All About
Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever has the strongest personality of all retrievers. They are not as easy-going as the other breeds, are more independent and are probably the hardest to train. Despite that, they are some of the most durable hunting dogs around. They love to swim and can handle an entire day of retrieving ducks or sticks from frigid waters. They are a true outdoorsperson's dog and will happily accompany people on hikes, bike trips, jogs or camping excursions.

Generally any good-quality dog food is fine for the Chesapeake. For especially active or high-energy dogs, a formula with at least 20-percent protein can be beneficial. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.

This is a shorthaired breed with a soft undercoat and a harsh outer coat. They do shed, and a good brushing about once a week will keep the dead hair on your floor to a minimum. Basically, Chessies don’t require much grooming or bathing. As with all breeds, the nails should be trimmed regularly, as overly long nails can cause discomfort and problems walking and running.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers like a cool climate. They do best in a warm climate if they have frequent opportunities to swim. Chessies require a great deal of exercise to remain happy, and if they do they're quiet housedogs who will be happy to relax with you while you watch TV. Give him a minimum of 20 minutes per day of intensive work, training, water retrieves, or play, or up to an hour of a more sedate walk. Chessies love to swim and do well if swimming can be included in their daily exercise regime. They are a country or suburban dog, not a city dog.Puppies have special exercise needs. From 9 weeks to 4 months of age, puppy kindergarten once or twice a week is a great way for them to get exercise, training, and socialization, plus 15 to 20 minutes of playtime in the yard, morning and evening. Throw a ball for them to fetch or let them splash in a kiddie pool. From 4 to 6 months of age, weekly obedience classes and daily half-mile walks will meet their needs, plus playtime in the yard. Start teaching them how to swim in a pool or lake, weather permitting. From 6 months to a year of age, play fetch with a ball or Frisbee for up to 40 minutes during cool mornings or evenings, not in the heat of the day. Continue to limit walks to a half mile. After he's a year old, your Chessie pup can begin to jog with you, but keep the distance to less than a mile and give him frequent breaks along the way. As he continues to mature, you can increase the distance and time you run. These graduated levels of exercise will protect his developing bones and joints.Chessies work well with people, but they can be independent, with a mind of their own. Train them with kindness and consistency, using positive reinforcements that include food rewards and praise. The Chessie who's treated harshly will simply become more stubborn and less willing to do your bidding. Your best bet is to keep training interesting and make him feel as if he has a choice in what he's doing.When your Chessie does something inappropriate such as countersurfing or lifting his leg in the house, you must let him know right then and there — loudly and firmly — that his behavior is unacceptable and not to ever be repeated. No exceptions!

Major concerns: CHD, gastric torsion
Minor concerns: PRA
Occasionally seen: entropion, OCD, elbow dysplasia, cerebellar abiotrophy
Suggested tests: hip, eye
Life span: 10-13 years

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is one of the few breeds that can claim to be born in the USA. The breed is thought to descend from two Newfoundland dogs named Sailor and Canton who were traveling aboard a ship bound for England in 1807. The ship ran aground, but the crew and the two dogs Sailor, a dingy red male, and Canton, a black female, were rescued. Sailor found a home with John Mercer of West River and Canton with Dr. James Stewart of Sparrow's Point.Both dogs gained a reputation as excellent water dogs, especially when it came to duck hunting, and their puppies inherited their abilities — and their unusual yellowish or amber-colored eyes. There was no recorded mating of the two dogs, but seventy years later, when strains from both the eastern and western shores of Maryland met at the Poultry & Fanciers Association show in Baltimore in 1877, their similarities were sufficient that they were recognized as one breed, "The Chesapeake Bay Ducking Dog." Records show that the offspring of Canton and Sailor were intermingled at the Carroll Island Kennels and spread from there throughout the region.By the time the American Kennel Club was established in 1884, a definite Chesapeake variety had been developed and was well known for its prowess in the rough, icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The American Chesapeake Club was formed in 1918. The American Chesapeake Club held the first licensed retriever trial in 1932. Fittingly, the front door of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michael's, Maryland, is guarded by a pair of cast-iron statues of Chessies.