Breed History
The origins of the Clumber Spaniel cannot be traced precisely, though evidence suggests that Bassett Hounds, early Alpine Spaniels and other breeds may be counted as their ancestors....
Clumber Spaniels were one of the first specialized breeds, originating in France as early as the 18th century and used to flush and retrieve birds. One story holds that at the time of the French revolution (1789), the Duc de Noailles moved his spaniels to England to ensure their safety, housing them at the Second Duke of Newcastle's kennels at Clumber Park (hence the name) in Nottinghamshire. While there are no records of this story anywhere in England or France, it is known that the breed was perfected and successfully presented in its first shows at Clumber Park.A British officer brought the first Clumbers to Nova Scotia in 1844. The AKC registry records a Clumber Spaniel named Bustler in 1878, six years prior to the founding of the American Kennel Club itself. Well suited for work in thick brush, the Clumber Spaniel is an adept hunter and is especially skilled at hunting partridge and pheasant. The Clumber Spaniel is not as quick as some of his spaniel cousins, but is instead a studious and capable worker with energy and scenting power to spare. Despite its long history, the breed is fairly unknown today outside of hunting circles and the ring, and on average only 200 Clumber Spaniels are registered in the United States each year.