Are Clumber Spaniels hypoallergenic?
No, Clumber Spaniels aren't hypoallergenic, and — perhaps more relevant for anyone with allergies — they're also a breed known for drooling, which adds saliva-based allergen to the usual dander and loose hair. Their dense, weather-resistant coat sheds steadily throughout the year, so this is a breed that tends to sit toward the harder end of the scale for anyone managing a dog allergy, rather than the easier end.
Why hypoallergenic doesn't really apply to any dog
The proteins that trigger most dog allergies come from dander, saliva and urine, and every dog produces all three regardless of coat type or shedding level. A breed marketed as hypoallergenic may shed visibly less hair, which can reduce how much allergen-carrying dander spreads around a home, but it doesn't remove the underlying trigger.
Clumber Spaniels don't have the low-shedding coat that some breeds marketed this way do, and their tendency to drool adds another route for allergen exposure that lower-shedding breeds don't typically carry to the same degree.
What a Clumber's coat and drool actually mean day to day
The breed's dense, close coat was bred for working outdoors in rough weather, and it sheds fairly consistently rather than in short seasonal bursts. Regular brushing helps manage loose hair around the home, though it won't change the underlying allergen load the way it might for a less prolific shedder.
Drool is worth planning for separately from shedding — keeping a cloth handy, wiping down surfaces the dog rests against, and being mindful of furniture and clothing are practical, unglamorous parts of living with this breed that matter more for allergy management here than for most others.
If you have allergies and are considering this breed
Given the combination of steady shedding and drooling, a Clumber Spaniel is a genuinely harder match for someone managing dog allergies than many other breeds. Spending extended time around the specific breed — ideally more than one short visit — before committing matters even more here than usual.
Practical steps like keeping the dog off soft furnishings, regular grooming, frequent cleaning and a good vacuum with a HEPA filter all help reduce allergen load in a home, but for a breed with this combination of traits they're managing the problem rather than solving it. Speaking to an allergy specialist before committing to the breed is a sensible extra step if your allergies are more than mild.
Kit for this breed
Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.
Leucillin Antiseptic Skincare Spray for Cats & Dogs
A versatile, alcohol-free antiseptic spray that cleans, soothes, and helps protect your pet's skin from bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
From£16.49
Pressure-Activated Pet Cooling Mat
Press down, feel the cool — this pressure-activated mat absorbs body heat and stays up to 10°C cooler than the room, with no freezing required.
From£34.99
Absorbent Cotton Gauze Swabs for Pets – Pack of 100
Highly absorbent, low-lint cotton gauze swabs produced in clean conditions — a practical first-aid essential available in three size and ply combinations.
From£4.49
Microfibre Pet Drying Robe
A super-absorbent microfibre drying robe that soaks up the wet fast after baths, swims and walks.
From£10.99
Common questions
- Do Clumber Spaniels drool a lot?
- Yes, they're known as one of the more prolific droolers among spaniel breeds, which is worth factoring in separately from shedding if you're weighing up allergy risk or simply want to keep furniture and clothing clean.
- Is a Clumber Spaniel a good choice for someone with mild allergies?
- It's a harder match than many breeds, given steady shedding combined with drooling, both of which carry allergens. Anyone with even mild allergies should spend real time around the specific breed before committing, since individual reactions vary.
- How much grooming does a Clumber Spaniel need?
- Regular brushing, at least a few times a week, helps manage their dense, weather-resistant coat and reduces loose hair around the home, though it won't eliminate shedding entirely. Routine ear checks are also worth building in, given their long, low-set ears.
- What's the best way to reduce dog allergens at home with a shedding breed?
- Regular grooming to remove loose hair before it spreads, keeping the dog off soft furnishings and out of the bedroom, and cleaning with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter all help reduce the allergen load circulating in a home, even though none of them eliminate it completely.
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Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.