Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed Profile
Affectionately known as the "Chessie", the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an American breed with a fascinating history.
The story goes that, in 1807, a British cargo ship was shipwrecked in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Among the rescued "cargo" was two Newfoundland puppies which the captain agreed to sell to local townsfolk. These dogs were then bred to local dogs, including Flat-coated, and Curly-coated retrievers, to eventually produce the Chesapeake.
Chessies are large dogs, standing up to 24 inches at the shoulder, and weighing up to 80 pounds. They are exceptional water retrievers with a physique and physiology perfectly suited to the job. They are powerful swimmers with a coat that offers protection from the elements. This coat is brown or reddish brown in color and consists of an oily outer coat and a dense, woolly undercoat.
The breed lacks the happy-go-lucky, outgoing personality of other retrievers, like Labradors or Goldens. Generally, they are loyal and protective of their immediate family, but reserved and alert around strangers.
They are also less eager-to-please than, say, a Lab, being naturally assertive and self-confident. As such, they are not really suitable for the first time dog owner and will do better with a firm, although not harsh, master.
They can do well as a family pet for an active family, but are better suited to older children, and will also have to be socialised with other pets.
Like most purebred dogs, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not immune to inherited health problems. They suffer from hip dysplasia, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and the haemophilia known as, Von Willebrand's Disease.
Like many large breeds, they may suffer bloat or gastric torsion. Feeding the dog small, regular meals rather than one large meal per day can help prevent this. Chessies live on average for 10 to 12 years.
The coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a unique oily texture, and requires minimal grooming. A brush once a week with a bristle brush is sufficient. These dogs have a distinctive doggy odor, but you should not be tempted to bath them too often as this can strip out the natural oils from the coat.
This is not the easiest dog to train. They are smart, but also strong-willed, which means they won't follow an instruction just because you say so. Strong leadership is very important if you want to succeed with training, but you'll also need to keep things positive and reward based to get results.
It should be obvious that this is not a dog that is suited to apartment living. The Chesapeake requires lots of activity, and preferably a job to do. They do best with an active outdoor person who is prepared to involve them in lots of activities. Daily walks are a must and swimming is a favorite activity.
Good names for a Chesapeake Bay Retriever can be hard to find. The best advice is to search one of the online dog names, sites, and my personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ. This site has thousands of excellent dog names, including a mega-database of male dog names to pick from.
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