Retriever Madness (eBook)

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 perhaps water 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 persisted into the mid-1800s. Most breed historians linked the St. John’s Newfoundland (think Labrador), the Tweed Water Spaniel (Golden Retriever), the Irish Water Spaniel (a dog of ancient lineage), and the Poodle (formerly a hunting dog), since those breeds were evolving during the same period. Conversely, some breed aficionados proffer that the opposite is true, that the true genius behind those other breeds is the Curly.

The modern Curly is a natural “sports dog” who loves to swim, hunt, and retrieve. His tightly curled coat keeps him warm and dry in the coldest conditions. This is a high-energy retriever who requires lots of exercise and early obedience training. He will bond closely with his family but needs a good deal of attention and affection in return. Owners must remember that “boredom” and “Curly” do not belong in the same sentence!

FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER

Unlike that of the Curly-Coated Retriever, the Flat-Coat’s history can be traced to the mid-1800s, hearkening back to the St. John’s Water Dog from Labrador. Originally called the Wavy-Coated Retriever, the Flat-Coat was renamed during the late 1800s, one might assume due to the breeding and “fixing” of the breed’s sleek and no-longer-wavy coat. The breed became known for its elegance and graceful movement as well as its hunting ability.

The typical Flat-Coat is Mr. Personality, a happy, outgoing retriever who loves everyone he meets. He is an eager beaver who prefers to work closely with the hunter. Although highly trainable, he is slow to mature and known for spontaneous, clownlike, puppyish behavior, thus requiring patience and a firm but gentle hand. The Flat-Coat is not a populous breed, so a puppy can be difficult to find.

The Flat-Coat is a graceful and enthusiastic gundog who bonds closely with his human hunting partner.

The youthful exuberance of a Flat-Coat puppy lasts well into adulthood.

The Golden Retriever’s friendly nature, outgoing personality, and potential for many activities has made the breed one of the country’s most popular year after year.

With an innate attraction to water, most Golden pups are eager to take the plunge.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER

The myths surrounding the history of the Golden Retriever may be as famous as the breed’s true ancestry. Thought to have evolved from a traveling troupe of Russian circus dogs, the Golden was actually bred very purposely by a Scottish nobleman, Lord Tweedmouth of Guisachan at Inverness. An avid sportsman and waterfowler, Tweed-mouth bred a yellow Wavy-Coated Retriever named Nous to Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel, with the intent of producing an all-yellow litter of superior water dogs. Tweedmouth diligently pursued his goal, consistently breeding to other yellow retrievers and crossing at times with other breeds. His breeding program and resolute selection process produced the now-famous progeny who are the direct ancestors of today’s Golden Retriever.

This very popular gundog has morphed into “everydog,” a sporting fellow who performs well in every type of canine discipline and competition. This is a hairy, high-energy canine who requires generous exercise and frequent grooming. He thrives best in an active household where he is a fulltime member of the family. Although still an excellent hunting companion, the breed has split into many distinct lines bred for specific purposes, and hunting hopefuls should seek out breeders who specialize in Goldens bred for fieldwork.

LABRADOR RETRIEVER

The Labrador Retriever, like the Curly-Coat and the Flat-Coat, hails back to the same family of gundogs that were developed during the early 1800s along the shores of Newfoundland.

Originally called St. John’s Dogs or Lesser Newfoundlands when they first arrived in England in the 1820s, they were prized for their tenacious retrieving ability, aptitude in and love of water, superior scenting prowess, and biddable disposition. From a sportsman’s perspective, what more could you want? They migrated to American shores in the late 1800s.

Unrivaled as a hunting companion, the Labrador is today enjoying close to two decades as the AKC’s most popular breed of dog. This is an all-around good fellow possessing qualities compatible with family and outdoor life—a happy disposition, a love of people, and a wash-and-wear coat requiring little grooming are just a few of the traits that make this dog attractive as a family companion and hunting partner. Blessed with an overabundance of energy, Labs need exercise and training or they will seek creative outlets for all of that exuberance. Hunters and potential owners should be warned, however, that the breed’s popularity has created a market for profit-seeking backyard breeders. The market is flooded with poorly bred Labs with health and temperament problems. Buyers should deal only with reputable and experienced breeders.

Labrador puppies are as adorable as they are popular, with the breed consistently ranking as the AKC’s top dog and a favorite family pet.

A solid training program will pay off in the field.

The smallest of the AKC retrievers, the...