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.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Animals