Hey everyone im in need of some advice, im a 17 year old waterfowl fanatic. Ive been hunting since 12 and this summer im getting my first dog, i would love a chocolate lab, but i am also very fond of cheesapeke bay retreivers. I still live at home and have a family of 4. Do you think a cheesapke would be ok in a family this size, ive heard that they are a one person animal. Any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks alot!

If this is your first retriever I would suggest a lab.

Agreed, for your first hunting dog I would go with either the Lab or maybe a Golden Reteiver as they are much easier to train than a Chessy plus the Labs/Retreivers make great famly dogs. The Chessies can be quite hard headed sometimes. Personally, I have an English Setter(great family dog too) and she spends more time retreiving waterfowl than she does upland, and she loves doing both. Good luck.

Ron

GET A LAB!! Chessies are bull headed. trust me.

i think that labs make the best family dogs and are great hunting dogs

As an ex-Chessie owner who now has a Lab, I agree with everyone here. Gat a Lab. I had Chessies for years, and fought with them for years, trying to get them to do things my way instead of their way. No doubt they are fantastic water dogs, but they are SO HARDHEADED!! Two years ago I finally gave in and got a Lab. What a difference!!! He's so good to work with, I kick myself every time I think of all those years I spent being frustrated and angry at my Chessies!

As far as color, I'd say don't get hung up on a color, get hung up on quality, traits and characteristics of the parents. If my years of experience are any guide, you'll be happier with a good black or yellow than a bad chocolate. So don't be hung up on color, or you may find yourself having compromised quality for color, kind of like buying a Ferrari to take hunting in fields. Pretty but not practical.

I forgot to mention--Chesapeakes often smell bad, too. They have a double coat, which is oily (but great for ice cold water), and sometimes they get pretty strong (smelling).

(And they tend to be one man loyal, but will be family loyal, if raised in the family.)

Well I have had a lot of labs in my life and two chessies. The first chess was about 50 plus years ago and he was as some of you describe surly and hard headed but then 4 years ago I got another chess. He was a comedian and as compliant when training as any lab I have ever had. Plus he had a coat that would have been the envy of many of the thin coated labs you see nowadays. Unfortunately due to an accident and a medical problem he had to be put down about two months ago. Now I'll have to take my old lab out of retirement this fall and when I run across my next partner I'll let him go back to sleeping most of the time.

If you're buying a hunting dog make sure to look at the parents history. If the parents were good hunters you can be somewhat confident your puppy, with the right training will also be a good hunter. A not so scientific rule of thumb is to look at the puppies grandmother's lines and her history, it can be a good indication of what traits your dog may have. Don't get hung up on color but do your home work on the family tree, it can tell you a lot. Of course you ultimatly have to put the time into training the dog. Good luck

Thanks so much for all of the tips guys! From the sound of youre replies youll be happy to know that a have picked a dog it is a male chocolate and he has a ancestry of great hunters, Ill be naming him zues, thanks again!