Everything about dog care, dog grooming and dog training

Clumber Spaniel

Good points

  • Even temperament
  • Intelligent
  • Reliable

Take heed

  • Slow but sure worker

The Clumber is the heaviest of the spaniels and is thought to be of French origin, brought about by crossing the Basset Hound with the

Alpine Spaniel (which is now unfortunately extinct).

It is a brave, attractive and reliable dog; a slow but sure worker that excels for rough shooting and is an excellent retriever

Size

Dog about 55-701b (25-32kg); bitch about 45-601b (20.5-27kg).

Exercise

This is essentially a working dog, best suited to country life, and needs plenty of exercise and off­the-lead runs in open spaces.

Grooming

Routine brushing. Keep coat tangle­free and take care that mud does not become lodged between the toes.

Feeding

Recommended would be 20-330z (587-936g) of a branded, meaty product with biscuit added, or 3-5 cupfuls of a dry food, complete diet, mixed in the proportion of 1 cup of feed to 112 cup of hot or cold water Rations should be stepped up or decreased, according to the amount of work the dog is asked to do.

Origin and history

The Clumber Spaniel was fostered and promoted by the Duc de Noailles in the years before the French Revolution. The breed became renowned as beaters and retrievers in the field.

With the advent of war, the Duc de Noailles brought his dogs to England and entrusted them to the Duke of Newcastle at Clumber Park, from which the name is derived. The Duc de Noail!es was killed in the revolution, but he left his mark for posterity by the legacy of his spaniels which remained safely in England.

SHOW STANDARD

General appearance. A dog with a thoughtful expression; very massive but active, It moves with a roiling gait which IS somewhat characteristic of the breed.

Colour. Plain white with lemon markings, orange permissible; slight head markings and freckled muzzle; white body preferred.

Head and skull. Head large, square and massive, of medium length, broad on top with a decided occiput; heavy brows with a deep top; heavy muzzle, well-developed flew (pendulous upper lip), and level jaw and mouth; nose square and flesh coloured.

Tail. Set low, well feathered and carried about level with the back

Feet. Large and round, well covered with hair.