Clumber Spaniel Verses English Springer Spaniel

The Clumber Spaniel is a massive dog. The chest is broad and deep. It has a broad square head, wide across the top with a brownish or flesh colored nose. It has a deep stop and well developed lips. The muzzle is wide for good retrieving. The flews hang over the lower jaw. The eyes are dark amber and are slightly deep set, ears are large in the shape of vine leaves, hanging forward, and well covered with hair. The neck is thick, heavy, and feathered at the throat, and the tail is short-fringed. Dewclaw removal is optional. Carried level with the back, shoulders are robust and muscular. Limbs are short, straight and strong-boned. Its hair is thick, straight and silky in pure white with lemon or orange markings. They have a feathered coat and their tails are customarily docked, however docking is illegal in most of the European countries. Coat color is predominantly white, with either lemon or orange markings.

The Clumber Spaniel is described as a gentle, sweet, quite intelligent and pleasant dog. Among the most low-key and easygoing of the hunting breeds. They are very affectionate and playful. Well-behaved, and not very active when mature. Clumbers will get along with other dogs and cats as well as other household animals if they are raised with them. They tend to be a one person dog and can be a bit willful. Clumbers are usually trustworthy with children of the family, but they do not make friends easily with strangers. Do not expect them to be friends with everyone, but they should never be timid or hostile. This breed is a gentle person's dog; they do not take well to heavy-handed discipline. They simply will not respond to it. This dog has a good memory and it likes to do things to please its master, therefore training is not usually difficult. As puppies, they may be submissive urinators. Clumber spaniels can be used as hunting dogs. They prefer to hunt for pheasant and partridges, take naturally to retrieving, and are good water dogs. Make sure you have good chew toys for them to chew.

Some are prone to panosteitis (or juvenile lameness), and hip dysplasia. Also cataracts, dry eyes, and entropion. They tend to drool, wheeze and snore. They are known for swallowing foreign objects so take care. Tends to gain weight easily, do not over feed. Clumbers may be prone to flea and skin allergies. They may need to be fed a lamb & rice diet.

Young Clumbers grow very rapidly and are extremely active. As adults they slow down considerably. A few minutes a day of playing fetch will usually satisfy the exercise requirements of a full grown Clumber and since they love playing fetch, exercising them is easy. They are good for people who like to walk frequently. Do not jog with a Clumber in hot weather on pavement. This breed is a good swimmer. If it does not get a good amount of exercise, watch its diet carefully as it tends to gain weight very easily.

The coat must be groomed regularly with a brush and comb. Some skilled trimming of the coat is required. The ears and eyes need to be cleaned and inspected regularly. Some of these dogs develop an irritation of the ear but there are special lotions which can provide relief for this. If there is too much hair under the ears, clip it before the next overall trim. This breed is a heavy shedder.

The heaviest of the Spaniels, the Clumber Spaniel was developed in France around 1768 by one of the dukes of Noailles. Threatened by the Revolution, he transferred his dogs to England - close to his family, the duke of Newcastle. Here the Clumber was perfected and was successfully presented at its first show in the nineteenth century. Several British monarchs have favored the Clumber, including Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's consort), King Edward VII and his son, King George V. The Clumber Spaniel has been used to hunt pheasant and partridge, both in small packs and alone and is especially well-suited for work in dense undergrowth. Although he is rather slow in the field compared to the other spaniels, the Clumber is a quiet worker with a fine nose and good stamina. He can also be trained to retrieve. This Clumber Spaniel was one of the earliest recognized brees by the AKC. Though the Clumber's early history is not well documented, Basset Hounds and St. Bernards may have contributed to the breed. This breed is pretty rare and hard to find.

The English Springer Spaniel is a compact, hearty medium-sized dog with long pendant ears. They should be sturdy and neither too light nor too heavy. The tail is generally docked (and wagging!). The dog should have a proud bearing, with a level back approximately the same length as the height at the withers (never longer). The front legs should he straight. The feet are compact. The head is strong, yet refined and not too heavy, in good proportion to the rest of the dog. The length of the head should be about the same as the length of the neck. The stop is moderate with a groove rising between the eyes and gradually disappearing in the middle of the forehead. The topline of the skull and muzzle have approximately parallel planes. The medium-sized eyes have a kind expression. The eyes are either hazel or brown, depending on the color of the coat. The ears are set in line with the eyes. When pulled forward, the ears should reach all the way to the top of the nose. The tail is customarily docked. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite and the jaw is powerful. The medium-length coat is flat or wavy and feathered, and comes in liver & white, and black & white (with or without tan markings), blue or liver roan. The white may have flecks of colored hair.

Most English Springers are even-tempered, gentle, friendly, and sociable dogs that are great for kids. Intelligent, skillful, willing and obedient. Playful, energetic and a quick leaner. Merry, brave and sweet tail-waggers. Cheerful and courageous. It is affectionate, good natured and sincere, this dog loves everyone. Springers do best when they are with people as much as possible. They can get into trouble if left alone too long. They love water and may constantly get themselves wet and muddy. Usually they are good with other pets with the possible exception of birds. Sometimes argumentative with same sex dogs. This breed can be destructive and bark a lot if left alone. Springers need wise guidance through what is called their "teenage" time. Some are high-energy and they are all intelligent. They need a soft, but firm hand so they always know who is in control. There are two types of Springers - field and bench. The field type are bred for hunting and field trial work. They tend to have more white coat than the bench type, much less hair, and are more high energy. The bench type are bred for conformation shows and have more liver or black than white, they have much more coat, but are usually calmer.

Some English Springers are prone to hip dysplasia. This breed tends to gain weight easily, so do not over feed. Also prone to PRA, which affects the eyes, and PFK, a blood disorder, epilepsy, and hip dysplasia. The English Springer breed has been experiencing a serious personality problem in some individuals called "Rage Syndrome." This is a rare disorder that also occurs in other popular breeds. An otherwise normal dog goes into a sudden rage, viciously attacking people. During the attacks the dog does not respond to commands. This condition is a form of epilepsy and can be treated. It is generally not evident until the dog is one to two years old. Check with breeders about history of "Rage" in the lines. If your dog is experiencing aggression problems, do not be too quick to label it as "Rage". Many Springers go through a "teenage" stage, where they may test their owners. They need an owner to knows how to display gentle, but firm leadership. This "teenage" behavior is too often misdiagnosed as being "Rage", when in fact, it is normal "Top Dog" behavior. It is best to have your dog tested before assuming they have "Rage".

Springers enjoys as much exercise as you can give it. They need lots of it to be happy. They should have chances to take long walks and run and play off the leash. They love to retrieve and swim. These dogs perform very well in both agility skills trials and obedience competitions.

The coat of the field-type Springer is fairly easy to maintain and regular brushing with a stiff bristle brush will keep it looking good; while the bench-type Springers' coat needs more attention. Both need baths and dry shampoo only when necessary, but check the ears regularly for signs of infection. Springers with longer coats will mat if not brushed often and particular attention needs to be given to the ears and the feet. If the hair is not kept shaved on the under side of the ears, it can lead to chronic ear infections. The hair on the feet needs to be trimmed to prevent burrs and foxtails from being imbedded. The longer coats will pick up burrs and branches and need to be combed out after outside exercise or it will mat badly. The bench-type Springer does not have as much coat as the American Cocker Spaniel, but it needs regular attention. This breed is a constant average shedder.

This is the founder of all the English hunting spaniels. During the Renaissance, it was considered the ideal companion for the European hunter. Its popularity in America began in 1700. The Springer Spaniel gets its name from his method of flushing game: he springs forward to drive birds out of hiding. This breed hunts well both on land and water and is good at work in brush. He also is a fine retriever. The English Springer Spaniel's merry, gentle personality makes him an ideal family dog. His talents are hunting, tracking, retrieving, watchdogging, agility, competitive obedience, and performing tricks.