Sky Pond Chesapeakes is dedicated to pursuing the true dual nature of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. The Chesapeake is the only retriever breed where it is still possible to compete in Conformation shows and Hunt competitions with the same dog and have the possibility of winning in both venues. Therefore, our goal is to breed dogs with conformation that meets the breed standard, a temperament that allows the dog to be a good family companion and natural hunting ability. To do this, the dog must have excellent health.
DNA testing for genetic health thus becomes a necessity. We follow the recommendations of the American Chesapeake Club and DNA test our dogs for DM, EIC and PRA. Additionally, hips and elbows are x-rayed after age two, with the results submitted to OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) for evaluation. Currently, we are also using PennHip to evaluate our dogs’ hips in conjunction with OFA. PennHip alloes us to get an earlier evaluation of a dog’s hips. The dogs’ eyes are examined by a canine ophthalmologist periodically to guarantee eye health. All of this is done prior to placing the dog into our breeding program. Therefore, we breed no dogs who are younger than two years of age. Once a dog enters the breeding program, mates are carefully selected based on pedigree, DNA testing and our personal knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of each dog. The goal is always to preserve and attempt to improve this exceptionally unique breed of dog.
Forty years ago, when John previously raised and trained retrievers, the only tools breeders had available were pedigree, personal knowledge of the dog and OFA evaluation of the dog’s hips. Today, we have DNA testing for certain genetic characteristics. The Sky Pond Chesapeakes health guarantee covers dogs that are “At-Risk” (likely to be affected), not carriers. We do not test puppies from a litter with a carrier parent. The Chesapeake gene pool is too small to not breed dogs who may be carriers of a particular disease. Obviously, dogs who are carriers are never bred to a dog that is a carrier of the same disease. If you DNA test your dog and your dog is a carrier of a particular disease, he/she will never experience any health repercussions because of it.
Another thing that has changed over the years is the subject of dewclaw removal. In the past, most breeders routinely removed dewclaws within the first few days after birth. Many breeders still follow this practice. Current research (M. Christine Zink DVM, Ph.D., DACVSWMR) indicates the dewclaws serve a useful service. Anecdotally, we have worked and trained dogs with and without dewclaws with no noticeable difference. Therefore, we will only remove rear dewclaws, if they exist, per the ACC standard. Front dewclaws will be intact.
With all this effort, it is still possible that an individual might experience some type of health problem. Therefore, this health guarantee is a way of showing our clients the belief we have in the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers we produce.