CLUMBER SPANIEL 



Clumber Spaniel. — This is a most important member 

 of the springer family, and its chief peculiarity is that it 

 hunts mute. The name by which the breed is known is 

 taken from that of the seat of the Duke of Newcastle, 

 which has always been a stronghold of the variety, but 

 very fine specimens have been owned by the Duke of 

 Portland, the Duke of Westminster, and other members 

 of the aristocracy. Apart entirely from his attractive 

 appearance, the Clumber spaniel is valuable as a fine 

 worker, but he has never been known as a popular dog, 

 as, though his merits are undeniably great, his breeders 

 have for the most part been averse to selling puppies 

 out of their kennels, the result being that the Clumber 

 has not been in many hands. Still all who know him 

 best unite in bearing testimony to his value as a field- 

 dog, although the peculiarity of the Clumber spaniel — 

 the fact that he hunts mute — is one which may not quite 

 appeal to sportsmen who love to hear their dogs give 

 tongue. 



In general appearance the Clumber is a big dog set on 

 very short, substantial legs, but he is far more active than 

 he appears, and a very reliable retriever of wounded game. 

 His head is broad and massive, with the peak well pro- 

 nounced, and a decided stop between the eyes and rather 

 heavy brows. His muzzle is very square and powerful, 

 his flews well developed, his nose flesh-colour, and his 

 eyes a lightish brown — a yellow eye being considered most 

 objectionable — fairly large and deeply set. The ears are 

 long and carried a little forward, but flat to the cheeks ; 

 the neck extremely powerful, as are the shoulders, which 

 slope well. The body is very long and massive, broad and 

 deep at the chest, with well-sprung ribs and powerful loins ; 

 the fore-legs being short and very heavy in bone, and the 

 feet large. The tail, which is always docked, is set on and 

 carried level with the back ; and the coat is thick and 

 soft, though dense enough to keep out the weather, and 

 free from curl. The colour should be white with pale 



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