Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever traces its origins back to an 1807 shipwreck off the coast of Maryland. Aboard the English vessel were two Newfoundland dogs, a male named Sailor and a female named Canton, that were both rescued from the sinking ship. Sailor and Canton were bred with other dogs, including the Flat-coated Retriever, the Curly Coated Retriever and the English Otter Hound. The eventual result was the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a powerful and muscular dog designed specifically to hunt and retrieve fowl in cold, sometimes rough, waters. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, often called Chessie for short, sports a body that reflects its background — its deep chest, webbed feet and water-resistant coat all testify to the breed’s athletic outdoorsy nature. Similarly, like other sporting and hunting breeds, Chessies often bond intensely with their humans.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Personality
Paw Print Bullet Very affectionate, happy and eager to please
Intensely loyal, intelligent, serious
Brave and courageous
Alert
Some can be cautious around strangers

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Size
Paw Print Bullet Males: 23-26 inches at the withers (shoulders)
Females: 21-24 inches at the withers (shoulders)
55-70 pounds

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Family and Home
Paw Print Bullet Chesapeake Bay Retrievers generally do well in homes with children
Chessies get along with other animals, such as cats, when well socialized and raised with them
May chase unfamiliar cats
Ill suited to apartment living because they need a yard and plenty of room
Thrive with families that enjoy the outdoors
Paw Print Bullet Families may want to enroll their Chessies in agility classes, field trials or similar activities

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Care
Paw Print Bullet Require daily rigorous exercise
Low-maintenance grooming — comb as needed to remove dead hair

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Bark
Paw Print Bullet Generally, they are average barkers but they often alert owners when someone approaches the property
Enjoy communicating or “talking” with owners through rumblings and roo-roo-roo type sounds

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Training
Paw Print Bullet Commit to regular obedience training when still puppies
Chessies require structure and consistency
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are eager to please but can also be willful and stubborn when training
A well-trained Chessie is obedient, confident and loyal

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Coat
Paw Print Bullet Short, dense and harsh double coat
Natural coat oils repel water for these water-loving dogs
Hair on shoulders, back, neck and loins is wavy
Bathe only when absolutely necessary to avoid stripping the coat of its natural oils
Coats come in brown (light, medium and dark), sedge (reddish undertones and a lighter coat), and deadgrass (no red tones with ranges from an almost straw-yellow color to tan)
Paw Print Bullet White spots on chest, belly, toes or back of the feet occasionally turn up on some dogs

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Health
Paw Print Bullet These dogs generally require families who enjoy spending time with their dogs. In the case of Chessies, that includes plenty of exercise, training, socialization and companionship
Prone to hip dysplasia and eye problems, such as progressive retinal atrophy

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Lifespan
Paw Print Bullet Chesapeake Bay Retrievers generally have a lifespan of about 10-13 years.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Rescue
To adopt a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, visit the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue site at www.cbrrescue.org

i Love Dogs, Inc.

i Love Dogs, Inc.’s three websites – ilovedogs.com, ilovedogfriendly.com and findavet.us – provide information and up-to-the-minute news to keep pet parents aware of all things dog. A premium canine vitamins and lifestyle company, i Love Dogs is famous for its line of diamond dog collars. The name says it all — at i Love Dogs, we are committed to the health and happiness of our canine companions.