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Sporting group

Clumber Spaniel

The Clumber Spaniel is the largest of the flushing spaniels — a heavy-boned, long-and-low bird dog of roughly 25 to 39 kg standing only 43 to 51 cm at the shoulder, with a massive head, deep-set eyes, and a dense predominantly white coat marked with lemon or orange.

Clumber Spaniel dog breed portrait
Clumber Spaniel — gallery 2
Clumber Spaniel — gallery 3
Clumber Spaniel — photo by Olavi Anttila (Pexels)

Size

55-85 lb

Lifespan

10-12 years

Exercise

30-60 minutes

Shedding

Moderate

Experience

Match to owner routine

Is This Breed Right for Me?Compare Clumber SpanielsCare Guide
By Mr Pet Lover Team·Updated
Fact-checked against the sources listed on this page, including American Kennel Club, ASPCA, AVMA. Not individually reviewed by a veterinarian. Editorial standards
This article is for general information only. Always consult your veterinarian for medical decisions about your pet.

Decision first

Is a Clumber Spaniel right for you?

Start with fit before history or trivia. These are ownership signals, not guarantees about any individual dog.

Best suited for

  • Households with children.
  • Homes with other compatible pets.
  • Apartment homes with a consistent routine.
  • Owners seeking a manageable daily exercise routine.

Think carefully if

  • You need a dog with almost no daily routine.
  • You cannot keep up with grooming and preventive care.
  • The dog will spend most days alone without support.

Conditional fit

Apartment fit depends on exercise, enrichment, noise management, and outdoor access.

Daily reality

Clumber Spaniel commitment snapshot

The best breed choice is the one whose daily care actually fits your calendar, budget, and home.

Daily exercise

30-60 minutes

Match activity to age, health, weather, and training goals.

Coat care

Moderate

Grooming needs vary by coat, shedding, and lifestyle.

Time alone

Needs planning

Most dogs need gradual alone-time conditioning and support.

Structured facts

Clumber Spaniel at a glance

The measurements and traits that most affect day-to-day life with this breed.

Group

Sporting

Weight

55-85 lb

Height

17-20 in

Lifespan

10-12 years

Temperament

Mellow | Amusing | Gentlemanly

View all characteristics and methodology

Lifestyle fit

Apartment suitability
Likely fit
Child friendliness
Often good, with socialisation and supervision
Other-pet fit
Often compatible with careful introductions

Owner commitment

Exercise
30-60 minutes
Grooming
Moderate
Shedding
Moderate
Training
Moderate

Environment and health

Health risk
Needs planning

Ratings combine structured breed data, visible breed fields, and editorial context. They are planning aids, not predictions for an individual dog.

Daily life

Clumber Spaniel temperament and behavior

The Clumber Spaniel is the largest of the flushing spaniels — a heavy-boned, long-and-low bird dog of roughly 25 to 39 kg standing only 43 to 51 cm at the shoulder, with a massive head, deep-set eyes, and a dense predominantly white coat marked with lemon or orange. It was built to push slowly and methodically through thick cover, not to range fast and wide, and that deliberate, low-slung, powerful build defines both its working style and its health profile. This is a big dog on short legs, and the conformation has consequences any honest profile must spell out. Temperament is the breed's selling point: Clumbers are mellow, dignified, affectionate, and notably easy-going in the house — calmer than most sporting breeds and often described as gentlemanly. They are smart and eager to please, which makes them trainable, but they can be quietly stubborn and are typically a bit reserved with strangers without being nervous. They bark sparingly, which makes them poor watchdogs but pleasant housemates. Two practical realities come with the package: Clumbers shed a heavy white coat and many of them drool. The Clumber is right for an owner who wants a calm, devoted, moderate-energy companion or a methodical close-working gun dog, who can tolerate shedding and drool, who will keep the dog rigorously lean to protect its joints and back, and who buys from health-tested parents given the breed's significant orthopedic and eye burden. It is the wrong dog for someone wanting a tidy, low-shedding, high-octane sporting dog, or a bargain puppy from untested parents — hip dysplasia and disc disease are common and expensive in this breed. Decide on the shedding, drool, and health-testing realities first; the wonderful temperament is genuine but it does not cancel the maintenance.

Mellow | Amusing | Gentlemanly

Mellow

A common Clumber Spaniel temperament descriptor that should be interpreted alongside training, exercise, and household fit.

Amusing

A common Clumber Spaniel temperament descriptor that should be interpreted alongside training, exercise, and household fit.

Gentlemanly

A common Clumber Spaniel temperament descriptor that should be interpreted alongside training, exercise, and household fit.

Owner note

Temperament labels are starting points, not guarantees. Meet the individual dog and ask about behavior history whenever possible.

Care essentials

How to care for a Clumber Spaniel

What looking after one actually involves: exercise, grooming, food, training, and routine health.

ExerciseAs needed
  • Moderately active breed needing 30-60 minutes of daily exercise through walks, play, and mental stimulation.
GroomingAs needed
  • Regular grooming needed — brush 2-3 times per week and bathe monthly.
TrainingAs needed
  • Moderately trainable — consistent, patient training with positive methods works best.
NutritionAs needed
  • Feed a high-quality dog food appropriate for their age, size, and activity level. Monitor portions to prevent obesity.
Veterinary CareAs needed
  • Annual wellness exams, core vaccinations, dental care, and parasite prevention. Breed-specific health screenings as recommended by your vet.

Care calendar

Daily

  • Meals, water, exercise, interaction, and a quick health check.

Weekly

  • Grooming, nails, ears, teeth, and body-condition review.

Annually

  • Veterinary exam, vaccination review, and preventive-care planning.

Health planning

Clumber Spaniel health risks and screening

Every breed has individual health variation. Use this profile for planning and discuss medical decisions with a veterinarian.

Hip dysplasia — the Clumber has one of the highest breed prevalences of hip dysplasia of any dog: abnormal hip-joint development causing laxity, pain, and progressive arthritis, with hind-end stiffness and difficulty rising. Buying from hip-screened (OFA/BVA) parents and keeping the dog lean are the two most effective controls; severe cases may need costly surgery.
Intervertebral disc disease (spinal disc herniation) — the long back and heavy build predispose Clumbers to disc bulging or rupture compressing the spinal cord, causing back pain, hind-limb weakness, incoordination, and in severe cases paralysis and incontinence. Acute onset is a surgical emergency; weight control and avoiding high-impact jumping are key preventives.
Entropion and ectropion — inherited eyelid conformation faults common in this breed's deep-set, loose-lidded eyes: entropion rolls the lid inward so lashes abrade the cornea, ectropion rolls it outward exposing the eye; both cause chronic irritation and may need surgical correction.
Elbow dysplasia — abnormal development of the elbow joint causing front-limb lameness and arthritis, relevant given the breed's heavy front assembly; screening of breeding dogs reduces incidence.
Ear infections (chronic otitis) — the long, heavy, hair-lined ears trap moisture and debris, making recurrent ear infections a predictable recurring cost requiring routine weekly checking and drying.

Responsible ownership

Finding a Clumber Spaniel responsibly

A responsible path can be a documented breeder or a good rescue match. The important part is transparency and support.

Reputable breeder

  • Ask for documented health screening relevant to the breed.
  • Meet the breeder, parent dogs where appropriate, and review medical history.

Rescue or adoption

  • Check breed-specific rescue groups and reputable shelters.
  • Ask about temperament, medical history, foster notes, and support after adoption.
  • Match the individual dog's age, energy, and behavior history to your household.

Warning signs

  • No health documentation.
  • Pressure to buy immediately.
  • No questions about your home or experience.
  • Unclear return policy or unwillingness to provide references.

Original purpose

Clumber Spaniel history

History is useful when it explains today's behavior, coat, exercise needs, and training style.

Read the breed history

The Clumber Spaniel takes its name from Clumber Park, the Nottinghamshire estate of the Dukes of Newcastle, where the breed was developed and refined in England in the 18th and 19th centuries. By tradition the early stock has French origins, possibly involving Alpine Spaniel and Basset-type dogs, brought to England and bred up by the British aristocracy as a slow, powerful, methodical gun dog for pushing game out of dense cover on large shooting estates. For much of its history the Clumber was a dog of the gentry and royalty — it was kept and worked by several British monarchs — which kept the gene pool small and tied to estate shooting traditions. It was among the first breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1884. Its development as a heavy, deliberate, close-working flushing spaniel directly explains the modern dog's calm and unhurried temperament, its moderate energy and love of water, and the long-and-low, heavy-boned conformation that drives its characteristic orthopedic health considerations.

Clumber Spaniel — gallery 2

Lower-page context

Clumber Spaniels in culture

Where the breed shows up in film, sport, work and folklore — the enjoyable part, once the practical questions are answered.

Fun facts

  • The Clumber Spaniel belongs to the Sporting Group.
  • The average lifespan of a Clumber Spaniel is 10 to 12 years.
  • Clumber Spaniel dogs are valued for their mellow, amusing, gentlemanly nature.

Clumber Spaniel FAQs

How long do Clumber Spaniel dogs live?

A healthy Clumber Spaniel typically lives 10 to 12 years, which is modest and reflects the breed's significant orthopedic burden. The single biggest lever an owner controls is body weight: because the long back and heavy build make hip dysplasia and disc disease common, a rigorously lean Clumber from health-tested parents has a meaningfully better quality of life and a better chance at the upper end of that range than an overweight one.

Are Clumber Spaniels good with children?

Yes — temperament is a real strength. Clumbers are mellow, gentle, patient, and affectionate, and sturdy enough to be tolerant childhood companions. The realistic cautions are their size and weight around very small toddlers and the need to protect the dog's own back: teach children never to ride, jump on, or roughly lift the dog, since spinal disc disease is a genuine breed risk. Supervise young children as with any dog.

Do Clumber Spaniels shed and drool a lot?

Yes to both, and prospective owners should plan for it honestly. The dense white double coat sheds heavily, especially seasonally, so expect a constant presence of white hair on furniture and clothing and brush 3 to 4 times a week. Many Clumbers also drool, particularly around food and water. These are not problems to be trained away — they are inherent breed traits and a genuine consideration for tidy households.

How much exercise does a Clumber Spaniel need?

Plan on about 45 to 60 minutes a day of moderate activity — steady walks and especially swimming, which they love and which spares the joints. The Clumber is a methodical worker, not an endurance athlete, and forced high-impact exercise, repetitive jumping, and stairs should be limited to protect its hips and back. Mental engagement and scent games suit the breed's calm, deliberate working style well.

Are Clumber Spaniels easy to train?

Reasonably — they are intelligent and eager to please, which makes them responsive to consistent, reward-based training and capable in the field and in obedience. The trade-off is a quiet stubborn streak and a deliberate, unhurried working tempo, so they are not fast, flashy performers. Patient, positive, repetition-light sessions and early socialization to offset their natural reserve with strangers produce the best results.

What health tests should a Clumber Spaniel breeder have done?

At minimum, hip and elbow evaluations (OFA or BVA scheme) and a recent ophthalmologist eye examination, because hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and eyelid conditions such as entropion and ectropion are well-documented breed concerns. Buying from parents with documented, current results is the most cost-effective insurance you can buy in this breed — the orthopedic conditions it screens against are common, painful, and expensive to manage if they appear.

Sources

Every claim on this page traces to a published source. Each opens in a new tab so you can check it yourself.