Abbyford Clumber Spaniels

14-Mar-2012

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Welcome to the Abbyford Clumber Spaniels !

I am a member of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme

I hope you enjoy this site, where you can meet the dogs.

We bought our first Clumber in 1983, Abby was a pet first and foremost as are all the dogs today. She taught us though that Clumbers love to work and that health issues are of major importance within the breed. She died suddenly from heart failure at the age of 7 1/2. She was never bred from but her successor - Scherzando Ripple of Abbyford was the start of my line which carries the name of our first much loved Abby.  

I take a serious interest in the health of the breed, keeping a database of all Clumbers bred in the UK and many abroad. I liaised with the Kennel Club and the Animal Health Trust and was instrumental in getting the PDP1 genetic test into the UK. This test is now a recommendation for Accredited Breeder Scheme members to have their breeding stock tested for the condition. All my dogs are either tested clear or hereditarily clear of this condition - being the first person in the UK to have their dogs tested.

All my dogs and puppies are fed on BARF (Bones and Raw Food) and have been 1999. I feel that in doing so I have managed to let the puppies grow slowly and steadily and I think this probably contributes to the success in breeding lower hip scores. I only use stud dogs that have been hip scored and have been fortunate over the past decade bred many low scoring Clumbers. I aspire to breed healthy, happy Clumbers that are capable of working in the field for the day - that actually look like Clumbers ! Hence I do show occasionally to prove that my dogs do fit the standard - my youngest dog Storm did qualify for Crufts at his first show last year, unfortunately as he is docked it was not legal for me to show him there so he wasn't entered.

I am also very aware that many Clumbers currently being bred for work are far too inbred - risking problems for the future. I will only breed a litter if the parents are not closely related, likewise, I will only allow my stud dogs to be used on bitches that are similarly unrelated. I am strongly opposed to breeding litters that over several generations are horrendously closely related and it is not in the breeds interest for breeders to continue this - unfortunately many working Clumber breeders do not seem to appreciate what they are doing or are following the wrong advise. The breed average of inbreeding according to the Kennel Club is 17.7% over 10 generations - many trialling Clumbers are now repeatedly notching up double the inbreeding at 33-35% - higher than the  accidental litter I had of the full brother, sister in 2004 !!

Ian and I were founder members of the Working Clumber Spaniel Society and we have been members for the majority of the proceeding 27 years. 

I only breed occasional litters - primarily when I want something for myself. All my puppies  are legally docked, have started their vaccinations, are microchipped and KC registered before leaving home. 

 

Abbyford Clumbers - in the ring

Tor at the Swedish Clumber Club's first Official show August 2011

3rd Best Dog, RCAC, 1st Veteran Dog, BIS Veteran

Photo Stina Masthagen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbyford Clumbers - at work.

Janner at the WCSS Mock Field Trial October 2008.

Photo Steve Loveridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbyford Clumbers - at rest.

Mika - Photo Kieran Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbyford Clumbers - as Mothers.

Inga December 2009

 

 

 

 

 

Latest News

Hip Score

Find out what we have been doing recently
  • 14 3 11 - Margaret Hughes and myself are delighted to welcome Gry to the UK. She is the most beautiful girl and we hope she will compliment our lines . She has been chosen for her type and health.
  •  14 1 12 - Today Trogen - was awarded his KC Working Gundog Certificate - many thanks to Heather Mayes for training and handling him.
  • 2 1 12 - Barney's page updated with new photos.
  • 3 11 11. Lesley Knowles had a litter by Xon and her Buffy (Slinkett Antonia) DOB 20 10 11 - these are all now sold.. See Puppy News.
  • 3 9 11 - Delighted to see that Rut's registration with the KC has been completed. She has 2 ** by her name to mark her pedigree, any puppies she has will have 1 * by their name and any of their progeny will not have any asteriks. So pleased the Kennel Club have accepted and acknowledged her pedigree with no quibbles.
  • Margaret Hughes had some Clumber Spaniel puppies  - they are from her Etheridge Aiofe and by Tor , they are all now sold . Photos and more information can be seen on her website - Etheridge Clumber Spaniels.
  • 17 8 11 - A very successful trip to Sweden for the International Seminar and shows. Tor was 3rd in the Obedience Competition, Trogen 4th. At the Clumber Klubben first official Show the judge was Karin Brostam Berglund (Don's) , Tor was 1st Veteran Dog, 3rd Best Dog, RCAC, Best Veteran in Show, Xon - 1st Open dog, 4th Best dog, all in glorious sunshine. The following day, in pouring rain and mud,  the judge was Margareta Edman ( Clumbrolds) . Tor was again 1st Veteran Dog and then went on to be 2nd Best Dog and 3rd BIS Veteran, Patch was 1st Open Bitch and 3rd Best Bitch, Rut was 2nd Open Bitch ( she wasn't shown the day before ). A very memorable weekend.
  • 13 8 11 - Rut is now here in the UK !!!
  • 17 7 11 - Tor and Xon enjoyed a flying trip to the World dog Show in Paris last week. Tor ended up World Winner Veteran Dog and Xon 2nd in Open Dog, Both were graded Excellent.
  •  Tor at the World Dog Show,  Paris, July 2011Xon at the World Dog Show,  Paris, July 2011
  • 4 6 11 - New Photo of Rut.
  • Delighted to see that the Kennel Club have now set up Mate Select to assist breeders in their choices - includes a COI calculater for individual dogs and for test matings
  • 2 4 11 - Delighted to hear from Sweden that Rut's x-ray results are published - Hips A, Elbows 0  - Excellent news, looking forward to her arrival in the UK in August!
  • 19 2 11 - The latest video of the pups added.
  • 30 1 11 - Video added of the pups.  
  • 27 12 10 - Delighted to announce the puppies arrived 23 12 10 - 3 bitches and 3 dogs.
  • 18 11 10 - Puppies available by Abbyford dogs.
  • 18 11 10 - Abbyford puppies due just before Christmas - Inga x Xon the pups will have an inbreeding  COI of 6.5%.
  • 6 10 10 - Had to say good bye to Kara - far too young, she was looking forward to an exciting Winter working but sadly it was not to be...
  • 8 9 10 - Rut's page updated.
  • 3 7 10 - Delighted to introduce Rut in co ownership with Kristina Andersson .
  • 13 8 09 -Today I have added the in breeding COI for each litter I have bred. This represents how closely related the parents are - the lower the percentage shows that they are much less in bred and thus have a wider genetic base to keep the breed healthy. The Swedish Clumber Club breed to a guide of no more than 6% over 5 generations to keep a rich diversity of breeding stock ie hopefully a healthier breed in the long term.

Previous updates to be found on the news page.

 

Page updated with Hip and PDP1 results - 9/2/12

Latest Hip Scores marked in grey cells.

Communities & Forums

  • Clumbers Naturally- now a relatively quiet list where the issues of barf feeding and natural remedies for Clumbers are discussed. Plenty in the archives to read.

 
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This site was last updated 14-Mar-2012

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