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Looking at buying my first Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Advice and help appreciated.

31K views 83 replies 37 participants last post by  james durfee 
#1 ·
I am looking at buying a Chessie. I have had labs and pointers in the past and this year I hunted for the first time with a chessie and I really liked the dog.

I am just beginning to do my research (started this week) on the breed. I am looking for a dog that I can run trials with and is also going to be a good hunter.

I like a powerful dogs with a fair amount of motor, they have to be able to handle pressure and not fold or quit when disciplined or corrected.

Any recommendations on current blood lines, breeders, other forums or sites to research, etc would be greatly appreciated!
 
#36 ·
PAGE 2 I was wondering how long it would take for someone to bring up a 2x4.
In the history of dog training the worst thing ever said, forgot who said it but it was some thing like you need to
train a chessie with a 2x4.
Yes they will make you think when training, say you are doing a double-T with a lab you can run it 10 times and the lab
will still be running with a Chessie maybe 2-3 times before it gets old for them.
Then there is the hole they are all fighters, mine has never started a fight, but has also never lost one.
Great breed and just a good dog to have.
Good luck
 
#37 ·
Too many on here that have waaaay more knowledge than me.......One seems to lurk quite often and would love to hear from him.....Kyle Bertram!!!!!!! Jim
 
#46 ·
Too funny, I was just about to bring up that video!:D I will never forget when we were waiting for our Chessie to arrive from the breeder. I was training with Bach Doar. I happened to carry a short sledge hammer in my truck for setting tie out stakes. Bach walked by and saw it sitting on the tail gate. Without missing a step, he asks, "New heeling stick for your new pup?".;) He really liked Chessies and was a huge help in starting ours out right. Scout has never needed over a medium 2 on the collar to get what we wanted.
 
#48 ·
There is also the nostalgia of hunting with a Chessie. Carved decoys, double guns, Big Scary water and an ice glazed Chesapeake is the definition of waterfowling to me. DO your research on the breed and if you think your a chessie person you'll know it. All of us chessie folks are just a little different. I've heard all the stereotypes from folks but not one of the people had ever owned or trained a chessie to a high level. They are not robots and tend to be problem solvers which can be very good or bad depending on your training abilities. As far as all the aggression and stubbornness stereotypes, DOGS ARE INDIVIDUALS.
 
#49 · (Edited)
Threads about CBRs tend to focus on force and correction. Pushing buttons at various settings and 2x4s will not make a CBR retrieve.
The dog will retrieve based on 2 things: 1)what he/she understands as the task and 2)if the dog trust you and believes you worthy of their effort.
CBRs are taught. Break down the lesson to its basic components.
once the lesson is understood it will not be forgotten and can be built upon.


My best suggestion for finding a puppy is to find a person that is running one at the level you wish to achieve. Most CBRs are trained and handled by their owners. These are the people that can best guide you. Be prepared to wait. As both a curse and a blessing litters of talented field CBRs are not readily available.

If you need help finding people PM me.


Tim











Tin
 
#52 ·
From my experience, the Chesapeake response to pressure is like that of other retrievers: across the board. You'll find some that thrive on it and others that fold and most someplace in between. Of the 6 I have now, most take a fairly low level on the collar. But like Labs, I've had others that needed a higher level. My big, tough male takes a fairly high level but if you really want to make an impression on him, (in the case of a deliberate disobedience) the most effective correction is to get personal: in his face yelling at him in your meanest voice. My feeling is appropriate ecollar use on Chesapeakes works very well as it's a less personal "in your face" correction for disobedience to taught commands. Using the collar effectively requires you to find the level that works on that dog--and this, I don't think, is unique to CBRs.

The rest of your post is very true. I do think you can generalize that Chesapeakes tend to be stoic, and nearly all have good prey drive and will not quit if there's a bird out there, regardless of conditions.
 
#51 ·
I was told by my mentor 27 years ago if someone tells me that in order to train a peak that I would need a 2x4 my response would be "No, you just have to be smarter than the dog"!
Chesapeakes are self thinkers and guard dogs. Had to be....if not, they weren't around very long.
Not so much soft, you just need to be fair and to teach.
Like Tim Carrion says, you negotiate with a Chesapeake.
Also, socialize,socialize, socialize.....what time you put into your pup is what you will get out of your pup.( this is for all dogs, not just a peake)


Joyce
Blackwater Chesapeakes
 
#53 ·
Attrition seems to be my best friend with the peakes I`ve dealt with ...........Jim
 
#57 ·
Haaaaa,gigi believe it or not I usually train barefoot....Jim
 
#59 ·
Another quirck of the breed,water freaking.......have never seen another breed do it.No biggie to me though. Jim
 
#60 ·
I never saw a Chessie water freak. Though with Sam I did get in the water with him because he was vocal swimming to a mark. What I did was go into water where he was always swimming threw fun bumper and just followed him saying quiet easy. For me it worked. Didn't want to apply any pressure. Now he tends to get vocal on blinds when I sit him and don't cast fast enough for him doesn't like to sit there and sweat. And someday you I may need to sweat him out there.
 
#63 ·
Well so far I have learned that the people into chessies really know their stuff about the breed and history! Holy cow I have a lot to learn. But I am enjoying it. Spoke to Bill tonight got some good leads, learned a lot of info and now I am researching a lot of names and pedigrees he threw at me. If anyone hears of any good breedings, MH on both sides, please let me know (preferably in the midwest).
 
#65 ·
You're on the right track with help from Bill; there's nothing better than a good mentor with his many years of experience and success at the highest levels. Not to mention...it's just very satisfying to own this breed, because as you probably learned from your research, it's the only sporting dog bred entirely here in the U.S., by us, for us, for our hunting country. I'd never be one to disparage Labs, in fact to most people that contact me trying to decide between a Lab and a CBR, I suggest they get the Lab. If you want a CBR, you don't have to be talked into it.
 
#74 ·
I believe I know the breeding you are referring to and if I'm correct a couple of folks on here have pups from the previous breeding, including myself. So far lot's of good stuff from the ones I have seen perform and the owners I have spoken with.

Wade


I know of a repeat breeding of a DC/AFC to a MH/QAA female. PM me and I can put you in touch with the owner.
 
#69 ·
Trust me Jim, he does! I love to train this dog, but I will never take him to another trial. All his "humor" comes out when he has an audience.
 
#70 ·
And let's not forget the "bumper attack" story. Truly shows the intelligence and sense of humor.

Scout has a habit of picking up the bumpers correctly, then slowing down as he gets close and then cigaring them. Why? Because he can. It's a little game he plays. I suggested seeing if we could clean it up, so we used a bumper with a PVC pipe reducer on the tab end. When Scout realized he couldn't get hold of the tab end, he got so frustrated! The look on his face was priceless. Anyway, that bumper got tossed into the pile behind us with all the others we'd used on that setup. As we are all standing there talking, Scout went over to the pile, dug out that particular bumper, and attacked it, trying to get rid of the pipe reducer. He wanted that PVC off of there NOW!

What can you do except laugh?
 
#72 ·
Thats funny ,and how about chessies and stickmen? Adds a whole new dimension to training!!!!!!!:) Jim
 
#71 ·
Reminds me of one of our clients from back in the 60`s.Ken Kujala.The guy was a duck hunting legend in our area.He was a "rock rat" as he hunted all the breakwalls along erie.
One day he brought a bunch of ducks to put in our freezer for training and explained how his dog would "go out to sea"making multiple retrieves but when he took him into the bar after the hunt he wouldnt even do a simple single in the bar!!Haaa! His famous quote that I still use in his old finland accent is "Jimmy,they will let you down all the time":razz: Jim
 
#75 ·
Hi Wade! Yes it's the Rudy Fatty breeding. Repeat breeding. Pups expected March .
 
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