Chapter
1

Know Your Retrievers

Hunter, house pet, major hugger. How better to describe the typical retriever, regardless of its heritage and breed type? Sharing a common ancestry, the six American Kennel Club-recognized retriever breeds were developed and bred over the past two centuries for the same purpose—to retrieve birds and deliver them to hand.

The Six American Kennel Club Retriever Breeds

All six breeds are water specialists who will retrieve birds shot over the water. So great is their desire to fetch those birds that they will happily break through ice in the coldest weather in their pursuit of downed waterfowl. They also serve on upland game birds and will quarter, flush, mark, and fetch; these are multipurpose hunting partners in a variety of fur coats.

Chessie puppies in shades of the three acceptable breed colors (LEFT TO RIGHT): brown, sage, and deadgrass.

“Partner” is an apt description, as retrievers are also very social creatures, each breed having been developed to work in tandem with the hunter. While the pointer works independently and often out of sight of his handler, the retriever hangs around, working within gun range so the hunter can take aim and fire. And at the end of a tough day in the field, the retriever will climb into your lap and share your popcorn. What’s not to love?

Of the six breeds, the Labrador Retriever has topped the popularity charts for more than two decades, with twice as many Labs registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) as Golden Retrievers, the next most popular retriever. The other four breeds are far outnumbered, which has in fact helped to preserve their purity.

Hundreds of books praising and comparing the unique qualities of retrievers have been written, read, and dissected by retriever fanatics and hunting aficionados. Given the volume of information out there, there’s no need here for lengthy discussions on individual histories or which breed does what best. This book will address another commonality, the training basics necessary to turn a typical retriever into a respectable hunting companion.

That said, you must also bear in mind the personality differences that exist among these six breeds. While the training methods are the same, each breed’s response to the methods will differ slightly according to breed-specific qualities. It will be up to you to factor those differences into your own training program based on the breed that you’ve selected.

Now let’s talk retrievers …

CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER

The Chessie may be the ultimate retriever in the breeds classified in the AKC’s Sporting Group. The only “true American” retriever, the Chessie was developed and bred on American soil (or perhapswater might be more appropriate). His superior duck-dog qualities are attributed to two Newfoundland puppies rescued from a shipwreck in the Chesapeake Bay in 1807. The male, named Sailor by his adoptive owner, and the female, Canton, went to live on opposite shores of the Bay area. Both became extraordinary “ducking dogs,” and although never bred to each other, their superior qualities were very carefully reproduced in their offspring. In the late 1800s, Bay Area sportsmen collaborated to establish a breed standard to perpetuate the unique qualities of the water dog known then as the Chesapeake Bay Ducking Dog.

Known as a superior duck dog since the early days of its development, the Chessie is still a highly prized hunting companion.

The Curly’s unique coat protects him in the water and all types of weather.

Today the Chessie is still known as a tireless worker who will retrieve for hours and dive into the coldest water. His easy-care coat, seen in several shades of brown intended to serve as camouflage, is water repellent and bur-proof, making him the ideal hunting partner. A powerful and courageous dog, he tends to be dominant and protective, thus requiring an authoritative owner who can maintain a leadership position. Although he is generally good with children, he is a roughneck by nature, so early obedience training is highly recommended.

CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER

The Curly-Coated Retriever could be subtitled the “Mystery Retriever,” as little is known about its true ancestry. Documentation from the fifteenth century refers to “Curly Coated Retrievers used for hunting” and “sagacious curly-coated water dogs” who were outstanding hunters and retrievers. Speculation about the breed’s origin persiste