The purpose of purchasing our first
Chessie was to be a fishing companion,
being the avid fisherpersons that we are,
we wanted a companion for the boat. We
sought out a quality breeder in our area and
purchased a female. This puppy turned out
to be a high quality girl that the breeder
said should be shown in the conformation
ring. We sought out training classes and
began a journey into the world of confor-
mation competition.
From that humble beginning, we have
gone on to excel with our dogs in the
Conformation ring as well as performance
events such as Obedience, Rally, Hunt
Tests, WD. We have put titles on many
of our dogs, including Grand Champions,
Champions, CD, RA and JH, in addition
to winning a NSS BISS. When not in the
show ring, they are used in our personal
hunting adventures and just hanging out
with the family.
We are a small, family-oriented ken-
nel located in southern Colorado. Not
only do we hunt ducks and geese but also
have opportunity to go after pheasants,
which are as eagerly hunted by our crew
as is the waterfowl. We do breed and are
passionate about maintaining the char-
acteristics that make the Chesapeake
Bay Retriever so unique and desirable
as a gun dog while making sure to be
responsible with our breeding choices.
Health testing is a very important
component of any breeding program
and we do test and certify all our dogs.
Our goal is to produce healthy, qual-
ity dogs that have the correct aptitude
and attitude.
The breeders of today are just
as dedicated and passionate about
maintaining the Chesapeake Bay
Retriever characteristics as were the
breeders of days gone by. Each and every
characteristic spelled out in the
Official
Standard for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever
has a significant reason.
As the standard states, “The breed’s
characteristics are specifically suited to
enable the Chesapeake to function with
ease, efficiency and endurance.” From coat,
to raw power to stamina, the Chesapeake
was, and is, bred to be a working dog. The
two most important qualities that I believe
the Chessie needs to be successful are apti-
tude and attitude. Aptitude includes cor-
rect conformation – to assure that their
body can do the job required. Attitude
(
actually the most important attribute
when breeding this dog) without an excel-
lent disposition, it won’t matter how they
are built.
At the end of the day, after all the ducks,
and all the show rings, and all the work,
they are our loving companions, there to
go for walks or just snuggle on the couch,
challenging us, sometimes pushing us,
maybe just listening, but always bringing
us the comfort and pleasure of loving and
being loved. As the song says, “You had me
from hello…”
Bio
Renee is a native
of Colorado, raised on
a farm in the Arkan-
sas River valley. Dogs
were always a part of
the family, living on a
farm, they came with
the territory. Several years ago, she and
her husband Fred purchased their first
Chesapeake Bay Retriever. She has enjoyed
training and handling their dogs in many
different areas. Renee is a member of the
Southern Colorado Kennel Club, serving
as past Secretary, President, and now as
Training Center Manager and Show Chair
of the annual all-breed shows. She also is
a member of the American Chesapeake
Club, currently serving as the national
Show Committee Chair and the 2013 NSS
Show Chair. In her spare time she offers a
conformation training class and helps with
4-
H dog training. Her granddaughter has
just begun her career as a JH, helping show
the family’s Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.
Their small kennel, Akcomi Chesapeakes,
produce litters occasionally.
S
how
S
ight
M
agazine
,
N
ovember
2012 • 269