Are Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Hard to Train?

Whether you are a new dog owner or getting another dog to add to the family, you might be looking for a dog that is easy to train.

Some dog breeds are harder to train than others and they might make your home life more difficult because you will have to spend hours training them and trying to teach them new tricks. 

If you’re interested in a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, you may be wondering if they are easy to train.

Are Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Hard to Train?

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are not hard to train. They have a very easy and tempered personality similar to other retriever breeds like Labs and Golden Retrievers. Since they are easy to train, you will find that you will enjoy having them in your home and they can pick up new tricks and behaviors only being taught them a few times. 

You might be wondering the best way to train your Chesapeake Bay Retriever. 

Even though they are an easy breed to have and to train, you still need to know the best tips for training because it will allow you to make sure the training process goes as quickly and smoothly as possible. 

We will go over some training tips and some advice on how to handle the temperament of the retriever breed. 

How Can I Train My Chesapeake Bay Retriever Successfully? 

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers respond to obedience training methods. 

You have to make sure you have the right mindset before starting any training because dogs can sense the energy that’s in the room. 

You don’t have to have professional training for your dog unless you feel like you don’t have time to train them yourself. 

Make sure when you are training that all your household members are included so that everyone knows the commands and instructions, they should give the dog when they want it to exhibit a certain behavior. 

No matter how you choose to train the dog, make sure you are confident and assertive so that the dog can trust you and so that they know you are serious and mean business when you are training. 

While you want to be assertive, you can also make sure you are comfortable and relaxed when you are training them. 

Make sure you start with simple commands like sit, stay, and come.

These are the most important commands to remember because they will be the foundation of what you will train your dog.

This will also start effective methods for training. 

Obedience Training 

Obedience training needs to start as easily as possible because dogs pick up commands quicker when they are young. 

Regardless of the breed, every dog will learn quicker when they are puppies, and they will be more willing to listen to you and take the time to learn new commands. 

The best way to train a Chesapeake Bay Retriever is to use commands and treats. 

Use treats in small pieces though because if you are training them all day and giving them large treats, they might end up preferring the treats over their food.

This can be hard when you are trying to get them to adjust to certain food as you don’t want them to become used to treats. 

You should also use the command and treats in addition to praise words. 

Make sure you talk affectionately and warmly and give them pets or pats on the head. 

You might also want to consider using hand gestures with the commands. 

This can help your dog read signals from you and make it easy for you to communicate with your dog without needing to use verbal commands. 

Once your dog has learned the command and does as you say, you can give them the treat and make sure you praise them. 

You need to continue the process over and over until the dog for sure learns the command does it without you needing to give them a treat. 

The exact time for how long it will take them to learn a new command varies from dog to dog, but most of the time, a Chesapeake will only need to hear a new command a few times before they learn it. 

Make sure you also teach them new commands in a wide variety of areas. 

For example, make sure they are learning to sit in the park, at home, before meals, and when you are out walking. 

The more you practice in different settings, the easier the dog will pick up the command because they will know they need to listen and do the command no matter where you are. 

Should I Use a Dog Trainer For My Chesapeake Bay Retriever? 

This really depends on your preference and what you have time for. 

If you are home often and have a few hours in your day to make sure you are able to teach new commands and try the obedience method, you can absolutely train the dog by yourself.

You will find that you only need to teach each new command a few times before the dog learns. 

However, if your dog doesn’t seem to be getting the hang of new commands or if you don’t have a lot of time at home, you might want to consider using a professional dog trainer. 

This will ensure your dog is getting the trainer they need without you needing to worry about training them consistently. 

When you use a dog trainer though, you need to make sure they are including you and the family. 

When the training is complete, you need to make sure they are teaching you all the commands they have taught the dog and show you the method they used for training so that you can continue with it. 

This makes an easy transition for you and the dog.

It will also make sure they are not confused when you start giving them the commands instead of the trainer. 

You also need to make sure you are including everyone in the household. 

Your spouse, kids, and everyone in the house need to know the commands and how to talk to the dog. 

Make sure the trainer shows everyone in the house what to do and how to do it. 

Make sure the trainer has a trainer session with you and have everyone in the family practice with commands before the trainer leaves so that everyone can make sure they are comfortable with the commands and the training technique. 

How Do I Find a Trainer for My Dog?

If you decide to go with a dog trainer, you need to make sure you are using a professional and reputable one that knows what they are doing. 

The best place to find a new trainer is through the breeder.

Breeders are in touch with trainers very often and they can recommend one for you. 

You can also find a trainer for your special dog breed so that you know the trainer knows how to deal specifically with Chesapeake Retrievers. 

The breeder will also have first-hand experience with trainers that they have used before.

This means they will trust them and you can be sure they are reliable and reputable.

This can make sure you have peace of mind when you are leaving them with the trainer because you know they will be treated well. 

If you don’t know the breeder or if for some reason they don’t have a trainer for you, you can ask your local pet parents in the area. 

They might now know a special breeder for Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, but they will know a good trainer in general that is still a valuable source. 

Ask them about who they used to train their dog and ask for their experience. 

You can also ask what commands were taught and what method was used for training. 

Make sure you get multiple referrals. 

If there are several people who have recommended the same trainer, you might want to consider going with that one because you know several people that have had experiences with them that were good. 

You can also ask to sit in with the trainer during the first few sessions because you want to make sure they have a good method and are treating the dog well. 

You can also ask on your local Facebook page for trainers and who people have had experience with. 

Final Thoughts 

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are easy to train because they have easy and even temperaments. 

This means they are willing to listen and they will want to please you by showing you that they know new commands.

You will also only have to spend a few days showing and teaching them new commands. 

They learn quickly and will also respond well to treats and affectionate tones. 

You can also pet them and show them love when they know a new command. 

If you are not comfortable training them, you can always look for a professional and reputable trainer to teach them commands.