A Guide To Understanding The Clumber Spaniel and Its Breed!
The Clumber spaniel is a large sports dog that originates in England. It is characterized by short legs, a robust physique, floppy ears, and silky, straight-to-wavy white fur with yellow or orange coloring patches.
You need to look beyond this well-behaved breed if you are looking for a steady and peaceful companion by your side.
The Clumber spaniel breed is a dog that is known for its dignified and determined demeanor. These dogs make wonderful family pets and dependable hunting companions.
The Clumber, the largest of the game-flushing spaniels, is a dog with a sturdy build and a low stance that belies its significant bulk.
The Clumber spaniel is not very interested in speed but is unstoppable when it has a scent of a bird in its nose. It was built to barrel through the underbrush and tackle difficult terrain.
A set of people who are passionate about dogs holds a special place in their hearts for the Clumber spaniel, even though it is now considered a rather uncommon breed in the United States.
The flexibility and even temperament of the Clumber are two of the breed’s selling points.
These dogs are happy to live in an apartment as long as they get enough attention and exercise, but they are also confident enough to function well in an environment where they can run and play outside.
Overview Of The Breed.
Group: Sporting
Height: 18 to 20 inches (males); 17 to 19 inches (females)
Weight: 70 to 85 pounds (males); 55 to 70 pounds (females)
Coat: Medium-length, straight to wavy, and soft coat
Coat Colour: White, often with yellow or orange markings
Life expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Temperament: Loyal, friendly, sweet-tempered, gentle, calm
Hypoallergenic: No
Origin: England
Overview Of The Clumber Spaniel.
Pros
- Adaptable and well-suited for various homes, even apartments
- Docile nature with little aggression
- Easy to train
Cons
- Drools and sheds considerably
- Tendency to ingest foreign objects
- Some genetic lines are prone to serious health concerns
The Following Traits Distinguish The Clumber Spaniel.
The optimal environment for Clumber spaniels includes their human family and other domesticated animals.
This breed is an excellent option for owners who spend a lot of time at home and socializing because it is highly trainable and has a welcoming demeanor toward new people.
It is good knowledge that Clumber Spaniels are patient and loyal toward youngsters.
Nevertheless, due to their full size, these dogs have the potential to accidentally knock over younger children, making it imperative that they are properly supervised at all times.
Thankfully, they make wonderful companions around the house because of their peaceful demeanor and generally quiet disposition.
The jowls of these dogs are also notorious for their tendency to drool, so owners of these affectionate spaniels should be prepared for a messy kiss from their pets.
| Affection Level | High |
| Friendliness | Medium |
| Kid-Friendly | High |
| Pet-Friendly | High |
| Exercise Needs | Medium |
| Playfulness | Medium |
| Energy Level | Medium |
| Trainability | High |
| Intelligence | Medium |
| Tendency to Bark | Low |
| Amount of Shedding | Medium |
The History And Development Of The Clumber Spaniel.
It’s possible to speculate about where the Clumber spaniel came from, but it’s more than likely that England may take credit for developing such an elegant breed.
This particular spaniel has been around since the 1700s, and during that time, it was extremely popular among the elite looking for hunting companions to help flush birds.
It is observed that the ancestors of the breed that we recognize today were originally Saint Bernards, Basset Hounds, and Alpine spaniels, all of which have since become extinct.
It is not hard to imagine the Clumber is descended from hounds, spaniels, and Saint Bernards due to the dog’s appearance, which resembles a cross between a hound and a spaniel, its instinct to flush and recover bird game, and its steady and devoted temperament.
The dog breed known as Clumber spaniels gets their name from Clumber Park, which is found in the county of Nottinghamshire in England.
They served as gun dogs for the Duke of Newcastle, who relied on them. William Mansel, who he employed as a gamekeeper, was instrumental in developing the breed.
The British aristocracy was responsible for the care of Clumbers, and breeding was only allowed on their estates. And it is not clear how the Clumber came to be in England.
It is a widely held belief, albeit not supported by evidence that the Clumber spaniel originated in France and was sent to England for safekeeping during the turbulent times of the French Revolution.
However, there is evidence that contradicts the veracity of this theory. One of these pieces of evidence is a painting that was created in 1788, which depicted the work of the Duke of Newcastle hunting with dogs that have a striking similarity to Clumber spaniels.
This painting was created a year before the outbreak of the French Revolution. In spite of this, one fact about the history of the Clumber spaniel that all-breed historians agree upon is that it was a highly prized and carefully protected gun dog among the noble families of England.
No one bred Clumber spaniels other than affluent people who owned estates. This began to alter towards the middle of the 1800s, and in 1844, the first Clumber spaniel was shipped to Canada from the United Kingdom.
After that, the breed swiftly became an important, albeit not particularly productive, component of the dog breeding industry in North America.
It was recognized as one of the first eligible dog breeds by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1878, making it one of the original nine dog breeds. The almost complete cessation of breeding during World War I was a significant setback for the development of the breed.
The Clumber spaniel recovered from this setback in a similar manner to how the dog moved while working the field. Even in modern times, seeing one of these canines in North America is not exactly common.
There is widespread agreement among breeders that they are a well-guarded secret, which is not dissimilar to the early history of the species when it was kept as prized companions on English estates.
Clumber Spaniel Care.
Although the Clumber spaniel is a versatile and easygoing companion, it does require a significant amount of time and effort from its family to thrive.
The owners of these dogs need to have an understanding of their canine companions’ grooming, exercise, and social demands and provide for them accordingly.
Exercise.
These canines relish the opportunity to put their thoughts and muscles to use while working in the field where they were bred.
Make sure that your Clumber spaniel gets at least half an hour, if not an entire hour, of exercise every day. Your spaniel should be able to be pleased to lie inside after going on one long stroll or two shorter ones.
Even while they probably won’t win any speed races, they can still have fun competing in events like agility, obedience, and rallies. They are also enthusiastic retrievers, so engaging them in a long game of fetch will put this bird dog in its natural habitat.
Although Clumber spaniels are bold and sure of themselves, they were developed to be hunting buddies that function best in a group setting.
As a consequence of this, they are not suited to spending the entire day unattended outside. Clumbers are susceptible to developing nervous or destructive behaviors if they are left alone for overly long periods of time.
Grooming.
Even though this breed doesn’t shed a lot, the hair on its medium-length body is prone to shedding throughout the year (with heavier fallout during the winter and spring).
It is recommended that you use a slicker brush on your Clumber multiple times per week to reduce the amount of hair shed.
In addition, it is essential for owners to clean their dog’s teeth and ears, trim their dog’s nails, and keep their dog’s claws trimmed and filed down.
When necessary, use an ear cleaner suitable for dogs to clean the ears to prevent infections. There is a possibility that you are not aware that the Clumber is a breed that is notorious for drooling.
Flappy flews, which are characteristic of the Clumber breed, contribute a significant amount of drool to Clumber kisses (the canine equivalent of upper lips).
When it comes to caring for a Clumber spaniel, the most important factors to consider are the dog hair and the drool that may occasionally be present.
You will have a well-balanced and healthy dog to share your home with if you give it frequent baths, put it through an adequate amount of activity, and show it plenty of affection.
Training.
The Clumber spaniel is renowned for its high level of intelligence and its amenability to training.
The owners of these dogs don’t need to put in a lot of extra work to ensure that their canines are proficient in basic obedience.
Even small puppies as early as six weeks old can start learning the basics, but your dog’s education can continue throughout its entire life to include more complex concepts.
This breed is willing to learn and responds well to training techniques that entail just positive reinforcement and do not include any form of punishment.
You should begin early socialization with your Clumber spaniel, just as you would with any other breed of dog, to ensure that they are friendly with people of all ages, children, and other animals.
The Clumber spaniel isn’t unduly timid around new people, but it also isn’t quick to sound the alarm about the possibility of harm posed by an unknown individual. Clumbers are a breed of dog noted for not barking as much as other types of dogs.
The Most Frequent Health Concerns.
A breed with a lengthy pedigree history, the Clumber spaniel, isn’t too troubled by health problems, but it is prone to a few common ailments.
Although health problems don’t overly plague it, the breed does have a long pedigree history. Evaluations of the hip and elbow, an ophthalmology check, and PDP1 testing for a rare hereditary enzyme deficiency are examples of the types of diagnostic procedures that can help alleviate some of these worries.
Because of its inclination to retrieve birds, you should also be aware that the Clumber spaniel tends to carry things in its mouth because of these instincts.
This makes it more likely the dog would swallow a foreign object, which can lead to various health problems and potentially the need for surgery.
You should teach your Clumber not to chew on furniture or other items around the house, and you should only provide your pet toys that are safe for it to play with or chew on.
The following list is a common medical issue that is observed in Clumber spaniels:
- Elbow and Hip Dysplasia: is caused by malformation of the dog’s joints, and is a painful ailment that can affect the elbows and hips of your dogs that can be treated surgically in extreme cases.
- Hypothyroidism: is also known to be an underactive thyroid, a condition that inhibits the body’s ability to produce adequate quantities of vital hormones at healthy levels.
- PDP1 deficiency: is an enzyme condition that causes exercise-induced collapse, and it is frequent in Clumber and Sussex spaniels.
- Entropion or Ectropion: this genetic disease can cause an eyelid to become either curled inward (entropion) or flipped outward (ectropion), depending on which form it takes.
- Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD): is also known as a herniated disc or slipped disc, is a condition that affects your dog’s spine and can cause severe pain or even paralysis in severe cases.
Diet and Nutrition.
If you ask any owner of a Clumber spaniel, they will almost certainly tell you that their canine companions are opportunistic eaters.
These Spaniels will take advantage of food that has been left uncovered on tables or counters. Despite their relatively small size, they are remarkably adept at overcoming obstacles of a vertical nature to get their paws on a delicious treat.
You should only give your Clumber spaniel high-quality dog food and feed it in moderation. Treats can be a useful training incentive for these dogs because they are motivated by food; nevertheless, it is important not to overfeed them.
Because of the breed’s long, low posture, weight increase can put excessive strain on the back, leading to problems such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) or joint strain.
You should consult with your dog’s veterinarian to devise a nutritious food plan tailored to your dog’s exact age, weight, and activity level.
Where To Get A AClumber Spaniel To Adopt One Or Buy.
Even though the Clumber spaniel is a somewhat uncommon breed—the American Kennel Club places it at number 143 on its list of 197 breeds—there is a passionate community of breeders in North America who are committed to the breed.
Even though it is unusual to discover dogs of this breed in animal shelters, it is likely that the shelter closest to you has other spaniels of a similar breed who are up for adoption.
The Clumber spaniel community is dedicated to taking care of its own, and there are rescue organizations that provide shelter for and help find new homes for these sweet canines. It is important to look into breed-specific rescues to save a Clumber that is in trouble.
Although the number of litters of Clumber spaniels available in the United States is low, it is still possible to locate a reputable breeder of Clumber spaniels and get your name on a waiting list.
The cost of a puppy from a breeder is anywhere from $800 to $1,500, but this range is subject to change depending on the puppy’s pedigree and availability.
Check out breed-specific rescues, the national breed club, and the American Kennel Club to get your quest off to a good start:
- Clumber Spaniel Club of America.
- Clumber Spaniel Club of America Rescue
- AKC Clumber Spaniel Breeders
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