Selectively Breeding America's Finest
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers

Gordon Shafer handles the calling while Dual CH & AFC Coot's Gypsy Clipper MH watches for ducks!

What You'll find on This Page

Northern Flight's Breeding Program

• Breeding Standard
• Developed Natural Ability vs. Trained Abilities
• Selecting Breeding Stock
• Developing A Desired Strain of Chesapeakes
• Line Breeding for Genetic Traits
• More Information is Available

The Breeding Standard

 When you have finished reading the information on this web site, you will have an insight into our approach to breeding and what separates our kennel from most of the others raising and training Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. We are serious about preserving and improving on the qualities and attributes that made the Chesapeake the great water dog that he is.

 Obtaining stock to meet the standards of our breeding program has forced us to take somewhat of a different approach than that which is most often found in the kennel business. Most kennels primarily involved with breeding dogs have "brood bitches" that live at the kennel for the sole purpose of reproducing. Most "brood bitches" have little or no field experience and have become "brood bitches" because they were not sold and placed with hunters. Some have deficiencies that kept them from being sold. Many times these dogs are "leftovers." Usually, the only quality credentials that they possess are those of their parents or littermates. You hear some breeders say, "sister to several titled and point dogs." But, just because two dogs are littermates doesn't mean that they both have the same good breeding qualities to pass on to their offspring.

 Without getting too deeply into a boring discussion of genetics, we would like to pass along some information from the outstanding book, THE NEW KNOWLEDGE OF DOG BEHAVIOR by Clarence Pfaffenberger. Mr. Pfaffenberger details his work with the Guide Dogs for the Blind organization and their related research into breeding and genetics: "Each of the parents has a certain number of chromosomes which is natural for its species. If an offspring inherited all of the chromosomes which each parent has to offer then it would have double the number of chromosomes which that species can by nature have. Any species can inherit only the number of chromosomes allotted to its species. Nature has to deal with the problem of pyramiding numbers of chromosomes and it goes about it by simply halving the number of chromosomes transmitted from the sire and halving the number of chromosomes from the dam. When an egg is fertilized nature sees to it that the correct number of chromosomes are passed along from each parent. The trick is that any half of the parents' chromosomes may be inherited -- good or bad! While every pup in the litter will get his genes in much the same way, there is no guarantee that any two pups will inherit some of the same characteristics."

 At Northern Flight Retrievers, we are very interested in the qualities of the bitches we breed. Most of the great Chesapeakes with outstanding field and hunting achievements have come from bitches possessing a tremendous amount of natural ability. In keeping with this, the mothers of our puppies are hunting dogs with proven abilities. They are thoroughly tested at a young age to see what natural ability traits are being passed on from their parents. Only the outstanding females are kept and as their training progresses a stud is selected, either from our own kennel or from the outside that will reinforce these positive and desirable traits.

Developed Natural Ability vs. Trained Abilities

 At Northern Flight Retrievers we like to feel that a kennel involved with breeding and training retrievers can greatly benefit by listening to experts from other breeds. We have listened very closely when other trainers and breeders talk. Many of them follow the same "old program" in their day to day training; that same "program" usually involves somebody else's mechanical training program that they have been taught at some point in their schooling. Likewise, many breeders talk about breeding the "best to the best" when in fact the "best" may only be the "best" at their kennel at the present time. This is called being "kennel blind" and it is an unhealthy rut for any breeder to get into. In either case, they aren't willing to accept the fact that times change and new blood and new ideas come along; and sometimes it is necessary to change along with them, whether its in your training practices or your breeding program. Most trainers and breeders use the approach: "if you throw enough sh__ against the wall, some of it has got to stick!".

 We find that the large majority of open-minded trainers or breeders that we come in contact with or read about are involved with breeds other than retrievers. They seem to have a greater concept of the whole dog. They seem to have a better grasp of how and why a dog does what he does. They seem to rely a great deal more on the development of genetically inherited natural abilities than non-inheritable abilities which are trained into the dog. 

Too many breeders refuse to see beyond the titles and all the glitter; they never look at the whole dog and the attributes and deficiencies that he was born with.

Selecting Breeding Stock

 "The best breeding stock is just barely good enough - The rest is pure mediocrity"

 All of our breeding stock must meet rigid standards of genetics, conformation and performance. Animals having physical defects such as entropion or ectropion eyelids or overbite or under bite are not used for breeding. No animal is used for breeding that doesn't have an OFA or Penn Hip certification number or preliminary certification (no sign of hip dysplasia). No animal is used for breeding that doesn't have a CERF certification (no signs of genetic eye problems). All breeding stock is tested for aggressiveness toward retrieving (especially in water). Animals displaying sensitivity or timidness are not used for breeding. Dogs that are noise sensitive or people-shy have a high likelihood of passing on these traits and are eliminated from breeding stock. At a young age, both males and females being considered for breeding stock are tested for interest in retrieving and carrying, tracking ability, search, nose, style and most importantly cooperation. We place a great deal of importance on functional conformation (correct and efficient movement), stamina, desire and intelligence. Finally, perhaps one of the most important traits that we continuously monitor is temperament. Animals that show aggressive tendencies towards people or other dogs are strictly eliminated from any chance of ever being bred.

 Our breeding stock are our personal hunting companions. If we go outside of our kennel for a stud dog, we want to be assured that he meets the same rigid standards. If we are going to spend the money on a stud fee, we want to breed to the best candidate that will compliment the bitch we are breeding. We make every attempt to study as many Chesapeakes as possible at field events, dog shows or when traveling. We like to see them in person; look at their conformation and temperament and watch how they move. We like to see the currently popular dogs; the old, retired producers and cast an objective eye on the future "hot prospects" in the breed. The "something extra" that we are looking for requires us to continually study the breed and learn as much as possible about the individual dogs we are considering breeding. We want to breed with the whole dog in mind, not putting too much emphasis on one attribute at the expense of the overall dog. In truth, there are many dogs both alive and dead who we don't want to have in our pedigrees!

 This discriminating breeding program ensures that the dogs we produce will have the temperament, functional conformation and natural abilities to make outstanding hunting companions.

Developing A Desired Strain of Chesapeakes

 A "strain" of dogs labels a kennel as to the certain standards that the breeder feels are distinctive and important in the dogs coming from his particular breeding program. Emphasis on certain genetic characteristics can always be readily seen within a long-established strain.

  Northern Flight Retrievers' emphasis is on the dog's ability to retrieve downed and crippled waterfowl under the most adverse conditions. They also possess the inherited natural hunting ability and birdiness to want to hit the ground ready to hunt. Considering our discriminating breeding program, our dogs would also likely be contenders in the hunt tests and field trials or in the show ring, but these things are not the main focus of our breeding program. Our belief is that serious hunters want a dog that is cooperative and trainable with an aggressive desire to retrieve, an extreme love of water and tremendous inherited natural hunting ability. We also believe most hunters don’t want to have to “stand” on a dog all the time to keep him under control. Therefore, it is our aim to produce dogs without the inherited neurotic behavior so often seen in some lines or originating from certain dogs, in particular, which makes training difficult or impossible.

 Having closely observed all breeds of hunting dogs for years, and watched and studied the Chesapeake breed in depth, the strain we breed possesses the attributes we want to emphasize. Examination of any of our pedigrees shows many of the best linebred field and hunting Chesapeakes the breed has produced. But, just having a profusion of titled or famous dogs in a pedigree doesn’t insure the pups in a litter will be carbon copies of their ancestors. There also has to be experience and an intimate knowledge of the dogs being bred to foresee how the lines will combine to produce expected characteristics.

 

FC-AFC-CFC-CAFC Chesdel Chippewa Chief

 In our opinion, the Aleutian line started by Dr. Lundy, the Baronland/Bay City Jake lines and the descendants of Dual CH & AFC Coot’s Gypsy Clipper MH are among the finest field-bred Chesapeakes to be found in the breed. At Northern Flight Retrievers we are striving to keep the best of these lines alive. We are using the best of the surviving descendants of these great strains whenever feasible. Additionally, whenever possible, we also try to breed into our pedigrees the combination of FC-AFC-CFC-CAFC Chesdel Chippewa Chief bred to Dual CH Fireweed’s Jasmine. 

The Big Fellow

 Dr. Lundy's great, FC-AFC Atom Bob was the foundation for the Aleutian strain, producing a great dog named The Big Fellow. The Big Fellow, an excellent example of the breed produced many fine dogs, among them FC-AFC Aleutian Surf Breaker. FC-AFC Bay City Jake was from a long line of Baronland dogs. "Jake" sired one litter and then was found to be sterile. That litter produced Dual CH. Capital City Jake and CH. Jake's Elijah WDQ. "Eli" was the sire of FC-AFC Elijah's Sunshine Sally. "Surf Breaker" bred to "Sally" produced more point dogs (field trial placements) than any other combination in the history of the breed.
(See pictures in History of the Breed section)

FC-AFC Aleutian Surf Breaker

 FC-AFC Aleutian Surf Breaker sired many fine Chesapeakes among them FC Fireweed's Aleutian Widgeon, and "Widgeon's" full sister, Dual CH. Fireweed's Jasmine. Additionally, "Jasmine" ( an "Atom Bob" great-granddaughter) bred to "Chip" (an "Atom Bob" great-grandson) produced some of the most outstanding genetics ever to be found in the Chesapeake breed. The breed's recent outstanding leader, Dual CH. & AFC Coot's Gypsy Clipper MH is a direct descendant of "Widgeon" on his father's side and "Jasmine" bred to "Chip" on his mother's side.

 One of the foundation dogs at our kennel is an exceptionally powerful male, CH Northern Flight's Boogey Man MH, WDQ. "Boo" is descended from the "Bay City Jake" and "Surf Breaker"/"Widgeon" lines on his father's side and the "Bay City Jake", "Surfbreaker" and "Chippewa Chief" lines on his mother's side. This outstanding specimen of the finest of selective Chesapeake breeding is extremely athletic, very flashy and fast and has a spectacular water entry. "Boo" has a friendly personality, outstanding functional conformation, is intelligent and very tractable. Even though age is beginning to slow him down a bit, "Boo" is still one of our favorite hunting partners.

"Gittum" and daughter "Scoop"

Line-Breeding for Genetic Traits

 Breeders use pedigrees to show and evaluate the relationship of a dog to its ancestors. In our section of this website entitled The Breeding Standard, we explained that each puppy in the litter gets half of its chromosomes from each of its parents. Thus, it also gets half of it's genes from each of its parents. But, never do two puppies that are not identical twins, even though they are littermates, receive the identical genes. Therefore, as any experienced breeder should know, littermates of an exceptional dog are not identical copies of that dog. The problem for the breeder is to pass as many good traits as possible from an outstanding dog along to its progeny, and try to eliminate the bad ones. This simply can’t be done by randomly breeding titled dogs to titled dogs, as some breeders would lead you to believe.

 The way this is accomplished is through the mating of family groups or related dogs in order to intensify the genetic relationship between the ancestors and the offspring. This generally creates quite a uniform litter closely resembling the parents or grandparents and it increases the opportunity to maintain the favorable traits for future generations. This is called Line-Breeding.

 "Line-breeding" is a form of inbreeding but in its truest sense, inbreeding is simply the mating of close relatives with little or no knowledge of the increased proportion of genes coming from the related ancestors of the sire and the dam. Inbreeding, without this knowledge, is just as likely to pass along undesirable traits as desirable ones into future generations.

 By selectively line-breeding, the breeder can increase the genetic relationship of the pups in a litter to the chosen exceptional ancestors in the pedigree. The practice of selective line- breeding in which undesirable genetic characteristics are selectively eliminated and desirable ones are carried on and continually developed, increases the likelihood that future generations will continue to show the desirable attributes that characterize a particular "strain" of dogs.

 A common misconception about line-breeding is that because we are breeding dogs that are related that the offspring are going to be in some way impaired. This is not true. The genetics behind the sire and the dam completely determine the attributes of the offspring. If the family group is stable, the progeny will be stable also. If the line or family group behind the parents is questionable, those problems may intensify in the offspring..

 Most successful breeders believe that after several generations of line-breeding, it is the time to "nick" the line with an outcross. Often it gives excellent results to either introduce an outstanding stud dog from a different bloodline or purchase or lease a bitch from a different bloodline to introduce new "blood" and "reshuffle" the genes. In order for this to work successfully, careful study of the compatibility of the new bloodline and a judicious look at the characteristics of the individual dogs in the new line is a must. But, when this is done correctly, an outstanding pup from such a mating is eventually bred back into one of the two bloodlines, it can form the basis for a genetically stronger strain.

 At Northern Flight Retrievers our Chesapeakes are strongly line-bred and have the genetic ability to pass on their highly desirable traits. A look at our pedigrees or the section of this website entitled Developing a Desired Strain of Chesapeakes, should convince the prospective buyer that these breedings undergo a great deal of research, study and scrutiny.

More Information is Available

If you are considering a retriever pup of any breed or if you are planning to train your retriever, you need to read the information in "Retrievers ... From The Inside, Out" before you begin.

Click here for complete details about 
"Retrievers ... From The Inside, Out"

For additional information on our Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breeding Program, please select a chapter from the index below.

INDEX

• History of the Breed
• Breed Popularity

• Sex
• Socialization
• Early Litter Testing
• Early Training
• Care and Feeding
• Air Shipment
• Guarantees

For information on our Retriever Training Programs, please click here.