The more I look around, the more I see people who are getting in to breeding Chesapeakes. I
think this is great that Chesapeakes are becoming a more "popular" breed, but with it, I am seeing more and more
fly by night breeders.
Please consider buying from a breeder that has strong knowledge of the breed and the dogs pedigree and background.
Buying a puppy from a breeder who is active in the breed generally doesn't cost too much more then buying from a breeder who
is just in it "to breed."
Some things that you might want to consider
when you are looking at getting a Chesapeake from ANY breeder...
1) How long have they been involved in the breed?
Whiskey
Creek acquired their first Chesapeake in 1997. I randomly showed that dog, Donway's Hampden Bay, in conformation shows
until he came down with a skin condition that prevented me from showing him anymore. After Hampden came Sydney, SHR
Sandy Shoal's Sydney Sinclair JH, RE, CGC. It was not until 2001 when I bred my first litter and Sydney became the "foundation"
of Whiskey Creek Chesapeakes. I bred her twice to two different sires and kept one dog from each of those litters,
U-SJ, U-CH*, AmCH Whiskey Creek Walker's Worth RN, and then from Sydney's second litter, CH Whiskey Creek's Brown Trout JH.
2) Are you a member of the breeds "parent club," The American
Chesapeake Club, or any other dogs clubs?
Whiskey Creek has
been a member of the American Chesapeake Club since 1997.
I am also
a member of the Asheville Kennel Club and the Obedience Club of Asheville.
3) How many litters do they breed yearly?
Because
I would rather show and do performance activities with my dogs as to keep them bred, I generally produce one to two litters
a year. Breeding takes a LOT of time if done PROPERLY! Yes, sure, it is easy to have a litter, keep them out in
a pen and just let them "grow up" until they are 6-8 weeks of age and sell them off to the buyers. But we
feel that when we have a litter it is our RESPONSIBILITY to make sure those puppies have had a firm and solid foundation of
socialization and exposure to all types of situations. Buyers of Whiskey Creek puppies will confirm that our puppies are
VERY well socialized, traveled (they are often found riding in my car starting at 5 weeks of age), and have had experiences
that most breeders NEVER even think of exposing puppies to.
4) How many litters have your dogs and dams produced?
Whiskey Creek FIRMLY believes that "less is more." Our girls are bred two to three times AT MOST.
There is no reason to keep a female bred over and over again. Further more, Whiskey Creek NEVER does "Repeat Breedings."
Two breedings of the same sire and dam RARELY produce the same "type" of puppies. Whiskey Creek feels like
when a breeding is done it should be to "improve the breed." How can one "improve the breed" when
there are 30-50 of the same pedigreed puppies running around? Isn't your dog more valuable if there are only 6-10 siblings
with the same pedigree? "Less is more."
5)
How do you select the sire and dam for your breedings?
With
all of these "new" breeding kennels popping up we are also seeing them have one or two "stud dogs" and
a string of "breeding females." These breeders seem to use ONLY their own dogs to use on their own females.
They often breed several litters of pups a year using the same females with the same dogs. Little thought is considered
as to how the pedigrees might "blend" or the conformation "faults" of the dogs being used.
Breeding a dog and a female together "because they have nice puppies" is OK, but don't you want someone who can
tell you WHY the puppies are going to be nice and what their breeding "goals" are when they select a particular
sire and dam?
Whiskey Creek researches pedigrees, conformation
faults and positive points in the dogs and females used. When we breed a dog and a female together it is usually in
the hopes to keep a puppy for ourselves to use as a show/performance/hunting dog. We have researched the puppies
produced by the sires that we have chosen. We have also studied if any health issues have cropped
up from certain breedings. We do not go out and pick a dog because he is "close by" or the neighbors dog,
or pick a dog because we think he is "handsome." We pick dogs for what they will contribute to the breed.
Whiskey Creeks goal is to produce a sound and even tempered dog that can do the job that the owner wants it to do,
be it a family companion or a top notch hunting dog.
6)
What activities are you and your dogs active in?
Although
the majority of pups sold from Whiskey Creek are going to "companion homes" or "pet homes" we want to
make sure when we breed dogs that they "fit within the standard of the breed." The American Chesapeake Club gave
the American Kennel Club the standards on what a Chesapeake SHOULD look like, his behavior, his ability, and the breed
in general. When a dog earns his Championship title it is saying that the dog "fits within the breed standard."
When a dog is trialed in Rally, Obedience, Hunt Tests, Agility, and Field trials it proves that the dogs TEMPERAMENT falls
within the breed standard. Not only does it say the dog can PERFORM it means the dog can handle PRESSURE. Dogs
that are campaigned in ANY venue is a "special" dog. Go to a show, an agility trial, or a hunt test or field
trial...these dogs are TRAINED to the highest levels. The average "pet dog" generally doesn't have the training
or the behavior ability to handle going into situations like this. People who train their dogs to show in ANY venue
have taken the time to take their dog to the "next level."
Whiskey Creek dogs are active in a variety of activities. Conformation, agility, dock diving, obedience, rally
obedience, and hunting. Puppies sold from Whiskey Creek can be found doing the same activities and of course, they
are GREAT family companions and pets.
7) What
health clearances do your dogs have?
Whiskey Creek posts ALL
health clearances on each dogs individual web page. All you need to do is click on the "Health Clearances"
link under each individual dogs name on his or her own web page it it will open a new window to the Orthopedic Foundation
For Animals. You will find hip and elbow clearances as well as eye (CERF) and genetic clearances listed for each animal
and you can track their family history there as well! Whiskey Creek dogs do all required test to become a certified
"CHIC" dog as well as many test that other breeders are not doing (cardiac and thyroid for example).
On the OFA site you can also look up other peoples dogs. If the dog is not listed on the OFA
site, then you need to ask the breeder of the pups what the status of the dogs are and LOOK IT UP! If it is not on the
OFA website, the dog most likely has NOT had the test performed! (Note: some breeders do not pay the "extra"
fee to have PRA or EIC results posted on the website...Whiskey Creek chooses to pay the added fee as to make finding and researching
ALL health clearances easy for potential buyers. If the information is not posted, make sure to have the breeder give
you proof the tests have been performed.) Most health issues with dogs can not been seen or detected by a simple vet
visit. You can not see hip dysplasia...you have to x-ray for it and submit it to OFA or PennHIP for evaluation, you
can not see eye issues without having a ophthalmologist examine your dog, and you can not see genetic conditions...you have
to do a blood test for them. Just having someone say "my vet said he/she was healthy enough to breed" might
not be a very good way to go about buying your new pet!