The Clumber Spaniel seems to wear a permanent sweet expression. This Spaniel in appearances is quite similar to the Newfoundland in the face, with an especially docile expression and soft look about him. He is often called the "retired gentleman's' spaniel" for he is rather lumbering and slow in movement, however he is methodical and accurate in his work of clearing an area of game. He is a gun dog first and foremost and takes his job quite seriously, so his hunting companion can rest assured that if there are birds in the area, this dog will flush them out.
The Clumber first appeared in England when the Duke of Noailles moved to England for sanctuary during the French Revolution. The historic descent of the dog stems from the Spaniels of Spain and southern France in origin. He soon became popular in England as a hunting companion for retired military men, so his nickname may be in reference to this. The Clumber Spaniel hunts by quartering an area, never too far from his hunting partner, with thoroughness, and when he comes across a covey he will settle and flush the game. He should be trained early to the gun, other than that his hunting behavior is quite instinctive and reliable.
The Clumber's coat is long and lies flat along the back, with a ruff and feathering on the legs and skirts on the rear. It is shiny and silky when kept brushed. The Clumber is mostly white or lemon with spots or splashes of liver or rust patches. He is heavy in appearance, standing at most 20 inches at the shoulder and quite long in comparison to his height. The coat is not dense but rather one that should go through brush easily, so there is a certain weather resistant nature to the coat. The breed can have hip dysplasia, and there has been some history of disc disease so this is a problem which an owner should be aware of and pay attention to. Other than that the Clumber has few health problems and should live a healthy life, except that it is the type of dog who will easily gain weight, exercise is necessary and this breed will seldom do it on his own, preferring to lie around.
This is a social dog, very outgoing, affectionate, and gentle in nature. He is persistent on the hunt but otherwise much prefers the couch and hearth. The Clumber is dignified and not at all wild or exuberant so he makes a very steady household and family companion. Naturally the puppies of this breed can be like most puppies, there can be problems when bringing them up in the home, particularly because they are a large dog and will be a large puppy. The clumber grows slowly and matures mentally at about the age of two, as do most of the larger breeds. Puppies need to be trained to a leash early because of their large size. But they do not have the high activity level of many hunting dogs and also respond well to training. One could compare their temperament quite accurately to that of the Newfoundland, settled and steady and responsive to people and children.
It has a long and heavy body with bones that are heavier than the other spaniels. They have a big face and with a hound like expression. Due to its weight, it sits low. Their height varies from only seventeen inches to maximum of twenty inches. Their weight varies from fifty five pounds to a maximum of eighty five pounds. It has a very dense and thick coat which is weather-resistant. Generally, the coat lies straight and flat and hence tends to get tangled easily. Besides that, the coat sheds in large quantities and absorbs odors easily. Therefore, it needs regular brushing, and periodical clipping. This is necessary so as to keep the coat clean and tangle free. It is generally white in color with orange or lemon markings which can be present at any place on the body.
They are excellent hunters especially under cover. Moreover, with proper training, they can be excellent retrievers also. They have been trained to hunt in and run through bushes. During hunting or following a scent, they do not give up easily and go on. They are perseverant by nature. The puppies have a curious nature and do creative things. They love to observe people. They desire to carry something like shoes, slippers, or clothing etc.
Despite being hunters, they are affectionate, gentle, and loyal pets. They pull on well with family members like best friends. However, when it comes to strangers; they remain distant and disinterested.
They tend to stick on to their habits, good or bad; like sitting on owners laps for affection and attention. This needs to be discouraged as they have weak hips which shall worsen by sitting on couches etc. that affects their hips. This can cause a serious medical problem; the canine hip dysplasia.
They require a diet of five cups of dog food (dry) having vitamins and minerals; or can have one and half cans to maximum two and half cans of good quality meat.
They require plenty of exercise every day. A fenced large yard/garden with plenty of space for running, playing and romping is required. Living in an apartment is not suitable but if need to, then plenty of exercise is a must.
They have a keen sense of smell which makes training tough as they are easily distracted. However, one need to be firm or else it will take advantage of you and your weakness. Moreover, one should be careful not to spoil or pamper it as it has a hidden possessive aggressive nature wherein it gets disturbed if not get what they wanted. If this is left unchecked it can be dangerous. Hence, children should not handle them roughly or else get bitten Hence, early training and socialization is important.
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