Chesapeake Bay Retriever Information
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In 1807 an English ship wrecked off the coast of Maryland. Crew and cargo were rescued by the Americans. Two Newfoundland puppies were also rescued and given to the Americans for helping in the rescue.
These two dogs had wonderful qualities as retrievers. Many dogs that were currently used for retrieving were bred to these dogs and eventually other out crosses were used. It is thought that the Flat Coated Retriever and Curly Coated Retriever were involved in these matings.
By the time the American Kennel Club had established in 1884, a definite Chesapeake type had already been developed. These dogs were excellent in the rough, icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay and were often called upon to retrieve 100 to 200 ducks per day. Those dogs had longer and thicker coats than the Chesapeake's we have today.
Under leadership of The American Chesapeake Club, the breed is active in all areas of AKC competition. They excel in tracking, hunting, retrieving, guarding, schutzhund, field sports and are competitive in obedience.
They are medium sized dogs, males should be 23 to 26 inches tall and weigh 65 to 80 pounds, females should be 21 to 24 inches tall and weigh 55 to 70 pounds. Many tend to get excited easily and also will drool and foam at the mouth when over excited.
They are devoted to their family and will protect their owners and land. They will readily alert you to any strange noises or people.
Their coats should be thick and short, not over 1.5 inches long with a dense fine woolly undercoat. The color should be any shade of brown, sedge, or deadgrass. Bathing as needed as well as a regular nail trim and ear cleaning are all that are necessary.
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. From my own personal experience with the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, I have learned that they are literally crazy about water. Most even resort to playing in their water bowl if they are bored and looking for something exciting to do. These dogs will gladly romp around with anyone at the lake, or even children playing with the garden hose. If you don't have regular access to a lake, you may want to invest in a sturdy kiddie pool for your Chesapeake to romp around in.
Health concerns in the breed include:Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). PRA in Chesapeakes is inherited by an autosomal recessive gene. In order for a dog to be affected with PRA, he must inherit the causative gene from both of his parents. If a puppy inherits the gene causing PRA from only one parent, he will not have the disease, but will be a carrier with the ability to pass this gene on to his offspring, even though he doesn't exhibit the disease himself. In this way the PRA gene made be "hidden" for generations, until two dogs which carry the gene are bred together and produce PRA affected offspring.
Other health concerns include:
Hip Problems,
Epilepsy,
Dwarfism,
Gastric Dilitation—Volvulus (Bloat)
Keep in mind that even though there may be many health concerns listed with the breed, reputable breeders do as much as they can to keep any of their puppies from having this. They do this by properly testing their breeding dogs to make sure they do not carry any of these problems, as well as researching their dogs ancestry and making sure they are not carriers either.
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