INDEX :  TRAINER TRAINING , QUALITY INSTRUCTORS , TRAINING ATTITUDE , METHODS THAT WORK , THE BASICS , HOUSE BREAKING , TEACHING STAY , TRAINING COME & RECALLS , TRAINING SIT , TEACHING DOWN , WHAT ARE SIGNALS?

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Puppys

  Lesson one on training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever 

Never let someone tell you a Chesapeake Bay Retriever cant be trained

Always believe in your Puppy. The only failure in training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever is to never try.  By not believing that your Puppy can learn you may often give up without putting out the effort.  Any instructor that claims that your breed cant be taught is really saying that he doesn't know how to train puppys.   All puppys can be trained unless there is something mentally ill with the dog that prevents it.  All puppys wish to be accepted loved and to please their owners.   They crave this love and acceptance and they will do almost anything for it. 

Training puppys is like going to law school you have to believe that you and your dog can do it and you have to make the commitment to do it. If you have a Norwegian Elephant puppy and your instructor says that he can't be trained, find another instructor.  You should dump any trainer rather than spend your time and money with any trainer that claims that your Chesapeake Bay Retrievers is impossible to motivate or that a Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not "obedience material".  Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever can easily obtain the CD, CDX, or  UD.  Never believe that your puppy can't because many have. Have faith in your dog. Don't be afraid to dump any trainer who is abusive or that puts you or your puppy down.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Trainer Training

Lesson Two on training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever 

You train a Chesapeake Bay Retriever or he trains you

 Training and manners are just not an option for Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. You have to train Chesapeake Bay Retrievers to come, lie down, fetch stay, and walk at your side.  It is very rare for a Lab or a Golden to hold dual Show and Field Trial ratings.  However Chesapeake Bay Retrievers can easily be trained to earn the dual rating and to earn companion dog and other ratings.  The breed is eager to please and to learn.  Training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever is far easier than training other retrievers they naturally enjoy hunting and retrieving and they want to please you so much.   Some people claim that Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are more bull headed and stubborn.  However what has often happened is that the trainer wasn't consistent in his training at some point.  They do seem to be overly eager to hunt.  But it is far easier to train a Chesapeake Bay Retriever that is eager to please, and one that enjoys hunting, and training than one that hates to hunt. 

One of the common statements and jokes is that

1. If you train a golden never use more than your voice to correct they puppy. 

2. If you as a trainer are training a Labrador retriever never use more than a rolled up newspaper to correct the puppy.   But

3. If you as a trainer are training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever retriever never use more than a steel beam to correct the puppy.  This just isnt true.

We suggest that you never have to use more than a stern voice to correct your  Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  Chesapeake Bay Retrievers naturally want to please their owners and trainers and patience and time work better for training than anything else. Young Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are easy to train because they are eager to please, intelligent, and they have a good memory.  They also are paying constant attention to you. Once a Chesapeake Bay Retriever learns a behavior he never forgets it including who is boss.  Chesapeake Bay Retrievers puppys grow up to be powerful for their size with determined personalities.  If you as the trainer have trained the dog well a Chesie will sit, stay, come and retrieve with determination, drive and power But if a Chessie has grown up with no training he will be the out of control child who never learned or he will train you to allow him his ways. 

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Dogs

  Lesson Three on training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever 

Quality Instruction and Instructors

Good quality instructors are hard to find!  A good instructor isn't necessarily someone famous or the most popular person in your area or someone that has the most titles training a Chesapeake Bay Retrievers (although a person with a lot of titles has earned it). A good instructor for your Chesapeake Bay Retriever is someone who brings out  the qualities in you and your Chesapeake.  You may find yourself admiring and respecting this person.  His training style will make sense to you and he may be someone that you're comfortable with, he may have students who clearly enjoy what they're doing and enjoy working with the their dog and trainer. He may often give you personal attention.

In other words you should feel yourself the same qualities in your instructor that dogs should feel in you.  You dog needs to feel that he can:

1. Trust you
2. Respect you
3. That you are helping the dog to develop
4. That training is enjoyable and comfortable.
5. That training makes senses and that it is reasonable.
6. That you care about your  Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Chesie

  Lesson four on training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever mirrors your attitude.  Work on your attitude.

When I was first training my Chesie I just didn't know what to do or perhaps how to do it.  You and your Chesapeake Bay Retriever should enjoy training and feel comfortable in the field or the ring.  Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever can't possibly feel comfortable or happy with your training unless you do. Your responsibility is to your dog, and if dont enjoy training you cant possibly have a dog that likes to perform.  Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever will automatically pick up on your attitude and match and mirror your confidence happiness and attitude.  

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Puppies

  Lesson five on training a Chessie 

Learn different Methods

There are many different methods of training puppies.  Some people use electronic obedience others use only praise.   You can learn about training by joining mailing lists, going to seminars, reading books, watching videos, going to events, stewarding at trials, watching expert handlers,  and joining obedience classes.  There there are many resources for learning about training for your Chesapeake Bay Retriever. You can especially learn by going to events and watching the top handlers. 

Certain styles will match your personality and your dogs personality more than others.  Don't attempt to use just any style on puppies. Only use those methods that match your personality, your Chesapeake Bay Retriever's temperament, and your needs.   There is no right or wrong way to train there are only effective and non effective ways to train.   Some methods foster the respect and trust that a Chesapeake Bay Retriever needs others don't.  At times a stern voice will need to be used but more often encouragement and praise is more needed than anything else. 

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Pups

  Lesson one on specific training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Train train and retrain the basics

Pups need you to train, train, and re-train the basics from the beginning. Many of the difficult tasks that adult Chesapeake Bay Retrievers do in the field come only after learning the basics very very well.  Often the difficult tasks are only tiny basics ones lumped together.   It may seem like a long hard effort  but training and retraining the basics and retraining, backing up, and breaking down exercises into sub components and pieces and just working on the basic components or retraining from the beginning are sometimes the only way to do it.

In Judo or Tae Kwon Do you don't attempt to do a flying double axle kick until you learn to do a simple front kick and often the complicated exotic items are only several basics that have been well mastered.  Double and triple retrieves are only single ones that have been well mastered now done two or three times.   Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever can only learn from you and if you just teach the 5 basic skills for a Chesapeake Bay Retriever come stay heel down and fetch you will have an excellent hunting companion.  

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Puppys

Lesson one on specific training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever

House training

All Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppys will look for a nice porous surface like carpet to urinate on and relieve themselves.  A puppy will naturally do this when they feel the need to.  A puppy will make every attempt to not urinate in their beds and personal areas.   Your Chesapeake simply doesn't know that it is wrong and thinks of it as naturally ok.  You have to train your puppy to go outside and if you don't then you then a puppy will continue to do it indoors. 

Simply praise your Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy when he does it outside and dont allow him to do it indoors.  Eventually he will get the idea.  He doesn't want to live in a messy home either.  While he is young and learning not to go inside keep him confined to a small area and he will not urinate in his bedding area and he will wait for a short time to go outside. 

When a puppy is young (3-6 months) it can hold his bowels for a short period about 3 hours.  Very young Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppys such as 8 week old ones have little if any control and may go every hour.   As the Chesapeake Bay Retriever ages to 9-12 months it can wait for 8-12 hours but should be allowed to go out 4 times a day.   You have to teach him with immediate rewards for urinating outside and make it a habit. Same with reprimands if the dog pees and then picks up its toy and you then rub his nose in the pee you have just punished him for picking up the toy in dog language.  Rewards and or punishment must be immediate while the dog is in the act. 

If you go back inside as soon as he pees he learns that he needs to not pee outdoors.  Immediately reward the dog but allow him to continue playing.  Dont end the fun when he did something right.  If you take a dog outside and he doesnt start to eliminate in 5 minutes understand that he should be still full of urine but take the dog inside to his crate or area and try again in 30 minutes.  He needs to learn that urinating outdoors is the start of a fun period of time.  Until the Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy learns housebreaking he needs to be supervised closely and watched or in his crate.  If he learns that it is ok to go indoors when you are not around then you will have problems later.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Trainers

  Lesson seven on training a Chessie 

Teaching Stay

Teaching Stay is the second command a trainer should teach a Chesie.   Mealtime can be a unique experience if you don't teach a 70 to 100 lb Chesapeake Bay Retriever obedience.    Put put your Chesapeake Bay Retriever in a down and stay position before you begin to prepare his meal.  He should be able to see you through the entire preparation of his meal, but he should remain in the down and stay position. This is an excellent way to begin teaching longer stays because a Chesapeake Bay Retriever is will get used to waiting for his meal, and his meal is a great reward.  Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever wants to please you, so you need to make it easy for him to do proper behaviors. 

It is important whenever you train that you are able to see your dog at all times. This promotes trust and feedback between you and your Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  The instant he breaks his stay, say NO! to let him know he did not do it right. Then immediately place him back in his stay position and praise him if he does it properly. If he breaks the stay twice in one exercise, return him to his kennel, punish again or tether him for the remaining of the exercise but above all be consistent and persistent. At this stage he is testing your patience consistency and persistence. 

To teach stay you can also sit next to your Chesapeake Bay Retriever with your hands lightly positioned on his sides/back so that he does not get up. Do not hold him down firmly unless he tries to get up.  If he attempts to get up promptly put him back into the stay position and praise him after he stays.  Move away from him.   As you move from him put the palm of your hand in front of his face and say "STAY!" Remove your hand from in front of his face, wait a few seconds 3 seconds, and then release him with OK and praise him.  Over time increase the time and the distance for the stay moving away farther and making him stay in the down position longer.   After you say "OK" and release your Chesapeake praise him at the same time for doing a good job you want him to enjoy doing the exercise. Praise and pleasure motivates far more than fear apprehension and negative training.   Repeat this exercise several times a day so that he enjoys the training.  This  builds trust and confidence in the Chesie.  You can also put your Chesapeake in a stay position and walk out of his sight for a minute work towards longer and longer periods.  

Work to increase the time and distance.  Always go for length of time BEFORE attempting to leave your dog's presence at stay.  After both of you achieve comfort at any level of time, distance, or your lack of presence, ask for more.   Building on his confidence in this exercise pays off later in the field.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Training Trainers

  Lesson one on training a Chessie 

Teaching Come or Recall

Nothing is worse than chasing after your Chesapeake Bay Retriever when you call him to come.   Often he is testing your patience and who is boss again.  The sooner you teach "Come" the better. Older dogs, and rescued Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that never had training can become excellent pets it is never too late to program any Chesapeake Bay Retriever for success through love, consistency, and praise.   Never scold your dog when he comes to you even if he played the "lets chase the Chesie" game.  This reinforces him to run away from you ..............not come towards you. 

Puppies will "come" to you whenever you decide to walk away because they instinctively follow you. They never want to be left behind or alone.  To be abandoned by the person that they depend on is a great fear to any Chesapeake Bay Retriever.   You may notice how they follow you from room to room.  Teaching "Come," takes time, consistent and positive reinforcement.  You want your Chesapeake Bay Retriever to literally stop in her tracks, turn around on a dime, and happily come running to you whenever the "come" command is given so you must make it a positive thing

The easiest way to train him to come is to say come in a happy tone when your puppy or dog is already coming to you. When he gets to you, praise him and make a huge fuss over him. This exercise should be done frequently and consistently so that he knows that he has done right.  This is the proper way to train it positively reinforces rather than punishes which is negative reinforcement.   If a Chesapeake Bay Retriever receives praise for doing it right he will not want to do it wrong.  By praising when it is done right your Chesapeake Bay Retriever will want to come to you so you need to look for this as an opportunity, realize it, and then say "Come" and praise him when he's running at you. With this type of training, your dog will learn that "come" is a good thing.

Rule number one if you want a reliable Chesapeake Bay Retriever NEVER EVER EVER chase after your Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  This makes it into a game.  If you play this game you teach him (in his mind) your inability to "make" him obey, and his ability to be "alpha" or boss.  Instead walk away.  Encourage your puppy to chase after you. Never use food as a reward use praise or fun.  If a Chesapeake Bay Retriever runs away say come in a happy and not a demanding voice or walk away.  Never play the chase the Chesapeake Bay Retriever game. When he reaches you by gentle force or on her own, give him loads of praise. Choking or  "popping" a choker collar to get a Chesapeake Bay Retriever to come to you is negative reinforcement.  "Negative reinforcement" destroys the foundation of trust and respect between you and your Chesie that is needed for perfect obedience.  If you ever do have to go and get your dog makes certain that he knows that it is not a game and that he did it wrong.  If he comes to you do not punish him but instead praise him.  

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Training Trainers

  Lesson one on training a Chessie 

Never give up or let someone tell you a Chesie cant be trained

The old way to train a Chesie was to pull on his lead or collar and to push down on the rump.   However this is a negative way to reinforce a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and jerking on the Chesapeake and praising him in the same command while you jerk on the dog is confusing, and has fallen from favor.  Positive training methods, involve food or praise.  Food or praise greatly improves the attitudes of most Retrievers and their trainers and makes learning and training more fun and enjoyable for you and the dog. Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever learns to anticipate training as a time for praise and being rewarded for doing something correctly, rather than worrying  and hating training as correction for doing something wrong.  To teach the sit command simply press down on the rear until his rear hits the ground while saying sit and praise your Chesapeake Bay Retriever when it does the sit properly.

Another method is to use an arcing motion with one hand and to allow the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers attention and head to move in an arc as you say sit.   I strongly prefer praise instead of food for training.  In the field you can run out of treats but you can never run out of love or praise.   If you do use food as a reward it should be tastier than his normal food.  Hot dogs, hamburger balls and any kind of meat is always appreciated.   If you must use food as a reward to teach a sit, use a very small piece of food  to attract the Chesapeake Bay Retriever to sit. This  isn't meal time.  Hold the food an inch or less above the dog's nose. Slowly make an arc with your food hand from the dog's nose towards his tail. This tends to move the head up and back as he follows the food and to naturally make him sit as he follows the path of the food.  Do this  very slowly.  If he isn't following the food, you are holding it too high.  If the Chesapeake Bay Retriever scoots backward keep him from backing up.  As he starts to sit, give the command, "sit." When his rear hits the ground, feed and praise him.   If you use food as a positive reinforcement the rule of consistency in Retriever training requires that as the dog  learns, you must feed every time you get a correct response.   (Yeeech)  When you don't have food and you expect the Chesapeake Bay Retriever to obey it will often be confused.  

Diane Bauman lists four components of a good sit for obedience contests:

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Training

  Lesson six on training a Chessie 

The Basic Down exercise to teach the Alpha Dog

There is a reason why I like training down as the first command.   One of the two of you is boss.  You can decide that your Chesapeake is going to be boss or that you are.  Every Chesapeake Bay Retriever finds comfort respect and security in knowing that you know what you are doing.  By training the down command the Chesapeake will learn that you are the dominant in the relationship.   The down command is a "socially significant exercise." that establishes you as the leader and the boss.   It requires a minor amount of physically dominant touching to the puppy and it is not negative in it's style of training  

Start at the sit position.  The Chesapeake Bay Retriever sits not you.  Place his rear end on the ground preferably next to a wall.  Move your hand from his nose down to his chest pushing his nose to chest so he has to slump down to the floor. Say the word "down" as he folds into the "down position".     Reward your Chesapeake Bay Retriever with attention and praise.  Try not to use a treat you want to reward him with praise.  (This is like a spouse)  One day you may run out of doggie treats and praise is cheaper. 

There are other methods you can also use to train "down".  Always give the command "down".  The tone you use is more important than any word you use.  Always use hand signals or command words if you want the Chesapeake Bay Retriever to learn them.  Hand Signals are useful in the field and training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever with voice and hand signals makes certain that he is not confused.  

There are at least 3 other methods:

1) At the sit position.  For a puppy you can reach from behind, to the front legs in each hand and place the dog in a down position and say the command"down."

2) At the sit position. From the front of a large or small dog you can lift either of the front left or right paws. Push on the shoulder opposite the paw you are holding and put the dog into a down position and say the command"down."

3)At the sit position. You can also sit in front of the dog and then lift both of the dog's front legs and lower him into a down position and say the command"down".

The best thing that you can do is to consistently do the command the same way each time.   Patiently and consistently practice by placing your dog in a down and having him stay there with you while you both watch your favorite movie or TV show. Your Chesapeake Bay Retriever will  constantly ask for your touching on his head or petting as reassurance.   Touching and contact with him while you relax will improve your bond with your Chesapeake Bay Retriever and will establish you as the alpha dog and make training and owning a Chesapeake much easier. 

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Training Trainers

  Lesson one on training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Never give up or let someone tell you a Chesapeake Bay Retriever cant be trained

In utility competition, the signal exercise requires a confident handler and Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  If your Chesapeake Bay Retriever doesn't understand hand signals he will show it by hesitation and poor performance in the ring. If you have a solid training on hand signals you will prevent this and do much better.  It is your responsibility to learn the exercises so well that both you and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever have a snappy performance that shows that you are both solid and confident in competition.

If your Chesapeake Bay Retriever is slow to respond to your signal, ask yourself:

Are your signals consistent?

Have your trained enough so that the dog understands?

Is the Chesapeake confused because you have changed the distance or other factors?

Can your Chesapeake see or hear your signals?

The Standard Signals are:

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