Anyone with any experience with these dogs as house/family companions and hunting waterfowl? I am getting a puppy in October and would like any advice.

Can make one hell of a hunting dog,but they get large. Can be very temperamental and can be very aggressive towards other dogs. Also can be aggressive to people also. Very hardheaded and can be tough to train. But once you get them where you want them you can't stop them. They can be hunting machines. I had a few of them and a treated 2x2 is your best friend to keep them in line. Very loyal and protective if it get attached to kids. Mine used to try to tear the door down when we got fussed at or whipped.

Much appreciated marshmud.

I have owned two over the years.

Hardheaded is an understatement.

They were bred as hard, big water hunting dogs and as protection dogs. They do both very good. They are very protective of THEIR house/yard and no nonsense fighters. Both of the ones I had would bite anyone who came in the backyard uninvited.

They make a great house guard dog because the burgler thinks they are just Labs....big mistake as they soon find out. They damn sure ain't a Lab.....

I had a female chessy years ago and hardheaded is an understatement. Very loyal, and strong swimmers. My female was protective but never bit anyone, but she would do her best to scare the sheet out of a stranger. Tried to make her my duck dog, however half the time she would retrieve perfectly and the other half she would destroy the bird while staring at me!! Almost as if to say "I dare you to come stop me"!! In the end she was a great dog and my daughter really loved her and my dog loved her as well. She went everywhere I did except for the dove field and duck swamp! They can and will be great duck dogs but you need to be prepared to work with them, a good bit more than you would a lab. And I'll back up Fred, they damn sure ain't a lab! Good luck and keep us updated on your progress!

I've owned 2 myself. Every word these guys said is 100% on the mark. And this is why I will never own another. I'm not trying to rain on your parade but you really need to think about this. With both dogs I was constantly worried about someone getting bit. Damn dog gets very large and if they don't want to be stopped, you ain't stopping them.

Back in 2001 I built my first home for my wife and I. At the time, my chessey was 2 1/2-3 years old. Well it came time to move in to the house and it was summer time. I was busy at work so I worked during the day and would move furniture and boxes at night. My wife took a week off work so that she could get things organized from moving things the night before. Well, her and the dog were pretty good buddies but he was still mainly my dog. That week, every day after lunch my wife would lay out to get some sun in the back yard and the dog never left her side. I came home early one of those days and they were in the back yard. As I was standing there talking to my wife, she was filling up the dogs pool. He jumped in wagging his tale just a foot away from both of us. She reached to pet him and he nailed her. He had never shown aggression to her up until then. I should have put a bullet between his eyes that day. From that day forward the dog was just an asshole for no reason. I had 2 big glass doors looking out in to the back yard and if anyone stood there, he would try his best to attack thru that door. I ended up getting rid of him and he was temperamental until the the day he died.

This dog was on the larger side for that breed and it took my wife right at 10 years to get full strength back in her hand from the crush injury from that one quick bite.

Both Chesapeakes I had were aggressive and my brother had to get rid of his that was the same way.

Now I know not all of them are this way but I try to warn everyone about the breed before hand. I'm sure there are just as many if not more good stories than bad but I'm done with them.

they were trained to guard the owners boats while docked. They don't take prisoners either.....

My first one would hit another aggressive dog running full open, never slow and knock the stuffing out of ANY dog. She was on its neck as soon as it hit the ground.
She would hold em down till they quit struggling and then let em go....

yep, boats and cabins. yall don't get me wrong, they aint a pitbull by no means. just know their disposition.