Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Appearance
Distinctive features include eyes that are very clear, of yellowish or amber hue, hindquarters as high or a trifle higher than the shoulders, and a double-coat that tends to wave on shoulders, neck, back, and loins. The waterproof coat feels slightly oily and is often associated with a slight musky odor. Three basic colors are generally seen in the breed: brown, which includes all shades from a light to a deep dark brown; sedge, which varies from a reddish yellow through a bright red to chestnut shades; and deadgrass in all its shades, varying from a faded tan to a dull straw color. The breed standard states that white may also appear but it must be limited to the breast, belly, toes, or back of the feet. The head is round and broad with a medium stop and muzzle. The lips are thin, and the ears are small and of medium leather. The forelegs should be straight with good bone. The hindquarters are especially strong and the toes webbed since excellent swimming ability is important for the Chesapeake. This breed is also known for its large and powerful chest, used to break apart ice when diving into cold water while duck hunting.
Temperament
These are intelligent, brave and obedient dogs. They are trainable, willing and able to please, although they may be a little slow to learn. Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are affectionate, loving, friendly and good with children. They have a passion for water, swimming and retrieving. This breed will get along with cats that are already living in your house, but may chase other cats. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not recommended for an inexperienced new dog owner. The handler needs to be confident, exerting a natural authority over the dog. A firm, consistent, but kind approach is the most successful way to handle them. If possible, attend obedience classes with this breed. Proper canine to human communication is essential. The Chesapeake can be fairly dominant and will become willful and may develop dominance problems if it senses the owners are passive, meek or timid. Be sure to properly train and socialized them. Take your puppy out with you as much as possible and introduce it to other dogs so that it has a chance to feel relaxed with them. The Chesapeake tends to be more dominant than other retrievers. Without the proper leadership they can become territorial, aggressive, willful, reserved with strangers and may not get along with other dogs. Chessies are strong canines that require firm training and good management. Chesapeakes are usually slow to mature. With the right owners they are a joy to own.
Distinctive features include eyes that are very clear, of yellowish or amber hue, hindquarters as high or a trifle higher than the shoulders, and a double-coat that tends to wave on shoulders, neck, back, and loins. The waterproof coat feels slightly oily and is often associated with a slight musky odor. Three basic colors are generally seen in the breed: brown, which includes all shades from a light to a deep dark brown; sedge, which varies from a reddish yellow through a bright red to chestnut shades; and deadgrass in all its shades, varying from a faded tan to a dull straw color. The breed standard states that white may also appear but it must be limited to the breast, belly, toes, or back of the feet. The head is round and broad with a medium stop and muzzle. The lips are thin, and the ears are small and of medium leather. The forelegs should be straight with good bone. The hindquarters are especially strong and the toes webbed since excellent swimming ability is important for the Chesapeake. This breed is also known for its large and powerful chest, used to break apart ice when diving into cold water while duck hunting.
Temperament
These are intelligent, brave and obedient dogs. They are trainable, willing and able to please, although they may be a little slow to learn. Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are affectionate, loving, friendly and good with children. They have a passion for water, swimming and retrieving. This breed will get along with cats that are already living in your house, but may chase other cats. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not recommended for an inexperienced new dog owner. The handler needs to be confident, exerting a natural authority over the dog. A firm, consistent, but kind approach is the most successful way to handle them. If possible, attend obedience classes with this breed. Proper canine to human communication is essential. The Chesapeake can be fairly dominant and will become willful and may develop dominance problems if it senses the owners are passive, meek or timid. Be sure to properly train and socialized them. Take your puppy out with you as much as possible and introduce it to other dogs so that it has a chance to feel relaxed with them. The Chesapeake tends to be more dominant than other retrievers. Without the proper leadership they can become territorial, aggressive, willful, reserved with strangers and may not get along with other dogs. Chessies are strong canines that require firm training and good management. Chesapeakes are usually slow to mature. With the right owners they are a joy to own.
Training
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a versatile breed competing in field trials, hunt tests, conformation, obedience, agility and tracking, yet remains true to its roots as a hunting dog of great stamina and ability. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an intelligent breed and learns at a high speed. Historically considered stubborn and difficult to train, many trainers thought this breed required more physical discipline than other retriever breeds. Some trainers now recommend that the Chesapeake Bay Retriever owner use consistent, daily obedience training with play time before and after to keep the dog wanting to work with little or no physical discipline required. Exercise The Chesapeake Bay Retriever needs a good deal of vigorous activity, including swimming if possible. If they do not get enough exercise they may become badly behaved from boredom and bottled up energy. They need to be taken on a daily brisk, long walk or jog where the dog is made to heel. They should never be allowed to walk out in front of the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind, the leader leads the way and that leader needs to be the human. Grooming The dense, harsh, short-haired coat is oily with a distinct smell and is easy to groom. Brush with a firm bristle brush to remove the dead hairs. While the Chesapeake needs the occasional bath to prevent any noticeable odor, they should not be bathed so often that the oily texture is stripped out. The oily coat helps protect the dog from icy waters. This breed is an average shedder. Health The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, which has an average lifespan of 10 to 13 years, is prone to some major health issues such as gastric torsion and canine hip dysplasia (CHD), and minor concerns like hypothyroidism and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). Some other potential issues affecting the breed include elbow dysplasia, entropion, cerebellar abiotrophy, and Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD). To identify some of these issues, a veterinarian may recommend regular eye, hip, and thyroid exams for the dog. History The Chesapeake was created in the U.S. in the early 1800’s from two Newfoundland dogs that were rescued from a shipwreck in Maryland. These Newfoundlands enjoyed the water and had good retrieving skills, and they were crossed with various other retrieving breeds such as the Curly-Coated Retriever and the English Otter Hound, to create today’s Chesapeake. They were bred specifically for hunting and retrieving, and they gained their name from the Chesapeake Bay where they would swim through icy cold and choppy waters to retrieve ducks. |
Height - Males 23 - 26 inches (58 - 66 cm) Females 21 - 24 inches (53 - 61 cm)
Weight - Males 65 - 80 pounds (29 - 36 kg) Females 55 - 70 pounds (25 - 32 kg)
Life span - 10 to 13 years
Country of origin - United States of America
Weight - Males 65 - 80 pounds (29 - 36 kg) Females 55 - 70 pounds (25 - 32 kg)
Life span - 10 to 13 years
Country of origin - United States of America