# Chesapeake Bay Retrievers - Trainability and Personality



## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

As one other member mentioned recently, there's been quite a bit of discussion here recently on Chessies. I'm certainly not an expert/authority on the breed by any means.. I've owned 6 of them, so I'm sure there are people with more knowledge than I have, but I do talk with a lot of other breeders, Chessie owners, etc. so for what it's worth I'll give my take on the breed.

We've all heard the old myth that it takes a 2X4 to train a Chessie. One other member here commented on a Chessie his step-father had that was "Dumber than a Box of Rocks".....that could very well be true. I suppose that dogs from all breeds have different I.Q.'s... I think we've all read that they can be very tough dogs, both to train and to own. So, what is the truth?

First of all, I don't believe a Chessie is for everyone. They are not a Lab with a different coat. They are neither better or worse than a Lab (or any other breed)....they're just different. It's always difficult to generalize about a breed as there are individual dogs in every breed that don't fit the mold, but I'll give it a shot.

From what I've seen, Chessies are a very intelligent breed...very intelligent. They are also very determined yet somewhat sensitive....yep you read it right...sensitive. When you combine determination with sensitivity you get a dog that can be stubborn if not handled right... Think about it......you have a pup that is somewhat sensitive but also determined. What's going to happen if you come down too hard on that pup? It will bull it's neck and not want anything to do with whatever it is your're trying to get the pup to do. Chessies are a slow maturing breed, or at least the ones I've worked with are. Add that on to the Chessie personality and you can see why some people think it takes a 2X4 to train one. If you try to force an issue with a dog that is not ready, a dog that is sensitive and determined, etc. you end up thinking you have a dog that is "Dumber than a box of rocks", a dog that is difficult to train, etc. when in fact what you have is a dog that is not ready for the task at hand and one that takes a gentle, patient hand to train.

If you look at the people who are breeding Chessies these days you'll find that many are women.. There are countless women who are breeding Chessies, handling them in competition, hunting them, etc. Why is that? My theory is that women tend to train with a gentler touch than a man and are more patient. Not all women are like this, of course, just as all men are not out there using a 2X4. If a Chessie were as tough to train and handle as the old myths say they are, I don't think we would see very many women with them. I've placed several Chessie pups with women.....many were their first Chessies and each and every one have done absolutely great with them. As a matter of fact, 3 pups from the current litter I have are going to ladies who got pups from me in the past.

My Chessies can read me like a book... It's uncanny, but somehow they know exactly what I'm up to. I have a young female that does not like being kenneled. I can take her out for some exercise, for training, or whatever and she goes about her business.........until I decide we're done and it's time for her to go back into her kennel. I don't know what I do, but she picks up on the fact that we are done and she'll try to hide on me. I don't grab a leash, I don't start toward the kennel run, etc. but I'm doing something that tips her off that "fun time" is over. They are extremely intuitive dogs.

My Chessies bond very, very closely with me, my wife, and the kids. They really could care less about anyone else. They aren't aggressive toward strangers....they just ignore them. To them anyone other than myself or a family member is no different than a fencepost...they're just there. When people come to see my dogs, my Chessies won't give them the time of day.....their attention is riveted on me. In comparison, my Springers would jump in their back pocket if they'd let them. My Springers will fall in love with whoever will pet them....not my Chessies. I've read that Professional Trainers don't care for Chessies...probably because of the fact that they bond so closely to the people who raise them and that they mature more slowly. I'm also guessing that a Chessie probably doesn't fit a set program designed for a Lab, but I'm just guessing here.... I don't know enough about Labs to know if that's the case or not.

I like Chessies because they fit my personality..... I like a dog that can think for itself and bonds closely. I'm a pretty easy going guy and am not in a rush to get a dog trained.... I'll take what they give me when they are ready. They are a hardy dog and their coat requires no grooming...they pick up no burrs, etc. They hunt hard and just fit in with what I like. They are not wound too tight and are calm and mannerly when in the house. That's my take on the breed...... Like they say, "that and a buck will buy you a cup of coffee". :beer:


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## CDK (Aug 1, 2005)

Well put!


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## fishless (Aug 2, 2005)

I will second that, very well put!!!


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Chessies are like any other retriever; a good dog is a good dog. When I was a trainer, one of my favorite dog's on the truck was a chessie, Chipper of Cajun country. He was a wonderful dog, easy to train, talented and smart as a whip. I always thought that dog could have been a FC.

I've seen smart ones and dumb ones, tough ones and soft ones, tractable ones and stubborn ones. They're like any other retriever, it's just the kennels that raise good ones are not as plentiful.


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## Gamefinder (Jan 11, 2007)

Stonebroke explained the "Difference" very well. Only point I would add that eache individual Chessie marches to its own drummer. One may fit some training program but the others in the same litter will require a different approach. It is a challenge to work with thinking dogs that follow their own logic. but sometimes the most challenging also have the most talent if channeled.


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## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

Gamefinder said:


> Stonebroke explained the "Difference" very well. Only point I would add that eache individual Chessie marches to its own drummer. One may fit some training program but the others in the same litter will require a different approach. It is a challenge to work with thinking dogs that follow their own logic. but sometimes the most challenging also have the most talent if channeled.


Good point. I'm guessing this applies to all breeds to a certain degree (pups being different from each other even when from the same litter).


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## Gamefinder (Jan 11, 2007)

Puppy differences within a litter applied to any breed and any litter.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Stonebroke, Like you, I'm Proud to own a Chessie. :beer:


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

Well put! :beer:


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