When purchasing a Clumber Spaniel from a breeder, there are key pieces of information that you need to know before you make that purchase. You may be dedicated to raising a well bred, beautiful animal but many times this is not what the breeders have in mind. More so, there are many breeders that are inexperienced or cannot provide you with the best investment in a pet. Therefore, you should ask questions and know what type of dog you are actually getting. The Clumber Spaniel will live up to his breed standards but only if he is bred correctly.
What To Ask
Here are some questions that you need to ask any breeder before you purchase a Clumber Spaniel from them.
What experience do you have breeding Clumber Spaniels? Finding out how long they have been breeding is important. If the breeder specializes in these dogs, they will know them well enough to be able to spot common health problems and to avoid breeding dogs that are less than standards. For example, some Clumber Spaniels can be too large, which is a deviation from the standard for this dog. An experienced breeder of these dogs would know that and avoid breeding dogs that have this characteristic.
What health issues does your bred dog show? There are some issues with Clumber Spaniels that can be avoided through careful breeding. This includes the common hip dysplasia and eye problems that these dogs have. In addition, some will have allergies or skin irritation standards that can be avoided through breeding of dogs that do not exhibit this type of condition.
What temperament have your bred dogs shown? The Clumber Spaniel is a positive attitude, happy go lucky kind of dog. Yet, some dogs are very shy due to a lack of socialization. They should never be aggressive but they should be assertive. They should be inquisitive and very intelligent in terms of getting into things. When talking with the breeder, ask them about these things. It is not uncommon to see these dogs pulling open refrigerators or even moving furniture. If the dog does not show any of these characteristics, it could be a sign of a shy dog or one that is not as intelligent as others. Not the dog for you, in other words!
The key to getting a great Clumber Spaniel is to get to know your breeder. Ask them about how often they breed as well as what they consider the most important characteristic of the Clumber Spaniel. This will show you what type of breeder they are and what they actually know about this breed of dog. Someone that has been breeding for a long time will have the key information that you need to know that this is the right dog for you.
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