The Clumber Spaniel is a great flushing spaniel with a laid-back temperament at home. They were originally bred in the UK in the late 18th century. Their name comes from Newcastle’s English estate called Clumber Park. These dogs are intelligent, determined, and silent workers. The Clumber Spaniel is loyal and kind but is more aloof with strangers than most other Spaniels.

1. Size

The size difference between male and female Clumber Spaniels can be great. Some females can be around 55 pounds while males can reach more than 80 pounds.

• Male height: 18 to 20 inches (45 to 50 cm)
• Male weight: 70 to 85 pounds (31 to 38 kg)
• Female height: 17 to 19 inches (43 to 48 cm)
• Female weight: 55 to 70 pounds (24 to 31)

Clumber Spaniel has the look of a strong and sturdy dog. They are well-balanced, with large heads and shorter legs for better and quicker scent tracking. Clumber Spaniel has long, leaf-shaped ears that are well covered in hair. 

2. Color

Clumber Spaniel has one coat color: white. However, they have lemon or orange markings. According to the Royal Kennel Club, the lemon markings are preferred. The markings usually appear as freckles on the muzzle.

3. Social Traits

Clumber Spaniels are fairly rare in the USA which means it can be difficult to find owners to ask about their social traits, and not just what you hear or read from the AKC or other Kennel Clubs. However, the information we’ve gathered is promising for all those who are looking for a kind, playful dog that goes great with children. 

Clumber Spaniel is not a very large dog, but they are sturdy and strong which means they can knock down a toddler during playtime. It’s purely out of desire to play, but it can still scare a child. This means we should be supervising the play with young children and dogs, nothing more.

Clumber Spaniels are good with other dogs too, but they are not as outgoing as, for example, Golden Retrievers. Clumber Spaniels are a bit more aloof, but there is no aggression. Of course, proper and early socialization is a must for any dog breed.

Because of their high prey drive, most Clumber Spaniels always have a desire to chase birds or other small animals. Of course, if they grow up with an animal, they will consider that animal a part of their family. But, they still might chase woodland creatures or birds in the park no matter if they have their bird-friend at home.

Good With Children: yes
Good With Dogs: yes
Good With Other Animals: needs socialization

4. Trainability

Clumber Spaniel is easy to train, but it depends on what you want them to learn. Basic obedience is not a problem, but anything beyond that can be tricky. It’s not because they are not smart. It’s because they want to think before they do something. They want to weigh what’s more interesting – doing what we want them to do or something they’ve noticed.

Training them means you need to be patient and consistent and keep the training short and interesting. If they are food motivated, use treats. If not, use toys or playtime as a reward. 

Trainability: 3 out of 5 (5 being very trainable)
Struggle with: Recall, off-leash 

5. Activity Needs

Clumber Spaniel is not an extremely energetic dog, like some other sporting breeds, e.g. Weimaraner. But, they need their daily amount of exercise. The general rule is that an adult Clumber Spaniel needs up to 1 hour of daily activities to keep them both mentally and physically stimulated.

You can take them on two walks a day, 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. Or you can combine some playtime at home with some dog toys. The key is to not allow our dog to be bored. A bored dog will soon misbehave out of frustration. They’ll start chewing shoes or furniture, urinating inside, and so on. 

Activity needs: Up to 1 hour, suited for country 

6. Feeding

Generally speaking, an adult Clumber Spaniel needs around 2 to 2.5 cups of kibble every day. You can divide the amount into two meals. For example, if you plan on feeding your dog 2 cups a day, you should give 1 cup in the morning and the other cup in the evening. 

You can also combine some dog treats or healthy snacks such as fruit safe for dogs to eat. Just pay attention to your dog’s weight. Just like any other dog, we should keep our dogs healthy, not overweight. Obesity can lead to numerous health issues.

An adult Clumber needs around 2 to 2.5 cups of high-quality kibble food a day

7. Grooming

Clumber Spaniel has a silky, medium-length, and wavy coat. They shed and will need regular brushing. You can brush your Clumber a couple of times a week to keep the fur healthy and shiny. Because of their medium-long coat, the best option is to use a combination of a pin and bristle brush. These brushes often come as one brush with two sides – a pin brush on one and a bristle brush on the other side.

It is important to regularly clean their long ears. 

Another thing about Clumber Spaniels to remember is that they drool a lot. If you have a problem with dogs that drool, Clumber Spaniel is not a dog for you or you’ll have to get used to long drops of saliva all around. 

Just like any other dog, they need regular nail-trimming and an occasional bath. Don’t forget to thoroughly dry their ears after every bath. Moist or wet ear canals can easily get infected by bacteria and cause health issues.

Shedding: medium (weekly brushing)

8. Possible Problems

Clumber Spaniels have several health issues. The most common are:

• Hip dysplasia
• Eye problems (entropion and ectropion)
• Sulfa drugs allergies
• Hypothyroidism
• Intervertebral disc disease  

Clumber Spaniels are one of the dog breeds with a high percentage of hip dysplasia and eye problems. Also, because there is a connection between sulfa drugs (sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, co-trimoxazole, etc.) and some autoimmune conditions, all Clumber Spaniels should avoid these medications. The sulfa drugs are used to treat bacterial infections. 

All Clumber Spaniels should avoid sulfa drugs

Summary

Clumber Spaniel is a rare breed, even in the UK. According to the UK Kennel Club, they are on the Vulnerable Native Breed list. Clumber Spaniel is a playful dog with a laid-back nature while at home, but relentless when in pursuit of a game. If you plan on having this breed, keep in mind they shed and drool a lot. But, on the other hand, they go great with other dogs and with children, especially older children. Clumber Spaniels don’t need a lot of daily exercise, up to 1 hour or moderate walks or hikes. However, it is important to keep them mentally stimulated to keep them from getting bored. 

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