goflippr wrote:
I wouldn't really consider a chessie a high energy dog.

We had all kinds of hunting dogs - several german shorthairs, labs, english setter, gordon setter, a chessie, some kind of spaniel.  I'd say the chessie was at the low end of the energy scale of these dogs.  More like a lab but a little more hard headed.  The german shorthairs were psycho. 
I agree.  But the one I knew was a little more excitable then the labs, he was also 2 and intact and in the field.  

He has a big callous on his chest which is hairless because he scraped it all off in the field.  No limits.  I bought him a neoprene vest but the owners don't use it.  

I think labs are easier to train in my limited experience with Chessies.  I have only known a few Chesapeake and only hunt with one regularly but they are clearly not for busy people who have several other priorities especially if your life is a 9 to 5 one, from what I have seen.  If you don't hunt you need to be a runner and be dedicated to at least 10 minutes a day plus a couple one-hour sessions with a professional either way.  I am adamant about this with intense hunting dogs b/c I have seen so many suffer when they get into a busy or sedentary home.