I was talking to a guy who lives in Ft Lauderdale. He said he has a 130 lbs male chesie and a female that is around 100.

He said there are some breeders that breed for extra large dogs.

Have any of you ever heard of this before?

Thanks in advance.

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Posted Mon June 08 2009 07:24 PM
I was talking to a guy who lives in Ft Lauderdale. He said he has a 130 lbs male chesie and a female that is around 100.

He said there are some breeders that breed for extra large dogs.

Have any of you ever heard of this before?

Yes, there are people who do this because either 1) they don't know any better, or 2) think that bigger is better. When you try to talk some sense into them, they know more than you do, or the breed standard set forth for the breed, or even why they shouldn't be that big!

Maybe if they couldn't sell their pups, they might give some thought as to why!

Kathy Miller
Sandy Oak Chesapeakes

I'm not interested in one of these puppies whatsoever I was just trying to find out if they really exist. Im not sure what the benifit of having one so huge would be. These dogs are running backs not offensive linemen.

True, but let's not be hypocritical here! We all have been owned by 'peakes that were not in the standards weight requiremants? And I would bet my last dollar there have been more than one show Ch. CBR and I'm certain accomplished trial dog over the weight max? Please let's not take on the self righteous tone of another board, Uugh!
Dave B. - Owned by 65, 75, 85lb 'peakes.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dave Bray,

You could be a rich man betting your last dollar... lol I won't say every show, but I have seen "x large" cbrs at many a dog show and they win. I believe that in some eyes, bigger is better. In fact, if your in a class of "x large" dogs and you have a dog within the standard, you'll probably not have a chance. But I would challenge any "x large" dog owner to lift that 130lb boy into the boat. I like my 70ish lb cbrs.

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In fact, if your in a class of "x large" dogs and you have a dog within the standard, you'll probably not have a chance. But I would challenge any "x large" dog owner to lift that 130lb boy into the boat. I like my 70ish lb cbrs.

Kevin....well said ....I hear all the time that mine are too small....and they are right in the standard!

Kathy Miller

I like them big. Bella the smallest we have ever owned weighs in at 77lbs. Great desire.
Roxy our big bitch that weighs in at 90+. Brutus, Bella's dad weighed in at 120+ pounds in his prime. (rip) Why have them that big? To deal with very adverse conditions. And to bring in these big birds!!

We have our cbrs for hunting and family pets. Brutus, one time on Freezeout lake had to retrieve 3 or 4 swans for other hunters because their labs would not go into the rough water conditions. He was an amazing dog and is grately missed!
To each his own, but this is why I like them big and beautiful!
Roy TK

Dang those are some BIG birds!!

From what I've seen "oversized" dogs can occur to reputable high caliber breeders that breed outside their line attempting to acquire one trait or another.

I prefer large dogs myself for field retrieving and draft work and it took some looking but I think I've found a Sire for the next pup with test and ring credentials that's north of 90 lbs.

To each his own....and I've yet to see anyone exempt from genetic drift.

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Especially the dogs with one of those in it's mouth LOL

G.K. what a great picture! Awesome dog. Love the big peakes.

KENT??? What type of dog is that and whats it got in its mouth? Neat picture. Now, share the story!
Roy TK

Looks like a Dratharr, I had a local guy send me three of them one year to work on ducks and upland. Really nice dogs, easy to train very willing to please. FF was to say the least interesting not hard but challenging for me. Once they understood it was smoothe sailing, flew through collar work and handling. The male in the trio was an outstanding blind running dog. The two bitches were ok but would rather quarter and hunt than handle. I almost bought one to have around here one time but as always the guys I own have to at least make a dime once in a while.

Marty

Don't one of those birds weigh about as much as fox?

Not for nothing but you are kinda all over the place.

From your posts I can't tell if your making this:
America VS Europe
Small VS Large
Breed VS Breed

Personally, I would rather carry something over a fence though rather than swim the same weight out of frigid, rough water.

The way I see it is that generally speaking larger dogs have shorter life spans (just look at Great Danes, Newfoundlands, etc. compared to poodles and other little lap dogs). I'd rather have a dog that is healthy and lives a little longer than an overly large dog that might kick the bucket sooner.

My Turk is about 85 pounds and I've seen him pick up a fence post and carry it around (I have a picture of him doing it). My old Tonka was 90 to 95 pound and she would pick up a deer head with antlers and hide still attached and walk around with it like it was nothing....I'm guessing it weighed at least 25 pounds. If a dog can do those things, where is the need for something bigger?

I get calls all the time from people wanting a BIG CHESSIE. They usually have a tale or two of some Chessie they had when they were a kid that weighed 140 pound doing some feat of mythical proportions. I think it's an ego thing with people like that.... I just tell them I don't have what they are looking for and suggest they get a Rottweiler instead.

Hey, those swans are nothing! There is a guy on one of the outer Aleutian Islands that uses his Chessie to retrieve seals that he shoots with a rifle from the shore--often they are 75 yards or more out in the Bering Sea. This right after the ice breakup, so the water can't be much over 32 degrees. I have a series of photos taken by my friend Nancy Sydnam, that show the dog in action, so I know its not an old-wives' tale. When she asked him if he retrieved ducks too, he answered "Yes, but he prefers seals." . . . Nancy didn't weigh him, but as the photos show, this dog is plenty big! My first field trial dog, Misty, was an 85 pound bitch out of a 105 pound dam. She was great and beautiful enough to be shown a couple of times until I decided it was a meaningless waste of time. Perhaps my experience with Misty skewed my judgement, but I have always thought the breed standard errs by setting the size limits too low, or rather too narrowly--I have seen some lovely animals below the breed size standard too. To err is human, and the standard is, after all, a human document prepared by folk with experience but no monopoly on insight or knowledge. Maybe the problem is simply a result of the wide range of jobs to which our Chessies are put.

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Perhaps my experience with Misty skewed my judgement, but I have always thought the breed standard errs by setting the size limits too low, or rather too narrowly--I have seen some lovely animals below the breed size standard too. To err is human, and the standard is, after all, a human document prepared by folk with experience but no monopoly on insight or knowledge. Maybe the problem is simply a result of the wide range of jobs to which our Chessies are put.

Tom, perhaps Lisa or Dyane can elaborate further, but my understanding of the breed standard interpretation is that the height limits were set in hopes of preventing dogs from becoming too tall. It's acknowledged that the weight limits in the standard are out of sync to the height limits, but it was felt by the standards committee during the last revision that if the weight limits were increased to match the height, then people would start breeding taller dogs with the disclaimer that they are within the weight standards for the breed.

I don't know if anyone remembers the story of Ch.* Quail Run's Bear Cub MH WDQ** who hunted every year with the Cole's. But as the story goes one memorable day they were out hunting (ducks), Bear retrieved a deer that was swimming off an island where they were hunting and he brought the deer back to Mike!

Ooops....and Julie's dad was a retired Fish and Game guy !

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Ch.* Quail Run's Bear Cub MH WDQ**

Hadn't heard that story about Bear. He was another big one--and finished, so much for the standard. . . . I ran Misty against Bear in Derby when Dana was still in vet school. Bear was a handsome, talented guy.

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Originally posted by Tom Cox:

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Ch.* Quail Run's Bear Cub MH WDQ**

Hadn't heard that story about Bear. He was another big one--and finished, so much for the standard. . . . I ran Misty against Bear in Derby when Dana was still in vet school. Bear was a handsome, talented guy.

Hate to disagree here but I would not have said Bear Cub was a big one. He was well within the standard.

The standard has such a large range to accommodate the different settings that the breed works in. Size can also range in brothers- Skipper Bob was 23" and 65 lbs. and his brother Pilot was nearly 26" and 100 lbs.

The standard also is one for a breed focused on working traits so there is more allowance for size. The burden of staying within the standard is the breeders but there must be flexibility too for the making selection on working ability and conformational points.

Big dogs are often the romantic memories of a small child and a within the standard dog. Big dogs are more prone to orthopedic issues and shorter life spans especially if selection is for large size on a routine basis.

Dyane

My girl Sima was 89lbs before her accident. We trained twice a day and she was a tight waisted, very well muscled bitch. She never won any majors in the ring but, many reserves and bred by's. Can't remember how many points she had but, a few. PG