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whose running a chesapeake? After having Labs for the past 15 years and losing my duckdog before christmas we have decided to try a Chesapeake (after alot of research). Pup will be shipped either this coming weekend or next from a very well respected breeder in Ohio.

So what have i got myself into?

Make no mistake, a chessie is certainly not to be confused with a lab. Stubborn and very protective. Damn dog knows exactly what I'm commanding him to do, it's just a matter of whether he wants to do it or not. He pisses me off when he charges neighbors or other dogs in the neighborhood but its all show. God help you if you break in the house.

Smartest dog I've ever had or seen for that matter but he is a stubborn SOB. I would get another one in a heartbeat. Did drop 3200$ to repair his ACL jan 15.

Can't take the damn thing fishing, I've found, he just tries to retrieve the lures over and over.



He is constantly trying to get into the bath tub.

As woodson has said, your Chessie will be loyal, intelligent, hard working and STUBBORN as any dog you have ever been around. I had 2 of them (father and son) for a combined 17 years. The father was the best hunting dog I have ever been around - didn't make any difference whether it was waterfowl, upland game or bunnies, he worked them all like a pro (I hunted mostly pheasants with mine). The son wasn't as good, but that was basically my fault - I simply didn't take the necessary time to train and work with him. They were great with the young kids at all times, and everyone else, as long as I was around. Very protective dogs. I certainly wouldn't want to break in to a house and find a Chessie on the other side of the door.

If you have, and take, the time, a Chessie can be a tremendous hunter and companion dog. I would love to get another, but I'm just getting too old and we don't live where there are pheasants and wild chickens anymore.

Here's a pic of Casey on a duck hunting excursion circa 1974(?).

What's been said is very true. We're on Chessie number 3 and this one has been a real challenge. You cannot let them get the upper hand or they'll rule the roost... like mine does.

great pic's, thanks for sharing them.

Yes they will rule the roost, but not always as stubborn as people think. They will steal your heart and hunt like no other retriever breed. Remember socializing them from a young age is very important with them.

2nd vote for not stubborn. I've had two. Both were very soft dogs. One was a 95 pound male. Very loyal. Many times accidentally left out only to be waiting on the step when I got home from work 11 hours later. Even in town.

Wanted to be within eye sight or touching at all times. Some separation anxiety. My fault not his.

Overall great dogs. As others have mentioned.....socialize your dog.

I absolutely love Chessies and will NEVER consider another breed.
IMHO, they are the greatest breed and great working dogs/companions. But they CAN be tough. They WILL steal your heart. It was very hard to get our third pup because the last two were such special members of the family. They are great dogs but way harder than Labradors. (I had Labs growing up). My first was easy, she was an amazing dog, my second was challenging but he was my joy, my new Chessie (13 months) is going to be the best ever but she has been very, very, challenging in the first year. She's really turned the corner at this stage but I've REALLY had to work for the first year. They really are a breed that responds to your input and require a great deal of your time and training. In the end, that work pays amazing dividends.

"But they CAN be tough."

What exactly does that mean?



I have trained 3 and have never had a problem in their desire to to excel. They have all been fast to "get it". The only thing I can think of that would even come close to your assessment is that if you let them get away with something they will continue on to take advantage of you. But hell I have seen just as many of any other hunting breed do the same. However Chessies don't take well to harsh "Corporal" punishment. E-collars work well with them provided you collar condition before you start it in your training.

Glad to hear you've had softies and fast learners, our first pup was like that and she was a real joy from day one. Our new pup is doing well but the first year has been challenging. She's very smart, a natural in the water, tireless at retrieving, good with people and other dogs, loyal and affectionate. I probably overstate the difficult stuff but I'd hate someone to get a Chessie and then find out they're in over their heads.

i'm looking forward to it. last lab was definitely the best hunting/family dog we've had the pleasure to own. Unfortunately the wait to get another one from the breeder can run into a year so since i have always been interested in chessie's i started researching breeders and breedings that seemed to have a good likelihood of producing the kind of pup we wanted.

gonna be a hoot i think

I've had my Chessie for 11 years and she's been the toughest and most ardent hunter I've witnessed. She lives for October! She is incredibly smart and has trained two labs that I know of how to hunt. I have mostly hunted her on pheasants.

There must be a true Alpha person in the household. Twice in 11 years we've had to physically establish who was Alpha. Next day it was like nothing happened, right back to best buddies.

I don't know if I'll get another season out of her or not, last fall she was all go-go and hunted all year, but there were mornings where she could barely get her hind legs off the ground. She toughed it out and was first one in the suburban. She has the heart!

Butch Goodwin just (re-wrote sorta) an artical for Retriever Magazine about the misconceptions of Chessie's. A good read for anyone intrested in the breed. Butch is one of the most knowledgable people out there on the breed. My next pup will more then likely come from Westwind Farms. So far in my five years of researching breeders (current Other wise Butch would be), is about as good as it gets for Chessie's.

The most frequently recommended breeder i found during my research was Pond Hollow, Pond hollow didn't have anything that worked with the timeframe we were looking for-their recommendation was treasure lake chesapeake's which is where our pup (coming home this saturday) is from. now to find a local trainer for the fall that works with chessie's.

Why not train the pup yourself? Its not hard at all and if you have the time to own a dog. Then you certainly have 15 to 30 minutes a day to work with the pup. Just be patient and easy handed with the pup.

i work a 6 weeks on 6 weeks off rotation overseas or i would. I worked with the last one everyday i was home but still think its best to put the pup with someone for 3-4 months for basics.

In that case yes you are better off having a trainer work your dog.

I've had two chessies; both were great dogs in their own right. My female I got as a pup; she had the spirit and drive to hunt (and the intelligence), but unfortunately not the knees. She had two knee surguries (the first at two years old, the second at 4), and she was retired shortly after that. Shortly after, she ended up with kidney disease. I just had her put down back in Oct of last year.
My other chessie was a male that I "rescued" from a website. Great dog; very, very loyal, esp. to my wife. Loved to be 'with is people'. Not much of a hunter, but that's not surprising seeing as how his previous owner sent him off to a trainer (around 6 months) and then left him there for TWO YEARS!!! The dog knew the basics; was the best "leash walker" I ever had....but nobody bothered to work with him. I managed to turn him into a so/so duck retreiver, but he didn't want to leave my side while in the uplands.....figure he was trained as a "no slip" retriever. I had to have him put down at 5 years old due to a kidney disorder which took him rather quickly (10 days).
Here is my take on the breed: I have heard of "stubborness" in the breed....I don't take that view at all! I think that a chessie learns how to do things a certain way, and that's THE way he/she will do it the rest of their lives!!! I also think that they get bored with routines, and then they get distracted..."Yeah, yeah...this is the same old B.S.; I'm gonna go do something different and interesting". I found that drills that my lab will do over and over and over would quickly cause my chessies to quit. They need stimulation; both mental and physical.
I was looking for another chessie about a year after my first one died....all the "breeders" were being a bit difficult in that I wanted to see pedigrees (to search for entropion, hip dysplasia, ect). My female cost me $4K alone in knee surgeries, and I didn't add up the kidney ailment costs, but I didn't want another house pet after two years. Both my dogs came from the same lineage, and I wanted to make sure that there was none from that particular breeder in their background if at all possible. The one breeder became very defensive, told me I didn't know anything about the breed, reading pedigrees, ect, ect.
....so, when I found a litter of labrador pups (for a third of the price of what the chessie breeders wanted), I asked the breeder for the same information. I was quickly given pedigrees not only for the parents and grand parents, but the great grandparents as well. So one of his little girls came home to live with me, and so far it's been working out well.
I think chessies are a great breed of dog, but somewhat misunderstood and NOT for the first time dog trainer (I made THAT mistake with an American Water Spaniel). My advice would be to talk to people who are wise in the ways of pedigrees and are willing to discuss them with you....and beware ANY breeder who doesn't want to share pedigree information with you!!
Good luck with your new pup!