Clumber spaniels

[Dogman123]

Hi Just joined and am thinking of getting a spaniel. Thought about cockers and springers but what does people think of clumber spaniels

[trekmoor]

Welcome to the forum Compared to springers and cockers ,clumbers are hard work and results come slowly.
The clumbers pace is slower than the other two breeds mentioned which is fine if that's what you want . I can only go on the one clumber I have ever worked on who is a really good pet dog and generally a nice dog to have around , the work side of things is hard going though ! I doubt if I would ever want to repeat the "clumber experience !" I think clumbers and I have two very different natures.

Wullie

[powderworks]

Hi,
I've recently joined too, welcome.
I am getting my first spaniel in 5 weeks-- a Clumber!
I have researched and providing you know what you're doing and it is from working stock, the ones I've seen, you will be ok. They are stubborn andmaybe not the choice if you haven't trained a dog before. I've done alot of training and am confident that I will be ok.
Go and visit a breeder of each and see the dogs in action.
J

[paul spaniel]

get a real spaniel - clumbers are for retired handlers

[Lupridge]

Hi Dogman123,
I'm new here. Some very good friends of mine are very well respected Clumber breeders and trial them very successfully. They have some of the very best out there. If you are interested PM me and I will pass on their details. I have bought 3 dogs from them in the past - two labs and a springer (They breed labs, springer and Cockers, but their main breed is Clumbers), and they only breed any of their dogs from sound working stock. They are the first to admit though, they are not the most straightforward to train - one of these days I might be brave enough to try one!!

[heidrun]

Lupridge, is that the Sedgehurst clumbers you are talking about by any chance?? They are truly stunning. I go to John's for training and I have seen his lovely dogs work. They are fantastic.

[Sal]

Check check and check again on the all health tests, back past parents and grandparents ... there are some very poor health ones about, but don't know where so not pointing fingers, just warning you not to just go and buy one!

[2Clumbers&aSpringer]

get a real spaniel - clumbers are for retired handlers

I get that sort of "joke" regularly when I turn up with one of my Clumbers at a shoot. Usually manage to wipe the smug smile off their face by the end of the day.

As advised earlier be very careful when choosing a pup. There are some horrendous hip scores out there and eye problems (entropia) but with a little bit of research it is possible to get some really nice pups.

I would be looking for proven working background, a hip score for both parents of less than a total of ten ( this may sound high but there are clumbers with hip scores above 60 and the average is around 40) and both parents free of any eye defects.







Steve

[lisa08]

Lupridge, is that the Sedgehurst clumbers you are talking about by any chance?? They are truly stunning. I go to John's for training and I have seen his lovely dogs work. They are fantastic.

Heidrun... i was just thinking the same... clumbers.... Devon.... must be John.....

[Crosshair]

I've only had one encounter with a Clumber in the field. A really nice lady came beating with 'it' and clearly doted on it. She made the fatal mistake on the way to the first drive of telling anyone who would listen how amazing her dog was, how it was as good as any springer or cocker and how she'd won this and that with it. Apparently though, it had never encountered thick lonicera stuffed to the rafters with pheasants !! It was next seen at the flushing point after clearing the whole drive in 3 minutes flat. Needless to say, it spent the rest of the day having a nice walk on its lead
To be fair, I've seen my old Springer ruin more drives but it was a funny day