Clumber Spaniel
The Clumber Spaniel is a spaniel, a gundog which is used for flushing prey. They search for game birds, which in turn panic when found and appear for the waiting hunter. Once the prey has been shot they will retrieve the birds on command. Originally the Clumber would hunt in packs, but today it is more commonly used singly when hunting. They are silent workers, so quiet that some hunters choose to attach bells to their collars so they can be easily located.
Clumber Spaniel Standards
- AKC (Sporting)
- FCI (Group 8)
- KC (Gundog)
- UKC (Gun Dog)
- 19-20"
- 65-80 lbs
- long, low spaniel
- triangular ears are set low
- tail is docked or left natural
- coat is dense, straight, flat with feathering
- white with lemon markings
- white with orange markings
History of the Clumber Spaniel
The Clumber Spaniel originated in Clumber Park, England. They are descended from unknown dogs sent to the Second Duke of Newcastle by the Duc de Noailles which the Duke kept at his Nottingham estate. It has been suggested these were early Basset-type hounds, but this is only a guess. A common legend is that these dogs were sent during the French Revolution, the Duc fearing they would be slaughtered in the war, but in truth the dogs were sent before the Revolution and the reason for the gift has been lost through time. It is clear that they were accepted gratefully and quickly became a favorite in their new homeland, particularly with the nobility. At one point it was difficult to obtain examples because they were so jealously guarded by the families that kept them. However, they lost favor after WWII and their numbers have never recovered. Today the Clumber Spaniel is listed on The Kennel Club (KC) list of vulnerable native breeds, with only 271 registrations in 2010.