Chessie vs lab ?

[Paul "Happy" Gilmore]

I've had fun with this thread,and have came to the conclusion that at this time a chessie is not for me ,I'm sending a deposit this week for another black dog pup.

I still have a soft spot for them but I want to learn to train a dog before I train a CBR .Great info on the breed .Thanks for everyone's in put.

On the inside I 'm a chessie owner ,but maybe thats another chapter. Thanks for a lot of sincere PM's ,knowledge ,and the info on the breed , much respect to the original brown dog.

When I do go to the brown side I ve got a named picked out,that I will save.

I think if you want to learn to "train" a dog, a Chesapeake is the perfect dog. When you get a Chessie and work with that dog every step, every move you make will come back to reward or haunt you. You get to work through the "haunts" and learn what training is supposed to be about. You make a mistake, you might take a few years to work yourself and the dogs confidence out of that one day or week. When you can train a Chesapeake, I think you have become a "trainer". They are not often forgiving. When you have one that forgives you for the mistake you've made, you might have a dog. When you have a mistake, you still have a dog that looks you in the eyes with some sort of inner understanding of when and why they don't do what you want in some given situation. You can't hand the dog off to be "fixed". Handing the dog off might get you started but that dog will still look you in the eyes and have an expectation that you, the "trainer", have become "owned" and then it's time for the work to begin. Not often they'll be your superstar dog that powers through yard work and progresses on to transition with all your buddies dogs. They won't be easy. They won't "get it".

When they get it, you don't have to go back to it again nor, do they want you to go back. I think many a Chessie owner has gotten a lab thinking it will be easier, give them a better shot at the blue. It's gone through every Chessie person's mind as they work with their friends' dogs and training groups. (once and a while a Chessie guy secretly gets a lab just thinking they'll see some special sign) Seems once you've made that eye contact and established that relationship,.......it is just hard to explain.

[ron david]

I think that the chessie gives one the greater challenge for the more adventurous individual. after 38 years of having them you know that you are going to have some little challenge with them every day. if that is to much for the more passive individuals there are always the other breeds. you can always get a robot.
they are all good breeds and they do well what they are intended to do for the most part..some people always feel that they have the best no matter what it is. if everyone had the same thing it would sure be a dull place wouldn't it. This way it gives the lab folks something to look forward to, the next step up
cheers
ron
now you can add the butter to the popcorn

[WingsAtDawn]

Most Chessie owners think the breed is number one in their book and just like the dogs, they really don't give damn what anyone else thinks

That pretty much sums up my thoughts