Origin

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever evolved in united states and they are called the Chessie. These dogs are great hunters and are capable of performing their hunting skills both on land and water. Amongst all this was the first retriever recognized by the kennel club of America. In 1807 at the coast of Maryland and English ship wrecked. People were saved and there were two dogs on the ship. They were given to a local family. These dogs were later bred with the retrievers and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is the result of this. It is an excellent hunting dog with great stamina.

General Description

This breed has a strong and muscular body. They are great swimmers. They have webbed paws and their back side is very strong. They have a wide head and a medium length muzzle with a black nose on the tip. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever has small yellowish eyes, thin lips and small pendant shaped ears hanging by their head. They have a wavy coat which is short in size. Its outer coat is rough and it has a thick undercoat. They are found in various colours like red, brown and tan.

Character

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever prove be great hunters and companions. They are very much devoted to their families and are also protective of their territory and family. They are the strongest among all the retrievers. They love nature to a great extent and are very brave and intelligent. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever are very athletic and have a great capability of working. They have a great determination and very rough and tough. They are very friendly and obedient in nature. They are slow learners but they are really easy to train due to their intelligence. This breed is very good and gentle to children and also cool to other pets and cats. Although this is a gentle breed but it is of independent nature. They love doing what they like so they are not at all recommended for inexperienced owners. The really require firm handling. Proper training and socialization classes are very much required otherwise things may get worse. They are not similar to other retrievers. They do not mix with strangers properly and they are very slow at learning things.

Temperament

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a very strong and powerful breed. They are extremely loyal and devoted to their family. These dogs are also protective of their families and territory. Very loving breed but still they require early training and socialization classes. They are good to children and other animals also. They cannot properly mix with strangers as other retrievers. Some may be aggressive toward other animals who they do not know. They are great companions and love human interaction very much. If they are left alone for a long time then they may get frustrated and destructive. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a good breed but they are not at all recommended for novice owners.

Training

They are very intelligent breed but at the same time they may be independent in nature. For that reason firm handling is required. Early socialization and training classes are required. Rough training methods should not be used as they would not respond to that. Training should be done with consistency, firmness and fairness.

Health

This breed may be affected by hip dysplasia and eye problems. Their average life is from about 10-12 years.