Clumber Spaniel

Temperament & personality

Clumbers are famously easygoing. They tend to be quiet, thoughtful dogs who take life at a gentle tempo, happy to potter around the garden or snooze at your feet as long as they get their walks and their people time. That calm nature makes them one of the more suitable spaniels for a relaxed household, including first-time owners who want a dog that is not permanently wound up.

Do not mistake the mellow manner for a pushover, though. There is a stubborn, self-willed side to the Clumber, and a dog that has decided it would rather not can be very hard to argue with. Training works best with patience, gentle consistency, and food, which the Clumber is always keen on. Harsh methods just make a sensitive dog dig in.

This is a breed built for family life. Clumbers are devoted and affectionate, generally excellent with children thanks to their tolerant, unflappable temperament, and usually friendly with other dogs and pets. They can be a little reserved with strangers, more watchful than aggressive. Two things to plan for: they drool, and they shed, so keep a cloth within reach and expect dog hair on your clothes and furniture.

Vaccination schedule

Clumber puppies begin their core vaccinations at around 8 weeks, with the second dose usually at 10 to 12 weeks of age. The core DHPP vaccine protects against distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus, and parainfluenza. Until the course is finished and your vet gives the all-clear, keep your puppy away from unvaccinated dogs and communal ground to protect it from parvovirus, which is often fatal in unvaccinated pups.

Rabies vaccination is separate from the core schedule. It is needed only if you intend to travel abroad with your dog under pet travel requirements, so most Clumbers that stay in the UK will not have it as routine. Discuss your travel plans with your vet so the timing works if you do want to take your dog overseas.

Following the puppy course, expect a first booster at around 12 months, then core boosters every 1 to 3 years depending on the specific vaccine. Leptospirosis is now recommended as a core vaccine for every dog, given as a 2-dose puppy series followed by an annual booster rather than the every 1 to 3 years timing of the DHPP core vaccine. The risk is higher for a country dog that works in water and undergrowth, which is part of why that yearly booster matters. Ask your vet about non-core options such as kennel cough as well, and confirm the full plan together.

Best food & diet

Feeding a Clumber well is mostly a battle against the waistline. This is a breed that loves its food and gains weight easily, and every extra kilo is bad news for a long-backed, heavy-bodied dog. Choose a complete, good-quality diet suited to a heavy, long-backed dog of this size, measure every meal rather than guessing, and be honest about treats, which add up fast.

Weight control is not a cosmetic issue in this breed. Excess weight puts direct strain on the spine, raising the risk of intervertebral disc problems, and loads the hip joints in a breed already prone to hip dysplasia. Keeping your Clumber lean, so you can feel the ribs without a thick fat pad, is one of the single most protective things you can do for its long-term health.

Because Clumbers are deep-chested and food-motivated, feed two smaller meals a day rather than one big bowl, and avoid hard exercise right after eating. Growing puppies should be on a suitable puppy diet with controlled calories and calcium to support steady skeletal development. If your dog starts creeping up in weight, tighten the portions and cut back on treats before it becomes a real problem.

Common health problems

The Clumber Spaniel's build and breeding bring a handful of conditions worth understanding before you take one on. Hip dysplasia, a poorly formed hip joint that leads to arthritis, is common in the breed, and breeding dogs should be hip scored so you can check the parents' results.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase deficiency is a breed-specific metabolic disorder found in Clumbers. It affects how the body's cells produce energy, and affected dogs can show exercise intolerance and weakness. A DNA test is available, so responsible breeders test their dogs and plan matings so that no affected puppies are produced. Ask specifically whether both parents were tested for it.

The long back that gives the Clumber its distinctive shape also makes it prone to intervertebral disc disease, where a disc bulges or ruptures and presses on the spinal cord, causing pain or even paralysis. Keeping weight down and discouraging repeated jumping on and off furniture helps. Eyelid problems such as ectropion, where the lower lid rolls outward and exposes the eye, are common and can cause irritation, and the breed is prone to ear infections and to obesity, both of which need ongoing management.

Allergies & skin

Clumbers can sometimes develop the usual range of canine skin allergies, whether triggered by flea bites, food ingredients, or environmental allergens like pollen and dust mites. The heavy coat can trap moisture and hide the early signs, so it pays to run your hands through the coat regularly and check the skin underneath for redness, spots, or a bad smell.

The breed's loose, drooping lower eyelids and pendulous ears create their own hotspots for trouble. The exposed eye tissue in a dog with ectropion can become sore and inflamed, and the long, hairy ears trap warmth and wax that let infection take hold. Both areas need routine checking and gentle cleaning as part of grooming.

If your Clumber is scratching, rubbing its face, chewing its paws, or shaking its head and pawing at an ear, book a vet visit before the problem settles in. Flea allergy dermatitis is prevented by year-round parasite control. For food or environmental allergies, your vet can guide diet trials and treatment, and catching ear infections early keeps them from becoming chronic and painful.

Flea, tick & worm prevention

Year-round parasite protection is the simplest way to keep a Clumber comfortable and healthy. Fleas cause itching and can set off allergic skin disease, while ticks picked up in long grass and woodland can transmit Lyme disease and other infections. After country walks, check your dog over, and pay particular attention to the ears and the folds of skin where ticks and debris collect.

Regular worming deals with intestinal parasites such as roundworm and tapeworm, and, depending on where you live and your dog's habits, lungworm, which can be dangerous and is spread through slugs and snails. Because the right products and intervals depend on lifestyle and location, ask your vet to put together a worming plan suited to your individual dog.

A combined routine of spot-ons, tablets, or collars can cover fleas, ticks, and worms together. Always dose to your dog's current weight, keep a note of when each treatment is due, and never share or split products between animals. With a food-loving breed, it is easy to hide a worming tablet in a small piece of food, which makes the whole job painless.

Medications & dosing

Medication for dogs is calculated by body weight, and in a breed spanning roughly 25 to 39 kilograms the correct amount varies a good deal from one Clumber to the next. Because these dogs so easily carry extra weight, it is worth using an accurate, recent weight rather than an estimate, and letting your vet work out the dose.

Never reach for human medicines. Painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol are toxic to dogs, and even the anti-inflammatories vets prescribe for arthritis or disc pain must be given at the right dose with proper monitoring. If your Clumber needs long-term pain relief for its back or hips, follow the vet's instructions exactly and report any change in appetite, vomiting, or behavior.

For a Clumber on long-term arthritis or disc-pain medication, the recommended check-ups and blood tests matter, since they confirm the drug is still safe on the kidneys and liver. If you miss a dose or suspect your dog has eaten something it should not have, call your vet for advice instead of adjusting the dose yourself.

Grooming & coat care

The Clumber wears a dense, weather-resistant coat that is straight and soft, with feathering on the legs, chest, and ears. It sheds steadily, so plan on brushing two or three times a week to lift out dead hair and keep the coat from matting, with a bit more attention during the heavier seasonal molts. A slicker brush and a comb for the feathering handle most of the work.

The head end needs particular care. Those long, low-set ears should be checked and gently cleaned regularly, since their shape traps moisture and wax and invites infection, especially after swimming or a wet walk. The drooping lower eyelids can collect debris and need wiping, and some owners find keeping the hair around the eyes and ears trimmed helps keep the area clean. Have a cloth on hand for the drool, which is simply part of Clumber life.

Finish the routine with the usual essentials: trim the nails before they get long, brush the teeth several times a week, and keep the feet tidy, clipping excess hair between the pads. Regular grooming doubles as a health check, giving you a chance to feel for lumps, spot skin problems, and catch an ear or eye issue before it turns serious.

How the Clumber Spaniel compares

Deciding between similar breeds? Here is the Clumber Spaniel next to English Cocker Spaniel and Bedlington Terrier.

Frequently asked questions