where it all began...

Credit: American Chesapeake Club

When we first started talking what kind of dog we would want, I initially started looking at sites with little "What dog best suits me" quizzes (like this one), who knows how accurate they are, but it at least got me thinking and looking and reading about different breeds.  I saw the chesapeake bay retriever listed, thought it was the most adorable dog I'd ever seen (I've got a soft spot for brown...), and began reading more and more about them. 

I clued Anthony in, he agreed about the level of adorable, and our minds had been made up.....

Okay, it wasn't really that easy.  Our minds were made up that they were SO LOVELY, everything we wanted in a dog: Brown (for me of course), rugged, smart, loyal, not overly popular, not a dog that couldn't do "dog things" (A direct quote from Anthony after I suggested, what about a French Bulldog??) etc.  Everything about them made me excited. We weren't at the point yet where we could imagine spending money on any dog, let alone a purebred dog from a reputable breeder.  So into the backs of our brains it went, with the occasional googling of breeders in our area...

Fast forward a few months, I got an issue of Dog Fancy in the mail (have I mentioned I was obsessed with all things dog?? who am I kidding, I AM obsessed...).  On the cover was a Chesapeake.  At this point, we were caring for a family member's mutt named Max (long story for another day! I promise!)  and my heart went pitter patter just looking at the cover, then slumped a little bit when I thought about how impossible it would be to have 2 large dogs living in our tiny little apartment...that's when I knew.  Chesapeake Bay Retrievers were the dog for me, I wouldn't be satisfied with just any old dog.  Something felt like it was missing still, even with Max in our lives.  

We discussed it more and in September decided that okay, this is what we really want...that set the ball in motion.  We weren't ready to get a puppy until the Spring, and we knew that, but it was official, we were going to get a Chesapeake Bay Retriever Puppy.  Next step, finding a breeder...