Clumber Spaniel

The Clumber Spaniel takes its name from Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, where the Dukes of Newcastle kept a celebrated kennel of these heavyweight spaniels from the late eighteenth century. One popular account traces the original stock to a French duke's kennel moved to England around the time of the Revolution. The breed became a favourite of British royalty, and today it is classed as a vulnerable native breed.

Clumber Spaniels are calm, dignified and affectionate dogs, generally more sedate than other spaniel breeds. They form close bonds with their families and tend to be gentle and patient with children. They are often described as having a quiet, dry sense of humour, and not the bouncy enthusiasm typical of gundogs.

Bred to work methodically and independently in the field, Clumbers can be a touch stubborn and are not the fastest to train, though they respond well to patient, reward-based methods. Their steady temperament makes routine easy to establish, including consistent mealtimes, which helps with a breed whose weight needs careful managing.

Clumbers are a large-boned, slow-maturing breed, so puppies benefit from a large-breed puppy food that controls the pace of growth rather than maximising it, protecting developing hips and joints. Sudden growth spurts fuelled by rich or over-portioned food are linked to a higher risk of skeletal problems in heavy breeds.

As adults, the breed's biggest feeding challenge is its appetite. Clumbers are enthusiastic eaters that will happily overeat given the chance, and excess weight adds direct strain to a long back and hard-working joints. Weigh food accurately, feed to a visible waist rather than a bag guideline, and use a slow-feeder bowl to manage a fast, eager eating style.

Every dog is different — weight, age and activity all shift what a Clumber Spaniel needs. The Food Finder turns these breed tendencies into a shortlist matched to your dog’s age, size, budget and needs.