Our featured breed this week is the wonderful Clumber Spaniel. A dog known for going at their own pace, many would be surprised to learn their history and great scent detection. This dog is a lovely family companion with their laid back attitude, but can definitely get their spurts of energy too! Let’s take a closer look at this interesting breed.
The Clumber Spaniel was developed in the late 18th century. Hunters bred the Clumber Spaniel from other already existing breeds such as the Basset hound and the Alpine Spaniel. With their ancestors being the basset hound, it is no wonder they have great scent detection and were used for hunting mostly birds. The owners of Clumber Spaniels were typically people of nobility, who enjoyed hunting for sport rather than a necessity. The Clumber Spaniel is thought to be a very English dog breed as they were even named after Clumber park in Nottinghamshire, England.
A day in the life of a Clumber Spaniel is generally very easy going and relaxed. They like to take their time on walks, make sure they investigate every new scent thoroughly. You won’t often find a Clumber Spaniel running around like a Border Collie (although they do get spurts of energy just like any dog). The Clumber spaniel is thought to be the gentle giant of the spaniels. They are quite sturdy with the female typically weighing 55lbs and the male at about 70lbs. Clumber spaniels typically get along well with other dogs and cats too if socialized early. Because of their hunting instincts they may not do well with small animals such as guinea pigs or parrots. The Clumber spaniel adapts well to apartment living and typically only require 2-3 walks a day.
The Clumber Spaniel may not be the best match for a first time dog owner. Although they are naturally very loving and gentle, they can be quite stubborn and difficult to train. Most Clumber Spaniels are food motivated so it may help your training sessions if you have a pocket full of treats! They do require some grooming to keep them looking their best. Once or twice a month to the grooming to get hair trimming, as well as regular bathing, brushing and nail clipping. You may find the Clumber Spaniel needs more bathing than other breeds as they love to get dirty. Especially if they catch a good scent, they will run through dirt, mud, anything to pursue that scent!
Families looking for a low key dog that loves to curl up on the couch would do well with a Clumber Spaniel. They are such loving dogs (even though they can sometimes be a little stubborn!). But beware when on your walk or letting your Clumber Spaniel off leash as they tend to forget the rest of the world when they’re on a good scent!
