General Description

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(Chessie, Chessy Dog) The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a strong, well-muscled retriever with exceptional swimming abilities. Their hindquarters are especially powerful and their feet are webbed. They have a round, broad head with a medium-sized stop and muzzle. Their lips are thin, their eyes are yellowish in color, and their ears are small and hang down to the level of the eyes. Their coat is rather short in length and slightly wavy in texture. It consists of a harsh outer coat and a woolly, dense undercoat. Both coat components are oily to promote water repellence. It exists in a variety of colors including various shades of brown, red, and tan. Some Chesapeake Bay Retrievers have white markings on the chest and feet.

The standard prefers ears that are 4.5 to 5 inches in length. Ears do not hang to the level of the eyes but extend to mid-cheek or slightly longer. The color terms most often used are in hunters Language, Chocolate, Rust, and Deadgrass. The respected uniform standard states that the white markings on the Chest can't be larger than 3 inches without disqualification from competition. White toes are fine.

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Character

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The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is friendly, obedient, and intelligent. They are trainable, although they may be a bit slow to learn. They are affectionate and good with children, and they usually get along well with cats that live in their house. This breed isn’t recommended for a new or inexperienced dog owner. Handlers of this breed should be confident and exude authority, because the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a mind of its own and prefers to do things his own way. Obedience classes are highly recommended for this breed. If improperly trained or socialized, they can have dominance issues. They are different than most retrievers in that they are more strong-minded, willful, and reserved with strangers. They are usually slow to mature and have a tendency to be territorial.

Chesapeake Bay Retrivers are also extremely loyal to family and other close relationships, but they may not like new guest. They may tend to be territorial around strangers, especially if they are not trained and socialized from birth. Most are smart and not slow to learn. They can be stubborn and will sometimes get bored without proper exercise. Obedience class doesn't have to be used if owned by a confident alpha figure. Training is fun and they are quick to learn. Some Chesapeake Bay Retrivers don't always get along with other breeds without proper socialization. Introduce them to as many dogs and people as possible from a young age.

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Size

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21 – 26 inches

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Weight

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55 – 80 pounds

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General Health

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Because of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever’s large size, it is prone to hip dysplasia. Eye problems are also a concern. This breed typically lives for 10 to 12 years.

Many have a life expectancy of 10-15 years on average. Some have knee problems. Their size, strength, and need for lots of exercise is a direct cause for orthopedic knee injuries. This breed is associated with a genetic disease of a mutated gene leading to degenerative myelopathy, a disease affecting the spinal cord. A blood test is available to confirm this diagnosis. Not all Cheasapeake Bay Retrievers are affected.

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History

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When an English ship wrecked off the coast of Maryland in the winter of 1807, everyone was saved and two dogs on board were given to a local family of dog lovers. Both of these dogs were Newfoundlands. They were later mated with local retrievers, and the result of this crossing produced a highly capable hunting dog. Selective breeding throughout the yeas have created an outstanding retriever that possesses incredible stamina. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a number of natural talents including tracking, retrieving, hunting, schutzhund, competitive obedience, and guarding.

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Maintenance

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The short-haired coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is easy to groom and care for. It should be brushed with a firm bristle brush on a regular basis to remove any dead hairs. This breed should be bathed only as necessary to prevent removal of the natural oils on the dog’s coat. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an average shedder.

This breed has a naturally oily coat that naturally repels water. If a Chesapeake Bay Retriever gets wet, it may take a few hours for them to dry. If this breed is kept outside, it may develop a more oily coat which can sometimes emit a pungent odor. Odor seems to vary between dogs. They are known to shed year round. Their coats do not mat and do not require brushing. Often times brushing with a firm bristled brush will ruin their coat; however, it may be necessary to brush them when they are in heavy shedding seasons. Chessies become very attached to their owners and may not like to live outside. They need companionship in order to thrive and should only be considered a 'backyard dog' if they also get plenty of exercise, stimulation and lots of time with their caretaker and/or other dogs.

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Ideal Environment

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The Chesapeake Bay Retriever isn’t suitable for life in a small household or apartment. They are comparatively inactive indoors and need at least an average-sized yard. This breed likes to sleep outdoors, and they prefer cool climates. They need a great deal of exercise, preferably swimming. They can become poorly behaved if they aren’t given sufficient exercise.

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