Chesapeake bay retrievers

Saw one of these tonight while out of town. Spoke to the owner for about 20 minutes who is also a waterfowler. He had nothing but GREAT things to say about the breed and stated many good points. Its all he will ever use for waterfowling. Although they may not be for some people.


I was almost sure I wanted a Chocolate Lab but after going home and reading on this breed they seem to have everything a lab has but more. I like the way it seems to have that drive.


Anyone own one or can comment on this breed? It would be very helpful in my decision making.

I've been reading about them as well.
I've read they've got very strong personalities and are not as "happy go lucky" as a Lab.
Many "experts" do not recommend them for anyone not experienced with training dogs.
And they're not known for the same "lick an intruder to death" friendliness of Labs.

I really do like all of the positive things I've read about their abilities as waterfowl dogs, however.

I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to sat on the topic.

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Originally Posted by Mattones

Saw one of these tonight while out of town. Spoke to the owner for about 20 minutes who is also a waterfowler. He had nothing but GREAT things to say about the breed and stated many good points. Its all he will ever use for waterfowling. Although they may not be for some people.


I was almost sure I wanted a Chocolate Lab but after going home and reading on this breed they seem to have everything a lab has but more. I like the way it seems to have that drive.


Anyone own one or can comment on this breed? It would be very helpful in my decision making.

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Originally Posted by Keating

I've been reading about them as well.
I've read they've got very strong personalities and are not as "happy go lucky" as a Lab.
Many "experts" do not recommend them for anyone not experienced with training dogs.
And they're not known for the same "lick an intruder to death" friendliness of Labs.

I really do like all of the positive things I've read about their abilities as waterfowl dogs, however.

I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to sat on the topic.

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:) Great to see another looking into this breed.

Ive owned one but sadly had to put him down a few years back at age 11 he developed splean cancer ,
That said chessie;s are a great breed and ill have another some day ill try and add a pick of justice in his prime
Great family dog , good with kids if raised with them youll never find a more dedicated protecter for the home
weather is not a factoer with chessies they seem to thrive on cold and a nose to find those stubburn cripples you wont believe
Highly recommend this breed to anyone but dont get the first one you see look around as with any breed there are good and bad take the kids and let the pup pick you .
Good luck
GE
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...e/DSC00123.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...0729055848.jpg

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Originally Posted by Keating

I've been reading about them as well.
I've read they've got very strong personalities and are not as "happy go lucky" as a Lab.
Many "experts" do not recommend them for anyone not experienced with training dogs.
And they're not known for the same "lick an intruder to death" friendliness of Labs.

I really do like all of the positive things I've read about their abilities as waterfowl dogs, however.

I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to sat on the topic.

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I agree with the above post. We had one and he was a great waterfowl retriever right up to skim ice., but as a family dog he preferred to be left alone. They tend to be loyal to one family member. If i had a young family I would start with a well bred lab. JMO

1939 - just before Dad went overseas for 6 years. One last hunt with "Brownie"

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...dandcarson.jpg

We currently have no kids maybe in a few years.. I read they tend to be loyal to one person but tolerate others.

I need a good in depth look at this breed before deciding. I like everything about them from the looks of it.

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Originally Posted by Mattones

We currently have no kids maybe in a few years.. I read they tend to be loyal to one person but tolerate others.

I need a good in depth look at this breed before deciding. I like everything about them from the looks of it.

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No kids? Go for a Chessie then, but they don't train as easily as a lab. You'll want to have some kind of training support. There are many excellent retriever clubs in ON. Enjoy.

you should google Paul MacKinnon at Atlantic Flyway Gundogs.

For years Paul has been one of Canada's top Chessie breeders and would be happy to answer any questions about the breed you might have. He is a great guy and wouldn't mind you dropping him a line.

A friend of mine had them. I hunted over it several times. It was extremely bull headed and was hard to handle. I was used to my lab. He eventually had to get rid of it after it bit his wife !!! As others have said, they are a one person dog. From my own observations with his dogs, I wouldn't own one, especially if I had or was going to have a child. This buddy of mine had two of them, and they both had the same issues.

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Originally Posted by Sharon

No kids? Go for a Chessie then, but they don't train as easily as a lab. You'll want to have some kind of training support. There are many excellent retriever clubs in ON. Enjoy.

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You think so? I have always found them to be much much easier to train. All the Chessies i have been around have already had that hunting sense and have just need that little bit o training. Our Chessie has recieved no formal training just the basic sit, stay, fetch. She takes hand signals without training and is an excellent hunter. I know we got lucky with her but even friends who have them have had an easy time with training.

Now i will tell you it all depends on where you get the dog from. The place we got our dog breed a female from Long Point and the male was from California.

I 100% understand people's theroy on Chessie's it is pretty hard to find a good one IMO. I have seen and handful of really good chessie's but i have seen a pile of bad ones.

IMO if your just starting to get into dogs a Chessie is not for you, but if your a knowledgable person on hunting dogs and your a serious waterfowler i would suggest looking into them more.

I have trained with several people that own chessies and they seem to be extremes, some are layed back and others are not for the inexperienced. They tend to be a little hard headed, but once they get something it seems to stick. The ones I have been around don't have as good a nose as a lab or golden, but have perservernce to make up for the nose. They are hardy and need little grooming, but can also stink from the oil they produce. No matter what breed you get you need to socialze to people especailly children, you never know when they will encounter a child. You will need to make sure you are the pack leader, but you also need to know how to do this. Your best bet is to mentor under someone who knows about training for hunting as well as obedience.
deb

Id go with a lab from pesonal exp. Id pick the family dog first!

Mattones
In many years with retrievers I've seen very few good chessies.I don't mean to say they won't retrieve but they're not capable of some of the extremes that labradors are capable of. I love the chessie's coat, I hate his temperment.

Where the chessie may have the edge in a coat, he certainly in many cases does not have the heart and drive of most of today's field bred labs. he often is not the team player that you may be looking for. Having said that if I lived down a secluded road I'd have one in a heart beat. I like their loyalty but I also know first hand several who were destroyed due to their agressiveness.

By the way I've personally seen and judged some of the great chessie's you will find in pedigress. FCH/AFC Chippewa Chief and Stoney's Cub come to mind. They and their handlers are now long gone. Chessies like these are too few and far between compared to our modern labrador.

I know you were looking for a pet/hunting dog but the lab just beats out the chessie in just about all departments in today's world and takes to amateur training so much better. They dominate the competitive world at about 99.9 to one. Current breeding in field trial dogs supports and promotes the type of dog you want.

Hope you find what you want.

whatSharon said i agree 100%. had one 35yrs ago now it's labs. they can be moody but they are great

i also aree with boiler guy2412 they are givers when it comes to getting the birds.

If you have your heart set on a Chessie to hunt with, do your research and find a breeder who has proven that their dog has "hunt" in the pedigree. Your choice of breeders to choose from is much smaller than looking for a lab and you want to ensure you are working with a breeder who is breeding working chessies versus breeding for the show ring.

Dakota Creek so true

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

Mattones
In many years with retrievers I've seen very few good chessies.I don't mean to say they won't retrieve but they're not capable of some of the extremes that labradors are capable of. I love the chessie's coat, I hate his temperment.

Where the chessie may have the edge in a coat, he certainly in many cases does not have the heart and drive of most of today's field bred labs. he often is not the team player that you may be looking for. Having said that if I lived down a secluded road I'd have one in a heart beat. I like their loyalty but I also know first hand several who were destroyed due to their agressiveness.

By the way I've personally seen and judged some of the great chessie's you will find in pedigress. FCH/AFC Chippewa Chief and Stoney's Cub come to mind. They and their handlers are now long gone. Chessies like these are too few and far between compared to our modern labrador.

I know you were looking for a pet/hunting dog but the lab just beats out the chessie in just about all departments in today's world and takes to amateur training so much better. They dominate the competitive world at about 99.9 to one. Current breeding in field trial dogs supports and promotes the type of dog you want.

Hope you find what you want.

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Ditto...What krakadawn said...

If this will be your first retriever get yourself a Lab. Down the road if you are still thinking about a Chessie go for it, but I'd personally wait until you gain the experience and knowledge of training a retriever first. An old wives tail, you train and discipline a Golden using a wet noodle, a rolled up newspaper for a Lab, and a 2 X 4 for a Chessie...

Good luck in your quest.

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

Mattones
In many years with retrievers I've seen very few good chessies.I don't mean to say they won't retrieve but they're not capable of some of the extremes that labradors are capable of. I love the chessie's coat, I hate his temperment.

Where the chessie may have the edge in a coat, he certainly in many cases does not have the heart and drive of most of today's field bred labs. he often is not the team player that you may be looking for. Having said that if I lived down a secluded road I'd have one in a heart beat. I like their loyalty but I also know first hand several who were destroyed due to their agressiveness.

By the way I've personally seen and judged some of the great chessie's you will find in pedigress. FCH/AFC Chippewa Chief and Stoney's Cub come to mind. They and their handlers are now long gone. Chessies like these are too few and far between compared to our modern labrador.

I know you were looking for a pet/hunting dog but the lab just beats out the chessie in just about all departments in today's world and takes to amateur training so much better. They dominate the competitive world at about 99.9 to one. Current breeding in field trial dogs supports and promotes the type of dog you want.

Hope you find what you want.

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I don't intend this post to be an insult or question your knowledge but i have seen many many good chessie's. I would say a Chessie's Heart to retrieve a bird is as much if not more then a Lab. If your post is refering to field trial stufff then i will take your word for it as i haven't seen many good one's run field trails, but when it comes to strickly hunting it is hard to beat what a Chessie can offer. But like pretty much everyone has said, you do not learn to train a dog using one. Your first trained hunting dog needs to be a Lab IMO

A close friend of mine has owned chessies for years. HAs 2 right now. Not sure about the comment about them not having heart and drive. He lives in Quebec and hunts the St-Lawrence river. One time his young male went in after a snow goose that was way too far out and ended up swimming downstream and out of sight. My buddy thought he had seen the last of his dog and was devestated. His dog was picked up an hour later by a group in a boat still swimming with the damned snow goose still in his mouth. He also doesn't bother locking the doors in his truck when those dogs are in it. He will also be the first to recommend a labrador to a rookie buyer.

I think I will consider a lab. I am sure I could do well with a Chessi but but starting a family I would like a family dog who wont stick to one member of the family. Guess a lab will have to do for now :)

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Mattones

I think I will consider a lab. I am sure I could do well with a Chessi but but starting a family I would like a family dog who wont stick to one member of the family. Guess a lab will have to do for now :)

Thanks!

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A wise decision Mattones.
There are some good chessie's out there but the risk of aggression, with a young family makes the lab the right choice.
Now you need to make sure you pick the right litter..............

To be the devils advocate. The wrong lab (or any dog) in a growing family can be a real PITA. I know if that my latest Lab is not exercised or trained every day he is a huge ball of energy waiting to explode. my kids are grown and left the nest which leaves me ample time for Guage, but when I think back of a young growing family it would have been hard to cope with three toddlers and a pretty wired lab.

bottom line is that any good retriever needs a lot of attention. make sure you can free up time for them every day.

I would choose a lab over a chessy. There's a reason there are more labradors than chesapeake bay retrievers. Especially for a first dog a lab would be a better choice. I almost went with a chessy 10 years ago but glad a choose the lab. I should say, I know a couple people that own chesapeakes and absolutely love them for their loyality and dedication.

I guided a fellow from down south a quite a fiew years ago who had a very large male Chessy. This was a profetionaly trained dog that did everything but the dishes for him.. But this is were it ended , it would only listen to him, it was very hard headed and not realy a people dog like the labs.. If it was in the jeep, and you wanted to go get something from the jeep you had to ask him to go get it as the dog would come unglued if a stranger whent neer it .. On the flip side for water fowling im not sure ive seen a lab that compares.. It is stronger , lasts far longer in the cold water than my lab could any day , and my lab was also a certified hunter reteiver so it was very well trained , but could not handle the cold like the chessy .. If I were a single man that did alot of late fall ice breaking kinda duck hunting it is no question the dog I would have .. But as a familly man with two girls , I will stick to labs anny day , they are easier to train, familly friendly and all around just as good for majority of hunters...M2C

A RAy

I wouldn't trade my chessie in for nuttin'

I've been lurking around this forum for a while now and have never made a single post but this thread seems to me to be the place to start. I'll say right off that i have FAR less experience with training dogs than many people here. That being said my parents bought her, when my sister and I were just toddlers, from my great uncle who bread them at the time. She lived for 14 years and was one of the greatest family dogs you could ask for. She bonded MOST with my dad as he did the majority of her training but definitely listened to my mother as well and was absolutely incredible with my sister and I. She was very protective without being overly so.

Having had a lab and a mixed breed since (both of which I loved greatly) I always swore I would get another chessie. So when my wife and I got married last year and bought our first house I instantly started looking. My wife always had labs (non-hunting mind you) and took a bit of convincing as she had read all of the comments about aggressiveness and stubbornness but since we got our now 7 month old chessie pup she couldn't be more pleased. Our pup is completely bonded to both of us and picks up on her obedience training quicker than we had any right to expect (I am still hoping to train her for hunting but need to find a mentor as others have suggested).

I do fully agree with the point that chessies can be hard headed and stubborn but I believe that stems, in large part, from a misunderstanding of the breed, particularly the 2x4 training tool mentioned before. Chessies tend to be softer than most would think and have an impeccable memory for both good and bad habits and experiences. I would absolutely recommend doing research into the breed before buying (as the op is clearly doing). Another forum that has proved to be an invaluable source of info on the breed is www.teamchesapeake.com (I hope there are no rules against referencing other forums, if so I apologize)

Sorry for the long winded post I guess it kind of got away from me.

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Originally Posted by LongHunter

I've been lurking around this forum for a while now and have never made a single post but this thread seems to me to be the place to start. I'll say right off that i have FAR less experience with training dogs than many people here. That being said my parents bought her, when my sister and I were just toddlers, from my great uncle who bread them at the time. She lived for 14 years and was one of the greatest family dogs you could ask for. She bonded MOST with my dad as he did the majority of her training but definitely listened to my mother as well and was absolutely incredible with my sister and I. She was very protective without being overly so.

Having had a lab and a mixed breed since (both of which I loved greatly) I always swore I would get another chessie. So when my wife and I got married last year and bought our first house I instantly started looking. My wife always had labs (non-hunting mind you) and took a bit of convincing as she had read all of the comments about aggressiveness and stubbornness but since we got our now 7 month old chessie pup she couldn't be more pleased. Our pup is completely bonded to both of us and picks up on her obedience training quicker than we had any right to expect (I am still hoping to train her for hunting but need to find a mentor as others have suggested).

I do fully agree with the point that chessies can be hard headed and stubborn but I believe that stems, in large part, from a misunderstanding of the breed, particularly the 2x4 training tool mentioned before. Chessies tend to be softer than most would think and have an impeccable memory for both good and bad habits and experiences. I would absolutely recommend doing research into the breed before buying (as the op is clearly doing). Another forum that has proved to be an invaluable source of info on the breed is www.teamchesapeake.com (I hope there are no rules against referencing other forums, if so I apologize)

Sorry for the long winded post I guess it kind of got away from me.

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Welcome aboard. As a new member you realize you are expected to hold a BBQ for the rest of us veteren members. :joker:
Seriously that is a great first post to say hello!

My first dog was a chessie hard headed but great dog.
2nd dog a golden slow but great dog. Present dog a lab the best

Sorry Mattones,

I know you PM'd me but work has been crazy and I haven't responded so I will post my answer here.

WOW! There are a lot Lab owners on this site! You opened a can of worms with this question as there are about 10,000 lab owners to 1 Chessie owner (just a guess but probably not that far off).

There are a lot of great hunting dogs out there, great labs, springers and chessies and alot of bad ones too. First off, no matter what dog you get you want to find the right breeder look at both parents and see their temperment if it is a repeat breeding get refrences - stay away from the backyard breeder.

I have had two Chessies from the Skeetercreek and the Deadgrass kennel bloodline that absolutely love people. My current chessie pup followed my buddies little one around all day long at the camp.

Where do I begin, Chessies are excellent family dogs, their love of children is actually documented and the breed itself has been noted to save many children from drowning. There are so many rediculus comments here that I'm not even going to quote them. If I was to compare my dog to the golden my sister owned or the 2 labs at the camp or the lab a friend of mine owned I would tell you to never to get either breed but I am wise enough to know they were not properly trained or socialized, infact one of those labs is the only dog I have ever been bitten by and my friends won't allow their little one anywhere near it and the second one wouldn't hurt a fly but is so "dumb" I'm surprised it can figure out how to eat and the other one needed a bark collar and cement boots. In those cases I'm sure its not the dogs fault, just the owners.

They are not like a lab or golden in so many ways, you can't use a "2x4" on them as they will remember that you did, infact from what I've seen you have to be much softer on a chessie because it remembers and doesn't forget -LongHunter is dead-on. It might take a bit longer to teach but you won't have to show it over and over again. If you correct it at the wrong time you can actually set your training back alot. They do require solid leadership, you can't let him get away with anything ie. Sit means sit, if he doesn't you make him or he will remember.

They seem to hunt in a different way than a lab does, to me the difference between the two are -If you want to tell a dog how to hunt get a lab, if you want to watch a dog figure it out on his own get a Chessie.

They are a very powerfull dog and tough in cold weather, my last one would go into water in winter over and over and over. He would never give up, my little nephew probably spent hours on the weekends thowing balls into the water for him and when he said heal that dog would sit on his left side, dop the ball into his hand, sit there for him until he said his name to fetch the ball again. My youngest nephew at the time was 10,lives in Tennessee, my dog listened to him and he never met him before that weekend.

They are a protective dog but not known to bite that is why they make a good gaurd dog but not a good dog for protection. That said, a bear came on our campsite in Algonquin and that dog made sure the bear didn't stick around. RIP-RUKUS!

I would recommend a Chessie to anyone, I got one as my first dog and he was a fantastic dog. I did do alot of research on the dog and I listened to recommendations that my breeder and his (my) trainer made to me. It helped me to stay in contact with my breeder and meet up once and a while to chat and help with training the dog.

Get whatever dog you want Lab, Chessie, Poodle - Just spend the time to train it properly especially in it's first year.

That said I will be in the Flamborough area tomorrow and would be glad to meet up with you to meet my Chessie. PM me and I'll give you my contact info.

You want some good advice contact Brent Samis, ask him the difference between the two breeds, He breeds both and trains. Contact Sandi Bond and ask the difference between training the two.

Asking us which one you should get is like asking a Ford guy if you should buy a Chevy, a Berretta guy if you should buy a Browning. FYI - I drive a Ford and it was the first and last Ford I will ever buy! And I hunt with a Browning!

Hope that helps.

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Originally Posted by bardern

you should google Paul MacKinnon at Atlantic Flyway Gundogs.

For years Paul has been one of Canada's top Chessie breeders and would be happy to answer any questions about the breed you might have. He is a great guy and wouldn't mind you dropping him a line.

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I was just going to type the same thing! Great suggestion.

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Originally Posted by terrym

Welcome aboard. As a new member you realize you are expected to hold a BBQ for the rest of us veteren members. :joker:
Seriously that is a great first post to say hello!

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Hahaha well I'd love to hold a BBQ but unfortunately I think the number of veteran members on here is a bit higher than my backyard can handle.

My Chessie is a total suck. She is even better with kids than my Golden. She is stubborn, when she sets her mind to something don't try and change it. She is also very loyal I have no doubt she would protect me to the end if it came to that. More energy than i ever expected. I wouldnt change her tho.

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Originally Posted by LongHunter

Hahaha well I'd love to hold a BBQ but unfortunately I think the number of veteran members on here is a bit higher than my backyard can handle.

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Think outside the box man, we can come in shifts.

Or you can get a portable BBQ and come over to everyone's house. :)

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Originally Posted by terrym

Think outside the box man, we can come in shifts.

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Originally Posted by Dythbringer

Or you can get a portable BBQ and come over to everyone's house. :)

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Ok how bout this, one of you guys volunteers your backyard, the other can grab the groceries (don't worry I'll give you a list of what to buy) and I'll organize the whole thing. Sound like a plan? :thumbup:

I'll even bring the BBQ

Some great comments and thoughts on many breeds, I train with a lab guy who has always had labs and they are great dogs. The gentleman that I train with has run his at the master level and is very knowledgeable in regards to training. Over the years I can say that I have never had the opportunity to train with any other Chessies and have found it to be an eye opener with the different dogs, good learning curve for myself and others as the dogs are all different. I strongly agree that the lines make a huge difference as I am running two Chessies now from different lines and one is not up to standards as the other is totally different, from energy to marking and so on. I am on my third and fourth Chessies now and for me they have been great, not for everyone as the guys that I train with would not own then. I have a pile of great memories and things some of my other dogs have done I will never forget as we all have, one post on here where the gentleman had his dog out of site and thought he had lost it was similar to one I had as it was January at a river close home and my female was on a wounded snow goose which was the only one we had ever seen here, swam 2-3 km in the ice water and got the bird as I was running down the side of the river way behind and she was not able to hear the whistle. In my eyes that was one tough dog.
For me they are the ticket, everyone has their preference and I do believe that the lines are huge.
Just my couple cents

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

Mattones
In many years with retrievers I've seen very few good chessies.I don't mean to say they won't retrieve but they're not capable of some of the extremes that labradors are capable of. I love the chessie's coat, I hate his temperment.

Where the chessie may have the edge in a coat, he certainly in many cases does not have the heart and drive of most of today's field bred labs. he often is not the team player that you may be looking for. Having said that if I lived down a secluded road I'd have one in a heart beat. I like their loyalty but I also know first hand several who were destroyed due to their agressiveness.

By the way I've personally seen and judged some of the great chessie's you will find in pedigress. FCH/AFC Chippewa Chief and Stoney's Cub come to mind. They and their handlers are now long gone. Chessies like these are too few and far between compared to our modern labrador.

I know you were looking for a pet/hunting dog but the lab just beats out the chessie in just about all departments in today's world and takes to amateur training so much better. They dominate the competitive world at about 99.9 to one. Current breeding in field trial dogs supports and promotes the type of dog you want.

Hope you find what you want.

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Labs can take more extremes?? Thats actually comical, Chessies were created for ice and big waves. If you want a 2x4 get a lab, you want a 4x4 get a chessie. If anyone decides on a lab dont get one off kijiji, youll get a useless dog, you get what you pay for. Just remember breeding trumps breed, there are gems and duds in both breeds. If you want something for those competitions get a lab, just dont turn your back on him or he'll be nose deep eating his own .

Must have had to dig deep to find this gem it was discussed in 2012.

Have to agree with that for sure.

Welcome Jarm. Interesting for your first post. Regardless what you think they were created for compared to what they are currently is a huge leap.
If you have a hard going competitive guy....good for you.....I like them too but I also know what's around and in the competitive world, they virtually don't exist.
And all kidding aside, it's no joke, they do not compare to today's hard driving well bred field Labradors.

You are quite correct though....breeding does trump breed.

I just had to show the chessie some lovin' here. I dont hate labs, my favourite dog was a lab. Its just not that all chessies are bad, they are a fine dog, They are def not a competition dog. but again opinions are like @!* holes, we all got'em. Whats a discussion without a little controversy!

didnt dig too hard, google brought it up

No problem here Jarm, have a real soft spot for the peakes too. Currently have a friend searching for one, if you know any solid litters, please advise as they're not common.

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

No problem here Jarm, have a real soft spot for the peakes too. Currently have a friend searching for one, if you know any solid litters, please advise as they're not common.

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Kraka, good to see you back on the beat disbursing retriever and retrieving nuggets. Linda Harger in Idaho got anything that might interest your friend? Gotta tell you, first trial I ran this year, had to check myself for some serious adverse over-hallucinating when six (count 'em) of the first 8-10 dogs to the line were, yup, Chessies (I ran No. 9 amidst 'em all in a driving rainstorm). (Of course, the judge was a C----ie person, imagine that.) Whoa, not a FT experience likely to be replicated, short of my infiltrating the Chessie specialty. In that case, amongst my Lab purist training confreres, there goes the neighbourhood...

MG