Clumber Spaniel
The Clumber Spaniel is the heaviest among all other spaniels. The breed was supposedly developed in France and perfected in England in the 19th century. Clumber Spaniels were favorite gun dogs of several British monarchs. They were used to hunt birds, mostly pheasants and partridge both alone and in packs. Dogs of this breed were able to work in dense shrub due to their dense coat. Compared to some other gun dogs, the Clumber Spaniel is slow, but quiet and hard working.
Though the Clumber Spaniel was among the first breeds recognized by the AKC, today it’s rare and difficult to find. This breed is classified by most kennel clubs and registries: the CKC, UKC, FCI, CKC, NKC, ANKC, NZKC, KCGB, APRI, and ACR. It belongs to the AKC Sporting and gun Dog group. Most owners don’t use this breed for its original purposes and that’s why only a few kennels breed the Clumber Spaniel for work.
The Clumber Spaniel is an easy-going and highly adaptive breed. It can be a companion for sport, a lap dog, a watchdog, or a playmate for a child. When mature these dogs are not very active and don’t need much exercise, but puppies are very playful. A hunting instinct makes a Clumber Spaniel unreliable with birds and smaller pets, but it can be kept together with cats and other dogs. Clumber Spaniels tend to be one-person dogs. They are suspicious and aloof with strangers.
It’s not difficult to train a Clumber Spaniel by using positive motivation. These dogs like to please the owner and are usually quick to housebreak and obedience train. Dogs of this breed do well indoors if given daily exercise. Their coat protects them when it’s cold, but they cannot stand too hot weather. Generally healthy and endurable, this breed is prone to panosteitis, cataract, entropion, hypothyroidism and skin allergies. These problems can be prevented by careful screening the breeding stock. Like all massive dogs, Clumber Spaniels are susceptible to hip dysplasia. The Clumber Spaniel is unsuited for fastidious housekeepers, as it sheds much the year round and tends to drool heavily.
