About Us
Wren, Ruby, Bonnie & Lyric
We are a small kennel located in the foothills of Caribou National Forest in South Eastern, Idaho.
I have loved dogs as long as I can remember. This love, that began as a child, has grown into a lifelong passion.
My first dog was a Cocker Spaniel, named Abby. I was 11 when Abby joined our family, that was a happy day. My first competition dog was Lucy Lu, a field bred Golden Retriever and a firecracker in the field! Lucy and I competed in 4H together taking multiple county and state awards. We competed in AKC Obedience (before the days of Rally) earning our Companion Dog (CD) title, and hunted ducks and pheasants, season after season. Lucy was the love of my life; she lived 14.5 wonderful years and to this day I cannot think about her without tears swelling in my eyes. She was something special.
As Lucy aged, we wanted to get another dog. I couldn’t bring myself to get another Golden, and the lines I wanted were out of the budget for a newlywed, so we looked to the other retriever breeds. I was always drawn to the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. To me they seemed mystical, and intricate, challenging and intriguing. I had little to no interest in Labradors, or a Flat Coat, so we settled on a Chesapeake. Woah buddy! What a ride it is! Our home will never be without a Chessie!
My husband, Steve, and I found a year-old Chesapeake/Labrador mix needing to be rehomed, so we took a chance and offered him a home. This is when I fell head over heels in love with the temperament and demeanor of the Chesapeake. He was an incredible dog, whose temperament took a took a turn for the worst. Mind you, at this time Facebook groups were in their infancy, and I was ignorant to breed rescue and resources there. This dog became incredibly aggressive, I recognized his issues and it got to the point that our other dogs were not safe to be around him. We also worried about the safety of our children. I wrestled through every scenario I could think of. Was he rehab-able? Do I want to pass on a problem? What is going to happen to him if we surrender him to a shelter? It was excruciating. We made the difficult decision to euthanize him. I share this story to reveal my passion for excellent temperament. It was this painful journey that trajected me to save my money and begin the search for a pure bred, well bred, Chesapeake from a reputable and well-respected breeder. This is when I came across Skywatcher Chesapeakes, located in Washington. I reached out, submitted an application, got on their waitlist, and waited. In October 2016 we brought home our first Chesapeake, Skywatcher’s Mountain Song Bird RI CGC TKN “Wren”. Wren is our matriarch and “practically perfect in every way.”
This is how our story began, and it continues with every litter, every competition and every family who welcomes a Juniper Mountain Chesapeake into their heart and home. -Samantha
Lyric and her little brother Bruly
Solid temperament is the foundation on which we build
Bonnie Lassie
Rugged Versatility // Loyal Companionship