Our Story

We are a family of seven—Daddy and Mommy, plus four boys and one little princess. Our family has grown even more as our two oldest boys are now married, blessing us with two wonderful daughters-in-love. Our oldest son has also given us the greatest gift of all—two precious grandbabies. But that’s only counting the humans! Our home is also a home to fish and, at times, frogs and lizards. However, our most beloved companions are our Chesapeake Bay Retrievers: Sierra (8) and Aspen (3). And in loving memory, we cherish our sweet angel, Cheyenne, who passed away in December 2024. It was with Cheyenne that our breeding journey first began.

In September 2014, after breeding Cheyenne to Ozzy and seeing all the signs of pregnancy, we were shocked when an x-ray revealed no puppies—just a false pregnancy, something surprisingly common in dogs. A year later, in December 2015, we bred her again, this time with Rooster, a proven Xanadu stud. As the weeks passed, her growing belly left little doubt, but the final confirmation came the night we felt tiny wiggles—Cheyenne was truly expecting this time!

With each passing day, her pregnancy became more evident, and as those wiggles grew stronger, the Lee Cochran Family Puppy Project was born: Austin Chesapeakes.

Through this experience, we set out to learn and grow alongside our five children—gaining knowledge in life sciences and small business, all while working together and making cherished family memories.

Thank you for joining us on our puppy journey!

Gallery of Our History