Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Description:

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is probably the strongest and most powerful of all the retriever dog breeds. This rugged breed has a broad and round head with yellow or amber eyes and webbed feet for swimming. The Chessie has a short, dense oily outer coat with a dense woolly undercoat. The Chesapeake’s coat usually ranges between yellow-brown to dark brown with the darker color being more common. Chesapeake's are fairly large with male dogs standing 23 to 26 inches and females 21 to 24 inches at shoulder height. Male Chesapeakes tip the scales at 65 to 85 pounds with females somewhat lighter at 55 to 70 pounds.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are members of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Sporting Dog Group.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Pictures:

         

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History:

The Chesapeake Retriever was said to have been developed in the early 19th century by mating two ship-wrecked Newfoundland dogs with local Flat Coated and Curly Coated Retrievers. The Chessie takes its name from the Chesapeake Bay area where it became the best retriever of ducks and geese from the rough and cold ocean waters. The Chesapeake was ranked 31st out of 154 dog breeds in 2004 AKC registrations.

Temperament:

The Chesapeake was bred to be a hunting dog and should really be owned by bird hunters. However it does need a lot of human companionship and is a great family dog that loves children. If you just plan to keep the breed as a family dog, it should be taken hiking, jogging, biking and swimming as often as possible. The Chessie needs to be kept busy with obedience exercises, games or field work or it will get into trouble. These retrievers need toys to chew on and carry around in their mouths. The Chesapeake is intelligent and eager to please and can be trained fairly easily. The characteristics that make the Chessie such a great retriever include strong willpower and concentration. The characteristics can be interpreted as stubbornness in a family dog. This breed needs early training while it is a puppy to prevent it from becoming obstinate or aggressive. The Chesapeake is fine with pets in the family but can become territorial with strange cats and dogs. The Chessie needs to know its place in the family hierarchy and know who is ‘boss’ otherwise it will take the position. Chessies are wary of strangers and make excellent watchdogs. This breed is not recommended for the novice dog owner.

Exercise:

Chesapeakes need lots of exercise on a regular basis. This breed is not a city dog. Chessies love to swim and should be given the opportunity whenever possible.

Grooming:

Chessies need occasional brushing to remove dead and loose hairs when shedding. This breed is a moderate shedder. Try not to bathe this dog as it removes the protective oils in his coat.
 

Health Issues:

Chessies usually live for approximately 12 years and their common health problems include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and retinal atrophy.

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