Clumber Spaniel
The gentleman's spaniel — slow, certain, and heavier than it looks.
Vital stats
| Size | Medium, long and heavy · 43–51 cm |
| Weight | 25–39 kg |
| Life expectancy | 10–12 years |
| Energy | Moderate — 45–60 min/day |
| Shedding | Heavy for a spaniel |
| Coat | Dense, straight white coat · lemon or orange markings |
| Group | Sporting · FCI №109 / AKC |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
Temperament
Developed on the Duke of Newcastle's Clumber Park estate to push methodically through heavy cover, the Clumber works at a trot where other spaniels sprint. The same wiring at home gives you a thoughtful, even-tempered companion — playful in bursts, devoted without being needy, and stubborn in the mild, immovable way of a dog that knows its own pace.
Habits & quirks
The trophy bearer
A true spaniel mouth: it greets you carrying a shoe, a cushion, whatever conveys the occasion.
Freight-train snoring
That broad head comes with a soundtrack — Clumber snoring is audible through walls and oddly beloved.
The slow follow
It shadows you room to room at its own unhurried pace, arriving shortly after you've settled.
Selective hearing
It heard you perfectly; it's simply finishing what it was sniffing first.
Care
| Exercise | A steady 45–60 minutes daily suits it — think long rambles and swimming, not road-running. |
| Grooming | Brush the dense white coat weekly and keep those long ears clean and dry to prevent infections. |
| Weight | Food-loving and low-slung — extra kilos punish the long back and joints, so measure meals. |
| Health | Watch hips, eyelids (entropion runs in the breed) and ears; choose breeders who screen. |
Common questions
Are Clumber Spaniels lazy?
Mellow, not lazy — they were bred to work all day at a deliberate trot rather than a sprint. They still need proper daily exercise and enjoy scent games and retrieving.
Do Clumber Spaniels drool?
Yes — those loose flews mean more slobber than any other spaniel, especially after drinking. Keep a towel by the water bowl and make peace with it.
Why are Clumber Spaniels so rare?
They were always an aristocrat's estate dog rather than a popular pet, and numbers stayed small after the world wars. Today they're a vulnerable native breed in the UK with few litters a year.