Living with the CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER By Joanne Silver
C ongratulations! You are thinking about getting a new puppy. With this comes joy, happiness, anxiety, stress and work. Getting your puppy o ff to the right start is the most important and rewarding thing you can do. You will hopefully have this puppy for 10 plus years of joy, doing things right from the begin- ning will pay o ff in the long run. Th e Chesapeake Bay Retriever was named for the famous bay where the breed originated. Th e Chesapeake is one of the few American Breeds and the only
American Retriever. As the story goes, in 1807 a ship the Canton rescued the crew and two Newfoundland puppies from a sinking ship in the Chesapeake Bay area. Th e Chesapeake is not a breed for every- one they are powerful and strong willed. I highly recommend meeting the breed before you buy one. Okay, you have done all your research, found the right breed for your fam- ily and found the right breeder. You have dis- cussed with the breeder the exact puppy you want whether for companion, show, breed- ing, hunting or fi eld trials. Th is is important information to advise the breeder so that they put you on the right litter and puppy.
Th e Chesapeake is a versatile breed and can be used in many areas. Th e Chesa- peake’s are a fun breed and can be very entertaining. Th ey are famous for their work in the fi eld but today they are excel- ling in the show ring, obedience, rally, agil- ity, tracking, dock diving and lure coursing, barn hunting, hunt tests and fi eld trials. Th e Chesapeake can also make wonderful pet therapy dogs because of their outgoing per- sonalities. Some have been used in Search and Rescue and law enforcement. It is of the utmost importance to have your Chesapeake puppy well social- ized and start early training. Many dog
196 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , M ARCH 2014
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