Its Friday again and time to join Jodi at Heart Like A Dog and co-host I Still Want More Puppies for Follow-up Friday. It’s the blog hop that: let’s you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.
Today I will try to answer questions from the past week.
murphydogs asked: Does their [Chessie] coat sunburn and bleach out as with Chocolate Labs?
I have seen some really bleached Chocolate Labs, especially if they have spent a lot of time in the field. I have not noticed that our dogs’ coats bleach that much. The only time I have noticed a real change in color is when they are blowing coat and then it is a lighter color just before it sheds. I guess our dogs would say that they need more time in the field. 😉
Jodi asked: I’m assuming they are thicker during winter because the water is colder and the fur provides better protection?
Yes. Our dogs usually start getting a winter coat in time for Fall hunting season.
BunkThePug asked: Do you think Chesapeake Bay Retrievers would work well for someone who lives in an apartment in downtown Nashville? We seem to see them more in open spaces, and we’re wondering for this friend. She runs and will probably take the dog running and such!
They are very high energy dogs and need a lot of exercise just about every day. Here is a great article from the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief and Rescue site which may answer their questions. I urge them to read and consider it:
Don’t Buy A Chesapeake Bay Retriever
dogloverofmax@gmail.com asked: Ok, so I have a weird question…don’t be laughing at my total ignorance here but after they are totally perfect in all their training what is your ultimate goal from the training? I’m not sure if I’m really asking my question right but for example will you offer hunting trips or something for people without super trained dogs or is it just for your own enjoyment, etc. – does that make sense? Like just purely for fun or shows, a hunting business?
Not a weird question at all. My own family members ask it often. 😆 I doubt our dogs will ever be “perfect”, but our ultimate goal is to run Master Hunter level tests with our dogs. Getting a dog ready to run a test at that level takes a lot of training. Thunder and Storm are both able to run Master level tests. Whether they will pass is a whole other story.
Beyond that, it is a hobby. Every hunt test is a completely different challenge for the dog and handler. Ultimately we would like the dogs to earn Master Hunter titles, but Thunder and Storm have a way to go for that. Should they title, many dogs continue to run tests just for fun and for the challenge. Of course the training benefits both the dog and handler for hunting season too since our dogs are first and foremost hunting dogs.
Many of you asked if Storm missed her puppies.
After she looked around and didn’t find them and tried unsuccessfully to make the cat into a puppy, she pretty much moved on. She doesn’t seem to be dwelling on them. I even think that once she realized her puppy duty was finished, her milk started drying up all the faster.
Marcie asked: Is there a spot on site to wash your dog off after done with the tests?
No. If we need to rinse the dogs, we find a clean pond and swim them. Also, our dog trailer has a water tank and we can use it to rinse the dogs off as necessary. Usually we only rinse them if it is a mucky pond. The ponds at the grounds where last weekend’s test was held are all very clean.
FleaByte asked: Off topic – that fake goose – is it life size or bigger than life? Because oh my dog! It’s huge! I’m hoping my little Ryan doesn’t get THAT big!
Never fear. That is a larger than life-size goose decoy.
We did not end up getting Freighter yesterday because we were going to pick him up after training but training was cancelled due to rain. We will pick him up tomorrow. 🙂
Have a great holiday weekend!
This is a blog hop!
Thanks so much to Jodi at Heart Like A Dog and co-host I Still Want More Puppies for hosting this week’s hop. Check out who else is hopping!
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That is a stunning photo of Storm!
Great follow up! Hope you have some good weather so you can get Freighter and have some outdoor fun this weekend.
Love the pic with the giant goose decoys. Gosh you had there for a minute. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
Thanks so much for answering our question and the others too! I love when you do that as you’re the only peeps I know that do this and it fascinates me 😉 Have a great weekend!!
Thanks for joining the blog hop and you really were essential to me last week. I owe you. 🙂
Wow, Storm has a bald spot!! I didn’t realize when they blew coat they got bald spots. My dogs usually blow but normally at the back end, so it’s not real noticeable. They start to look a little scruffy and I can usually just reach down and pull it out.
I have never seen a Chocolate Lab “bleached out” from the sun, maybe we just don’t spend enough time in the sun on the east coast. 🙂
Have a great weekend!!
I have had some similar questions, so you answered them for me!!!
Mom says that Thunders coat looks like a molting sheep coat right now! Poor thing, I am sure it will come back…us women and hormones, etc…we have it rough! We are just so glad you enjoy your pups and all the training. If you excel and are top dog then that is super but the main thing is that you enjoy what you are doing which you clearly do and winning is just a side benefit 🙂
Your dogs are such beauties. And part of me is relieved that the geese are larger than life. The other part wants a goose that big to keep the hawks away from my other poultry.
A lot of great questions! I like the one about washing on site, I would have never thought of that!
I am glad to read that she doesn’t seem to be missing her pups!
Storm’s head shot is gorgeous…and in the body shot it looks like she’s getting her figure back really quickly…You are so good at explaining hunt tests…it’s not easy to do to someone who’s never seen one and you make it so clear…nice job 🙂
I just have to echo what so many others have said–stunning photo of Storm. And thank you so much for all of the very interesting information. Have a great weekend!
We lived in an apartment for years and there were others around us with labs. Although I know they loved their dogs, I always felt a little sorry for them cooped up without a yard
That was a great question and answer post. I really like that picture of Storm that is just her head. She’s beautiful with bald spots. When Nellie had her pups she went bald then her fur came back so nice and thick. Have a great weekend and have fun getting Freighter back.
Great FUF. Love when you answer questions in this fashion!
I like that picture of Storm too.
What a fun follow up! So glad to hear that Storm is doing well and that the goose decoy is not actually that big!
I enjoyed your FUF post – especially all of the great photos. That high energy one is fantastic!
Wonderful questions and wonderful answers. I was going to ask that same question as Flea about the giant goose statue. 🙂
Thanks for answering my question. 🙂 I had also wondered about her missing her puppies so that answer was interesting as well. Have a great rest of your weekend!
Hi Y’all!
Just stopped to wish y’all a wonderful, relaxing long weekend. Enjoy Memorial Day.
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
Beautiful pictures! I especially like the one of the High Energy pup – way to go!
Lovely pictures. I wonder how many attempt was needed for the jumpy one?
Very imformative follow-up Friday, and helped me to catch up a bit as I’m behind. I have to laugh about the title of that article you referred your reader to, as I have seen very similar articles for both Labs and Vizslas. There is a lot to consider when getting a powerful, high energy dog, or a protective dog for that matter, and I know your breed is a combo of both. 🙂
“informative” duh. I should really proof BEFORE I post. LOL!