Th e purpose of purchasing our fi rst Chessie was to be a fi shing companion, being the avid fi sherpersons that we are, we wanted a companion for the boat. We sought out a quality breeder in our area and purchased a female. Th is puppy turned out to be a high quality girl that the breeder said should be shown in the conformation ring. We sought out training classes and began a journey into the world of confor- mation competition. From that humble beginning, we have gone on to excel with our dogs in the Conformation ring as well as performance events such as Obedience, Rally, Hunt Tests, WD. We have put titles on many of our dogs, including Grand Champions, Champions, CD, RA and JH, in addition to winning a NSS BISS. When not in the show ring, they are used in our personal hunting adventures and just hanging out with the family. We are a small, family-oriented ken- nel located in southern Colorado. Not only do we hunt ducks and geese but also have opportunity to go after pheasants, which are as eagerly hunted by our crew as is the waterfowl. We do breed and are passionate about maintaining the char- acteristics that make the Chesapeake Bay Retriever so unique and desirable as a gun dog while making sure to be responsible with our breeding choices.
Health testing is a very important component of any breeding program and we do test and certify all our dogs. Our goal is to produce healthy, qual- ity dogs that have the correct aptitude and attitude. Th e breeders of today are just as dedicated and passionate about maintaining the Chesapeake Bay Retriever characteristics as were the breeders of days gone by. Each and every characteristic spelled out in the O ffi cial Standard for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a signi fi cant reason. As the standard states, “ Th e breed’s characteristics are speci fi cally suited to enable the Chesapeake to function with ease, e ffi ciency and endurance.” From coat, to raw power to stamina, the Chesapeake was, and is, bred to be a working dog. Th e two most important qualities that I believe the Chessie needs to be successful are apti- tude and attitude. Aptitude includes cor- rect conformation – to assure that their body can do the job required. Attitude (actually the most important attribute when breeding this dog) without an excel- lent disposition, it won’t matter how they are built. At the end of the day, after all the ducks, and all the show rings, and all the work, they are our loving companions, there to go for walks or just snuggle on the couch,
challenging us, sometimes pushing us, maybe just listening, but always bringing us the comfort and pleasure of loving and being loved. As the song says, “You had me from hello…”
BIO Renee is a native of Colorado, raised on a farm in the Arkan- sas River valley. Dogs were always a part of the family, living on a farm, they came with
the territory. Several years ago, she and her husband Fred purchased their first Chesapeake Bay Retriever. She has enjoyed training and handling their dogs in many di ff erent areas. Renee is a member of the Southern Colorado Kennel Club, serving as past Secretary, President, and now as Training Center Manager and Show Chair of the annual all-breed shows. She also is a member of the American Chesapeake Club, currently serving as the national Show Committee Chair and the 2013 NSS Show Chair. In her spare time she o ff ers a conformation training class and helps with 4-H dog training. Her granddaughter has just begun her career as a JH, helping show the family’s Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Th eir small kennel, Akcomi Chesapeakes, produce litters occasionally.
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