuse feathering at the throat. The feathered coat is soft to the touch, flat, dense and straight and is mainly white (though to aid visibility of the dog in the field), with lemon or orange markings.
The Clumber Spaniel is a breed which traditionally had it tail docked; however, from 2007 this was effectively banned in the UK, with permitted exceptions, (as defined by the Docking of Working Dogs Tails (England) Regulations 2007 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006). This ban also extends to the showing of some dogs with docked tails, with the exception of dogs who are demonstrating their working skills. This is something to bear in mind when buying a puppy as heavy fines can be imposed if someone is found to be in contravention to these Regulations.
Clumber Spaniels display little of the manic, frenzied temperament of most of its Spaniel cousins, preferring a slower, more laid back pace of life! Often described as sweet and docile, the Clumber is a pleasing, affectionate and intelligent working breed of dog that are very well behaved with both other pets and children. They are almost sloth like in their approach to life when not working and can be quite stubborn about moving if they are comfy and relaxed! This laziness can lead to weight gain if they lead too much of a good life, but on the whole when they are up and about, the Clumber Spaniel likes to spend time outside with its family, especially in water. This dog is almost bomb proof and can be trusted and is extremely loyal to its family. Early socialisation and training will only serve to enhance these traits in this breed and as it is an intelligent dog, learning takes little effort for it. It responds well to firm but gentle training techniques and actively wants to please its owner. It is essential that the owner trains the Clumber Spaniel to have a good recall because, as with all Spaniels, it is led by its nose and when off the lead, once a good smell has been located, this determined dog may not give up until it has found what it is looking for.
It can suffer from separation anxiety if it becomes too attached to its owner and is then left for prolonged periods. One of the most negative behaviours it may display is chewing. A powerful chewer when bored or stressed, the owner needs to leave it with something safe to chew and other toys to help keep its mind occupied when it is alone.
In good health, the Clumber Spaniel can live until the age of 12-13 years. This breed is quite prone to diseases of the eyes including cataracts. Advice should be sought from your vet is you see any typical signs of this including the characteristic 'cloudiness'. As powerful chewers, Clumbers are prone to ingest objects they are not meant to and this can be problematic, even requiring surgery on occasion. They have a tendency to gain weight quite easily, and as such, the owner must take care to balance exercise and food very well as excess weight can place strain on joints and internal organs including the heart.
The thick coat if this breed requires frequent grooming and will benefit from the attention of a professional dog groomer from time to time. The large ears must have attention paid to them, as dirt and detritus could cause injury. They are quite prone to bacterial ear infections, as are all Spaniels.
The Clumber must have regular walks to help avoid weight gain
