Are these dogs suitable for waterfowl retrieving??? In a word YES! They are undeniably the toughest, best waterfowl dog out there. There drive, intelligence and loyalty are second to none. They can be a bit of a " one man dog" and be a bit overprotective...their only drawback. This, as with any other bad trait, can be changed through proper rearing and training. I make these comments from an un-biased point of view...I own a yellow lab female but also considered a Chessie, but went with the lab purely out of looks.