Chesapeake Bay Retriever

[sfprovyn]

If anyone out there is thinking about getting a Chessie please do EXTENSIVE research or send me a message before you do it......Thanks Frank

[Airslot]

What'd he eat Frank? ;)

Airslot

[sfprovyn]

He Broke bad on a little girl..Had to put him down ..It was his third unprovoked incident with bites and lucky I was on the scene or it would of been much worse..almost killed me but I had no choice, I loved that dog....We picked up a lab pup yesterday and while I will never have another chessie I will never forget Cody....Frank

[Pipe_Dream]

I'm so sorry that happened. How old was he?

I hope you have good luck with your Lab. We have two, and they're my best buds.

[EngstromNK]

Can't go wrong with a lab. I have a yellow named Cody that is with me at home and work. Never a problem.

2F

[sfprovyn]

He was 5 and a magnificent specimen....115 pounds and all muscle and totally fearless but he had a very protective mean streak that just got worse..Vet agressive at 2, attacked dogs at random, jumped off the dock to shoo away pesky dolphins , caught and killed numerous raccoons, cats, skunks, possums, beavers , water moccasins and other critters , nipped a game warden last year that picked up one of HIS ducks from HIS boat, obidence school dropout as too agressive for the other dogs and neutering did nothing . Sometimes he would listen to me but no one else in the family could handle him..IF I ever end up by myself and move to montana on a ranch I would get another one as I love the breed but for now we are going back to Labs which we have never had an issue with...I did what I had to do but its still eating away at me ...If I had given him away I would of always worried about him mauling a child and chessies do not do well with new families because they bond for life and become more agressive when seperated from their original family...I'll get over it but it wont be easy...Frank

[Airslot]

Frank, I'm sooo sorry to hear this. :( I was expecting something along the lines of he ate the sofa. ;) Getting rid of any pet is never easy. I think you did the right thing, on two counts, cause you can't go wrong with a lab. Sorry for your loss bud.

Airslot

[msbhammer]

I had a female Rotti for 12 great years. Dont know how many years that is in dog years, but I loved her, she was a great family pet. Loved everyone. I had to put her down two years ago. She was just getting to old. Had to pick her up and carry her outside. Her walking was gone and eye sight was gone. I'm still messed up over the whole thing. She was part of teh family.

[Pipe_Dream]

Frank, go easy on yourself. You did what had to be done, as sad as it was. From your angle there was no other way. Doesn't make the hurt any easier, however.

Hammer, I know what your saying. Our dogs become an integral part of the family. There is a tremendous void when they're gone.

:'(

[willy]

Frank I had the same exact experience with the greatest all around hunting dog anyone in two bird hunting clubs ever saw, his name was Teddy and he was a English Springer Spaniel. If I suggested by eye contact he jump thru fire he would and be happy doing it but he developed a possessive aggressiveness that at first caused him to growl at anyone else that came near something he wanted to chew etc. and that developed into biting my wife on the hand for trying to take a leash away he grabbed and wanted to chew.
I was lucky in that he got a reprieve from the chamber in the last moment by a good friend who had lost his springer two weeks before from old age and he was very familiar with Teddy from training etc. He was a retired fellow that hunted birds every day of the year in three states. He was also a master trainer and there would be no problem with the master/handler situation and he had no one else who would handle the dog, plus the dog would now live in a kennel.
It is traumatic, I have lost dogs for a variety of reason for many years and I remember every retrieve, every look they would give me when I missed the shot and a thousand other memories.
It is part of life and a bond that cannot be quantified, especially for a hunter or other person that works with his dog.
I too have some experience with friends Chessy's and it seemed most of them are a little sharp. I have also seen the same thing in Labs, just not to the same degree and it is much more rare thing.
With each breed generally speaking you have trade offs, and they are all great in my book. Bred to a purpose.
But in the end, taking all of the emotion out of it, they are an animal, a working partner and if they cannot be a responsible member of that relationship then they have to go.
You did the right thing, it's hard, I had to do it three times in my life and I remember every detail. Won't forget and after a time you will remember the great times you had and the big picture will again unfold as that new pup runs across the grass chasing a wind blown leaf.
One bit of advise, somewhere where I have seen the same situation not go so well, give the new guy a fair shot and put more effort into him than you did with your chessy. Don't let the hurt of the last cause any lack of bonding with the new.

[Blue_Runner]

Sorry to hear that Frank. Hope the little girl is ok.

[Pipe_Dream]

I have also seen the same thing in Labs, just not to the same degree and it is much more rare thing.
With each breed generally speaking you have trade offs, and they are all great in my book. Bred to a purpose.

Very true. A friend with many years of veterinary experience told me that she has seen ill-tempered dogs of nearly every breed, even Labs. It's important to get to know your breeder, and meet both parents of the pup you want to adopt.

[willy]

Very good point Pipe and that is what I have done for the last three hunting dogs I have owned.
Also if any of you fellows knows a good breeder of Labs that may have pups available let me know. Hunting lines and a personal prefernce due to hair inside of a yellow.

[sfprovyn]

Willy: I have a breeder widow that is in somewhat of a bind as her husband died christmas day and she has pups from three litters plus a litter due in mid january and several other yellow labs..Her name is Vickie and she lives in Farmville NC. Her home number is 252-827-4568 and the cell is 252-813-8678 . As of yesterday she had 2 males and 1 female left from the 8week old litter , 4 males and 2 females left from the 12 week old litter and 3 males and 1 female from the 14 week old litter..She owns all the females and they are on site plus other adult labs including 3 nice black females..The stud of all the puppies is a big blocky yellow champion named Whitehouse Dirty Dealing Dan who is currently in texas at some big field trial with a professional handler. The pups are all yellow, AKC,UKC,OFA certified hips, Hunting and field bloodlines etc. I got my little pup from her and since he was one of the older ones she only charged me $250 with out all the stud papers and show titles etc but she will show them to you. If you want one of the little ones its $500 a pup with all papers..She really does not know very much about the business as it was her husbands hobby and now she has all these dogs on her hands and the older they get the harder they are to sell especially in rural north carolina.I am not a dog expert by any means but my Vet was so impressed with the pup that she and may end up buying one of the older pups for her duck hunter husband...Frank

[frayed_knot]

Sorry to hear that Frank. I had a Chessie / Lab mix. Absolutley the best dog I have ever known. He was huge at 150 lbs in his good days. He was black and had that Chessie curly fur down his back. We had to put him down at 9 years old because of cancer. I wish I could have another one just like him. Now we have 3 little good for nothing dogs, but we love them.

We had friends when we lived in Alaska that had Chessies, and you did not just walk up to the door when they were outside, even if you knew them. The breed is fiercly loyal to ONE owner. Just the way they are.

[willy]

Frank it is a little to far for me, though it does sound interesting. But I would not be able to see the sire which is important to me. I think I will keep my eye open within a few hours of me here in Jersey.
I have two Brittanies now and they are great upland dogs. I had the Springer that I used for everything but he loved the jump shooting ducks in the rivers and ponds around here. Have not hunted ducks for two seasons now and want to get back into it. Want a Lab because I would like to hunt bigger waters and also do some combo hunts where I will be flushing up pheasants during the day and early morning waterfowl. The Britts are the foshizzle on upland birds and if you get an oppurtunity some day maybe you can head up here and we will hit Pennsy and New York state for grouse. Think about it ;)