SANDY OAK CHESAPEAKES & Am* Int.* Ch. Sandy Oak's Rainbow Rider UD JH NA NAJ WD

The History of Sandy Oak Chesapeakes

SANDY OAK CHESAPEAKES is located in Sonoma County, in Northern California. After 15 years of Quarter Horse breeding and showing, duck hunting and dogs eventually seemed to take up most of our time. And so, in 1973, SANDY OAK KENNEL came into existence...initially with a Chesapeake and some Lhasas.

CH. BARON'S SANDY BAY CD, WD (Baron's Mike II x Riptide's Leaping Leah WDQ**) was our first Chessie and the basis of all my present breeding. She also created the foundation for our name, Sandy Oak Chesapeakes. Aside from being the daughter and the sister of pointed field trial dogs, Sandy's lines included some of the finest foundation dogs of all time. Sandy really aroused my interest in the breed; so, from the very beginning, I became almost obsessed to learn everything I could about the Chessies from tip to tail, and from old foundation stock to the present day Chesapeake. The expanse of this study was made possible by the backing of The American Chesapeake Club, and finally resulted in a publication I did entitled "The History of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever by Pedigree" which was available by subscription only through ACC. This is a collection of over 350 Chesapeake pedigrees from the early 1900's to present times, including all the American and Canadian field trial champions of no less than five generations each, as well as 150 pages of statistical listings of OFA and CERF certified dogs, all titled dogs, etc. This eventually led to Eve Keeler's Master List, then Tom MacClanahan's Roll Call. While working on my "History", I was also privileged to assist Eloise Heller Cherry with all the pedigree research and compilation for her Howell House book entitled "The Complete Chesapeake Bay Retriever". All this has been invaluable in my Sandy Oak breeding program.

Kathy Miller

Our Philosophy

Since regular employment has always come first, I have established the policy of producing my own limited litters, but seeing to it that the best of these offspring are placed in homes with conscientious owners who are also interested in breeding only the best of pups...their offspring are also placed in much the same manner, using the Sandy Oak kennel name and reputation wherever possible.

Pups from Sandy Oak and their offspring have been sold all over the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, and Japan.

Sandy Oak pups are bred from OFA and CERF certified parents, usually conformation champions or having conformation points, with field, agility and/or obedience titles. They are producing Chesapeakes with a excellent trainability and field ability, with sweet and tractable dispositions, and of good conformation, type and soundness. My Chessies are pets as well as working dogs. I have no inclination to participate in licensed field trials, but over the years my dogs have been handled to numerous picnic trial placements, AKC gun dog and/or ACC "working dog" titles, and many a duck dinner!

They are also top working obedience and agility dogs--among other placements, "Star" , aka CH. SANDY'S HI-HO SHOOTING STAR UD JH WDX CGC (Am*/Can. Ch. Hi-Ho's Guns of Canton CD WDQ** x Ch. Baron's Sandy Bay CD WD) was 3rd in the U.S. in Chessies in the final obedience totals for 1983, and in 2nd place for 1986 having earned her Utility Degree with class placements or special awards. My Rusty, aka AM* & BIS/BBE INT.* CH. SANDY OAK'S RAINBOW RIDER UD JH NA NAJ WD CGC ROMQ (Ch. Eriez Marsh Hawk UDT WD x Sandy Oak's Bit O'Russia) finished 1994 #1 Novice CBR and recipient of the ACC Ch. Chesareid Amber Hue Challenge Trophy. Star's photo can be found in Horn's "The New Complete CBR" and Rusty's photo appears in the new ACC breed book edited by Dyane Baldwin.

Rusty is one of the Top Producers in the country with many titled offspring, but one litter, in particular, out of Sylvia Holderman's Ch. Willow of Meadowood CD is probably a record breaker with 5 champions with multiple working titles including one, Ch. Meadowoods Home of the Brave UD MH AX WDQ**, who finished a licensed field trial and was the first CH/MH to earn agility titles; another CH/MH; 3 more CH's with with obedience & agility titles, one of whom, Ch. Meadowoods Close Encounter CDX JH WD, is a multiple group winner with CDX & JH & who also went Best in Show owner-handled with back-to-back Group wins all in the same weekend, and is the only American Best In Show Chesapeake with an AKC Hunting title.

All of our Sandy Oak dogs are line-bred on the cream-of-the-crop of leading field trial champions, dual champions, and conformation champions; and they are producing excellent field dogs, champions, obedience title-holders, agility dogs and just plain hard-working, loveable pets.

Our Affiliations & Litter Information

I am an active member of THE AMERICAN CHESAPEAKE CLUB, MARIN RETRIEVER CLUB, and a Life Member & Vice President of COUNTY-WIDE DOG TRAINING CLUB (of Sonoma County, California). Additionally, with my contacts in The American Chesapeake Club, I am able to refer prospective buyers to litters all over the country if we do not have pups available. For more info and pictures, click here: http://www.qualitydogs.com/136754/CHSP/memberprofile.html


*****ANNOUNCEMENTS: LITTER BORN 6/12/08 - THESE PUPS ARE SOLD! Watch for announcement for next litter from Annie, a full sister to this litter in August or September!

CH. SANDY OAK STARLITE STARBRITE CGC OFA CERF OptigenB (Ch. Meadowoods Quiet Riot NA NAJ CGC OFA CERF OPTIGEN Clear x Ch. Sandy Oak's Bit O'Starlite CD RN WD CGC OFA CERF) to CH* REDLION'S WESTERN WISHES RN CGC "Twig" OFA CERF Optigen Clear & #2 Chessie in Natl Standings for 2006 (Ch. Chesarab Force of the Jedi OFA CERF Optigen A X Redlion's Revenge Is So Sweet OFA CERF Optigen A) This is a 4th repeat (and last) of the breedings that produced my Ch. Annie CGC, Ch. Halley CD RN TT CGC, Sandy Oak Vela CD, and Sandy Oak I'll Be True To You CD. Price 950.00. $250 Deposit required.

Updated 06/18/2008.

Links to other Chessie websites

QualityDogs.com
Meadowood Chesapeakes
The American Chesapeake Club