RetrieverTraining.Net - the RTF banner

Chesapeak Bay Retriever--the real deal

16K views 66 replies 35 participants last post by  Hunt'EmUp 
#1 ·
Hi--I am looking or a great breeder of chessie pups--anyone have recommedations? I need the real deal--a high octane chessie ALWAYS willing to retrieve in some on the worst water/weather conditions. Fetching over and over and over, fearless, stamina, willingness to break ice, lots of guts. Larger dog with heavy coat needed. I hunt ducks and geese in Nebraska. I hunt alot in all kinds of situations and locations--marshes and rivers.

I need a trainable chessie too-I understand the need to meet half way and negotiate with a chessie--I have owned them before. I had to put my last one down 3 years ago and he was AWESOME dog. The one I currently have is a great house dog put seems to lack desire to retrieve in difficult conditions. So I am planning for 2 dogs now.

I also need a family dog--a dog my wife can take on walks after work and a friend to my kids.

Bob
 
#3 · (Edited)
There are many good breeders, there are also "breeders" who are breeding dogs that have horrible genetic issues. There are several good Chessie people on RTF, there are also some real jerks. I would caution you to make sure that all clearances and health tests are done. If they are not listed on the ad (for instance they don't list elbows or DM status) keep looking. Anyone who purposely breeds an affected DM dog to a bitch that is not clear or has not been tested is not a person I would ever deal with, let alone buy a dog from.
 
#6 ·
Check with Sandy Dollar at web site named Cursan.com Do a Google or write to me for more information.
She is at the Chessie Specialty right now in Cheraw so might not answer an email for a few days.
She winters in the Thomasville area. No idea if she has any pups left to sell right now or what litters she might have planned.
I have never owned a Chessie but have met many of Sandy's.

Marilyn Fender
mf96nfc@centurytel.net
 
#8 ·
Linda Harger- Fireweed Chesapeakes, Meridian Idaho...she is also at the specialty in South Carolina
 
#9 ·
Where are you located. There are several good breeders with some nice breedings. Feel free to email me with any questions and I will help you out. Both my dogs listed below are chessies.

Huffman0610@yahoo.com

Russell
 
#10 · (Edited)
Oh Gawd; I had to do this for a friend; who's MH Chessie up and died at 14 yrs. of age (how dare he get old). The owner had lost all contact with any lines or anyone in the Chessie world. It was very Tough; but we eventually found a good breeding. Of course now we have 4-5 upper level Chessie peeps in our club; and I know who to ask to find one. You really need to talk with Chessie people; watch their dogs, and get their input on where to get a Chessie; Most breeding's aren't advertised. The dogs and owners are a bit different;) but when they have trained, and succeeded with the breed. They know what works, and where to find it. Lab and other Retriever people can only look in and theorize, based (on who appears to be doing well-who's got the best stats), but that doesn't mean that those dogs will be the best for you. Find someone who has a Chessie you adore; then get their recommendations on where to get one; Trust me they know, every line/every breeding. They'd put lab people to shame with how insistently they watch ;).
 
#11 · (Edited)
I just had a litter born today, out of my Caroway's Blazing Hot Chili MH and sired by Sandy Dollar's Cur-San's Dividend SH. Sandy's dog has one MH pass so far and is a couple of points away from his CH as well. This is the last litter out of a really solid producing female. Ad is in the classifieds here. Both dogs are what you're looking for in work ethic and disposition.

Furniture Floor Room Table Desk
 
#16 ·
I just had a litter born today, out of my Caroway's Blazing Hot Chili MH and sired by Sandy Dollar's Cur-San's Dividend SH. Sandy's dog has one MH pass so far and is a couple of points away from his CH as well. This is the last litter out of a really solid producing female. Ad is in the classifieds here. Both dogs are what you're looking for in work ethic and disposition.

View attachment 15759
Looks like a really nice litter Sharon.
 
#13 ·
I have just the dog you're looking for, smart tough and fearless. Unfortunately he doesn't like anyone but me and on bad days even I'm suspect, be glad to tell you where I got him. LOL
 
#15 ·
Check out www.amchessieclub.org (pup ads, soon to be updated; new ads every two months) and www.teamchesapeake.com (forum and pup ads). Look for a pup w/ several generations of proven working ancestors in the pedigree, health screenings including the genetic testing that we now do, and ask lots of questions about temperment and trainability of the sire and dam. And be prepared to wait awhile for the right pup - very few 'volume' breeders in this breed, and seem to be fewer litters in recent years.
 
#17 ·
Here's where you start. Sign up and start chatting away- Linda Harger amongst other top FT Chessie owners/breeders are regular contributors to the page. RTF isn't the best resource for Chessie owners.

http://teamchesapeake.infopop.cc/groupee/forums
 
#18 ·
We have a Ball Bluff Kennels Chessie! www.ballbluff.com They have really healthy, big, sturdy Chessies that are great hunters and have amazing temperments too. The breeder's name is Vicki Lehman and they're located in Jacobson, MN. Vicki is amazingly helpful with whatever questions you may have, and they even have a facebook group you can join to interact with other owners of Ball Bluff dogs.
 
#20 ·
There aren't any/many kennels which continually have litters available which are performance dogs. Most of the time you should be expecting a waiting list.

Don't buy a Chessie without the following test information on both parents- If you want, get on the Chessie page and start up a chat about the tests and what they mean and why we do them.

DM (breed specific horrific disease easily checked and avoided)
EIC (exercise induced collapse)
PRA (progressive retinal atrophy, dog will go blind young if affected)
HIPS
ELBOWS

These are all low cost tests. Any breeder who is worth two cents will be doing them all unless they are giving away their pups and/or selling them in the little nickel.
 
#21 ·
There aren't any/many kennels which continually have litters available which are performance dogs. Most of the time you should be expecting a waiting list.

Don't buy a Chessie without the following test information on both parents- If you want, get on the Chessie page and start up a chat about the tests and what they mean and why we do them.

DM (breed specific horrific disease easily checked and avoided)
EIC (exercise induced collapse)
PRA (progressive retinal atrophy, dog will go blind young if affected)
HIPS
ELBOWS

These are all low cost tests. Any breeder who is worth two cents will be doing them all unless they are giving away their pups and/or selling them in the little nickel.
Some excellent post on this thread. Very good advice.
 
#22 ·
#23 ·
I have 2 breedings posted in the Puppy forum.
The first one is out of my Master hunter bitch bred to a MH with some field trial ribbons.
http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?101573-(MD)-Ruff-MH-X-Gracie-MH

The other is a repeat breeding by my hunting dog who is also MH with a Q 3rd. 2 of the pups from the first litter earned Sh and are running in master. 1 has master passes.
http://www.retrievertraining.net/fo...Thor-MH-repeat-Breeding&p=1157297#post1157297

I noticed that your ads do not address DM. What is the DM status of the sire and bitch?
 
#42 ·
Last year everyone was arguing that a carrier could not become affected, now we have at least one. The bottom line is we need more research on this because with the fact that a carrier can also be affected it leaves a very small number of breed able stock if you want to be sure you are not adding affected dogs (only breeding clear x clear). Who knows maybe next year someone will have a clear also confirmed affected, the point being is the test leaves a lot to be desired and the ones who think it is the end all test are as bad as the ones who ignore it.
The dog that was a carrier that became affected, along with dog(s) of another breed that were carriers and were diagnosed with DM post-mortem, got a mutation of the disease that is extremely rare and not the textbook cases that responsible breeders are trying to avoid. In point of fact, Im far from the DM police and can even see the case being made for a special breeding that might produce DM *IF* both parents were outstanding specimens of the breed and of a bloodline not readily available elsewhere. However, the guilty parties who breed multiple litters knowingly producing dogs that are at risk, not just one litter but multiple litters, are the ones with the substandard dogs and ethics. Once, for a special breeding, maybe; otherwise it's unethical and hateful--to the breed and the poor unsuspecting owners that have been huckstered into buying the dogs.
 
#45 ·
The dog that was a carrier that became affected, along with dog(s) of another breed that were carriers and were diagnosed with DM post-mortem, got a mutation of the disease that is extremely rare and not the textbook cases that responsible breeders are trying to avoid. In point of fact, Im far from the DM police and can even see the case being made for a special breeding that might produce DM *IF* both parents were outstanding specimens of the breed and of a bloodline not readily available elsewhere. However, the guilty parties who breed multiple litters knowingly producing dogs that are at risk, not just one litter but multiple litters, are the ones with the substandard dogs and ethics. Once, for a special breeding, maybe; otherwise it's unethical and hateful--to the breed and the poor unsuspecting owners that have been huckstered into buying the dogs.
Can you please refer me to where I can find this info? In any case carrier can be affected there is no known percentage of at risk that become affected and not all do so is it any different to produce carriers if you think there is a chance that they may become affected or is that ok. I keep hearing in all these discussions the same theme, that people would never produce a breeding that might produce a puppy that could have a chance of becoming affected. Well that chance is there with carriers too so by most people that should be out also. That does not leave much to work with We need to work toward better tests and less speculation.
 
#28 ·
Hi Bob, Not certain what sex you are looking for but there is at least one female available from Lefty's litter the ad is on RTF classifieds. Lefty is a larger chessie who is CLEAR on PRA prcd, DM, EIC, HIPs excellent, re Cerf yearly, Skin fragility normal, long coat free, and additionally other health clearances. Lefty is on the larger size, the female is a really nice bitch who is hunted in Maryland. Lefty was sired by BLAZE who was a very friendly male and Lefty is very friendly too. I can say many things about my dog Lefty and the dam of the litter but I am biased and this is not the place to put an ad. SO far his offspring seem to have great temperaments. please see the contact in the litter ad here on RTF.
 
#31 ·
You checked on that waiting list lately John? lol..
 
#34 ·
Look at the litters posted. Call the breeders and talk to them and educate yourself. Some breeder will leave stuff out of adds so you will call and are open with the information. I personally leave the price and dm results out if my adds. Not because I'm hiding anything I am very open about it but you have to call me and personally talk to me about my dogs not listen to someone from god knows where repeat rumors about them.
 
#36 · (Edited)
For those whom keep saying an affected developed from a clear / That was not in a CBR.

Tim Lockards case is the only documented CBR (post mortem) which was tested as carrier and developed DM.(affected)

A note from Team Chesapeake Discussion-
Mike, I owned the Chesapeake bitch that was first "DM Carrier" of ANY breed to be "Affected" with the Disease.
The only way to confirm a diagosis of DM is the examination of the spinal tissues.
It would be very helpful in the advance of the research studies to be able to study older dogs that tested Carrier or Affected regardless of whether the dogs show signs of the disease.
I recommend contacting the researchers at U.of Missouri if a dog
may possibly meet their needs.
Progress in research is not going to progress without tissue samples!
Donate to Health/Research when renewing ACC dues in the memory of "Tiger".


With some of the attitudes towards DM I've seen, there should be plenty of affected tissue samples becoming available for researches in the next 5-10 years. Pretty sad deal. This is a lot like the people who were early to scoff at PRA testing and/or those who said it was, "a show dog disease". Well, it's coming up in both now because of the oversight on testing or, lack of care to have the knowledge of the dog status prior to breeding.

This is a great discussion which was held on the Team Chesapeake board regarding DM. If you note, many of the contributors have 20+ years experience breeding and competing.

http://teamchesapeake.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/40660554/m/4980067666/p/1

Lastly, the researchers have a particular opinion about animal husbandry. They represent their findings as if there are "Chesapeake Kennels" breeding a constant flow of animals. I find this to be true of many lab situations and possibly other breeds although, it is rare in Chesapeake circles. (of active performance dogs) The trend I've seen the most is one stud may become popular but, he's being bred to such a variety of bitches from different lines the bottle necking effect would be limited. The researchers conclusions base their comments upon their pre-conceived notions that we all have the same bitch lines and are breeding to the same popular stud. In the lab world, that's probably fairly valid for top level performance dogs. We all know the names and they often are posted in re-occurring title themes here on RTF. That just isn't the case with CBR's.

Those relatively few performance bitches have owners who must put mind numbing amounts of thought into whom they'll select for their sire. I certainly don't fall into that category and neither do 95% of bitch owners. (maybe higher?)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top