Clumber Spaniel - Dog Breeds

By John M Williams

Group: Sporting

Weight: male: 70-85, female: 55-70 lbs

Height: male: 19-20, female: 17-19 inches

Overview

The Clumber Spaniel was first developed in England during the middle part of the 14th century. Today the Clumber Spaniel is the heaviest of all the Spaniels. This breed was preferred by British royals because of their sombre and grand demeanour. This breed is a very eager hunter, and they do extremely well at retrieving pheasant and partridge. These dogs make wonderful water dogs; they have an excellent sense of smell and show extraordinary resilience and endurance.

Temperament

The Clumber Spaniel is known as a stubborn dog, and this is usually a sign that they do not get enough physical or mental stimulation. These dogs are not easy to work with, and tend to become bored very easily. In general, the breed is a very gentle, clever and pleasant dog. These dogs are very tolerant, affectionate and good-natured. This breed will get along well with other animals when socialised with them from an early age onwards. They tend to bond strongly with one member of the family, and can also be very obstinate at times.

Care

The Clumber Spaniel should be groomed on a daily basis with brush ad comb. It is important that their coats are trimmed by professionals, and their ears and eyes should also be kept clean. It is vital for these dogs to not be overfed, as they gain weight very easily. Seeing that these dogs have very thick coats, it is important to make sure they do not become overheated. This breed is a heavy shedding dog.

Training

Training a Clumber Spaniel is not as hard as many people say it is, due to the fact that they are devoted and always keen on pleasing their owners. This breed has a sweet and kind nature, and flourishes on attention. These breeds like training methods that goes along with positive reinforcement, and a lot of praise. A consistent and patient training environment is also vital for these dogs. It is recommended that the training for these dogs is started at a very early age. Harsh training or verbal and physical abuse will not work with these dogs, and the Clumber Spaniel will become stubborn if these methods are employed.

Health problems

The Clumber Spaniel has two major health issues, and they are hip dysplasia and panosteitis. Some of the minor health concerns they struggle with are inter-vertebral disc problems, cataracts and dry eyes. Lamb and rice diets are typically prime food for this dog as it picks up weight effortlessly, and is likely to have flea and skin allergies.

For more info on Clumber spaniel or a full list of Dog Breeds visit this Dog Training resource website.