A recent thread on vocabulary/intelligence got me thinking, although I thought it before. Everyone knows my Chelsea (my 1st
Chessie)? Monica, SD before her, I was told a Lellow Lab (she was a rescue too so no 'papers' on age, breed, etc.).
However, She did not behave like a typical lab, nor really look like one. She was darker markings with the exact personality type as Chelsea (my wife commented that Chelsea was exactly like Monica). Monica had the same strong will as Chelsea. I attributed it to SD training. However, looking at her pictures, she had characteristics of a Chesapeake (physical). For example, slight flaging on the tail, massive, strong chest, rear slightly raised higher than front legs, and a strong 'prey drive' - would go nuts if saw a bird. However, her eyes were more brown, not the chessie amber. Question:
what do you think? (if anything, Monica might have been a Chessie-Lab mix or is she a 'strange' lab)?? Attached, hopefully
is some pictures to compare. I never saw a Deadgrass Chessie in person and only pictures. "Blaze's" pic posted earlier got me thinking before (Norene's) - my wife saw the pic and said it was like Monica. I figured I'd throw it out for the Pros!!
Maybe not - might be 'wishful thinking'. After all, once you have a Chessie, nothing else will do. Charlie

Monica-Clifford.jpg (63 Kb, 81 downloads)

Had 4 pics to compare but cannot figure how to download/upload them all at once? Confused how to? Suggestions. Charlie

charliemonica.jpg (51 Kb, 86 downloads)

Guess I'll do 1 at a time. The "add attachment" on postsite lets only one and I cannot figure how to put the picture up like some do. (with-
out a link to it).

Monica_fence.jpg (78 Kb, 86 downloads)

Last one. Thanks for your patients!!
I probably would be better letting Chelsea do this. After all she a Chessie - she can do anything. HaHa!!
Thought for the Day:
"Chessie-It's not just a dog. It's a way of life" -Charlie

playdog_monica.jpg (62 Kb, 79 downloads)

Charlie...........
Great Photos of Monica. She most certainly sounds to have had some of the Chessie personality. What was Monica's coat like?

Our first Chessies was a 1/2 Lab, 1/2 Chessie. He looked ALL CHESSIE, except he was black. A great hunting dog and very much a chessie in many many ways.

Ahhh, Do you mean Dancer(Blaze's Renegade Riverdance MH)?......affectionally called by some of the MH judges this year, "Snow Dog". Her first few outings in the Hunt Test, people would ask what she was, a mix, a purbred? I would just laugh and say she is ALL CHESSIE.......by the end of this year no one was asking anymore!!!

9/5/08: Charlie.......I edited the photo.....I believe this is the one of Dancer you are talking about:



Norene S.
Nordom Chesapeakes

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Norene S.,

Norene, Yes to Dancer (Ann,wife,saw the pic you posted on 'hunt test results' board on 7/28/08! The side profile was like Monica's. Monica's coat... color was more uneven in nature. Being darker brown/yellow (Golden ret. like). She had longer hair around the neck, and esp on shoulders/back, about 1 1/2" long. On back, it was shorter (about 1/2"). Her rear legs were not at thick (muscular) as her front legs. Her tail was thick/wide at base and tapered thinner to point. Underside had flagging (1" long hair). She also has flagging (term ? for area) on the back-side of rear legs. The rear legs/back was
elevated compared to front legs/shoulder (about 1" higher). Directly behind her front legs,on side of body, was a cresent
moon-shaped white/lighter yellow stripe - both sides. (called it her 'racing stripe').The skin was loose and more abundant
around her neck & upper back. The hair was dryer than Chelsea's, however, Monica had a thyroid problem and took medication.
Her body was heavier (than labs I've seen). (the pic at the fence was before we rescued her - she was alittle underweight then). Her body size & shape was exactly like the dog in your avatar - body seems too big for legs/head. porportion wise.
Personality... Had to be with me 24/7 or know where I was. (pic where she's kissing me was right before I rescued her - she would run at me, jump up and wrap her legs around me and lick/kiss non-stop until I stopped her. In that pic, she was excited to see me,1st time all week - The man who had Monica had a business near my wife's job then and that is how I came
to know & rescue her, since he neglected her & could not care for her. (why I thought her over-abundance of affection was related from yrs of isolation before). One point why I'm confused on her breed? is (coat related) that thick hair but not a heavy undercoat like Chelsea's - almost sheep-skin under hair. Monica's hair was more thinner at skin. Also brown eyes.
Thanks for any imput. Maybe a Chessie-Lab mix?? or Strange Lab. She would walk always near me & be by my side if she could
Charlie ADDED: the pic 'playdog' - Monica is Ra-RAing like Chelsea's pic (avatar). How trained to play. But kicks one foot/leg at a time (like peddling a bicycle) whereas Chelsea kicks both legs at the same time together.

She looks more Lab than anything-head style with stop & muzzle shape untypical of the CBR but typical of the Lab. Coat is also shorter and the tail set & carriage more Lab like too.

As Norene mentioned with the mix she had with CBR, the ones I have seen have been black but with CBR coat style & pointed but not sharp muzzle shape. However, if the mix was with a yellow lab maybe you would not see the black. Not entirely sure if like Dobes colors, you have a yellow that does not carry for black(they can have fawns & reds that do not carry the black gene). I see she has a black nose.

Whatever sounds like she was special girl with great personality.

Dyane

Charlie

Great photos of Monica. I bet you have some great memories from those photos.

She looks like a great dog, regardless of the breeding. Perhaps just a heart like a Chessie. That is the hard part on mix breeds, look like one act like another...but you got the best of whatever she was.

Jeff

Charles, my first impression from the photos was also yellow Lab. I just didn't see the chessie in her. I agree with Dyane.

Kathy

I think she looks more lab....

here is a pic of Nestle - she was my lab/chessie cross....and very much a mix of the two breeds...

The black skin, darker head fading to white underbelly says lab to me. Looks like a she was a great buddy. Just the way a good old dog holds her ears says a lot. She looked like one happy dog.

My buddy rescued a "lab mix" from a shelter a few years ago. When I went to visit it was immediately apparent it was a black lab / Chessie cross. Everything, I mean everything was Chessie except he is black. He roos up a storm whenever the Sleep Country USA commercial comes on for some reason....just sings right along in a classic Chessie rooing fashion..Paul

Thanks Everyone!! I knew I could count on the "pros" here. Made a few phone calls and found her SD registry was closed due to her being deceased, but got specific info on her breeding. Apparantly, I was told, she was an "English Lab", sire & dam were imported solely for breeding SD's. I didn't think she was chessie but her personality definately was. Just wanted to confirm, one way or the other, and figured the Breeders here would know immediately by sight. Thanks Again -Charlie