Quick Stats for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed
- Height (at the shoulders): dogs: 23 – 26 inches (58 – 66 cm) ; bitches: 21 – 24 inches (53 – 61 cm)
- Weight: dogs: 65 – 80 pounds (29 – 36 kg) ; bitches: 55 – 70 pounds (25 – 32 kg)
- Life Expectancy: 10 – 12 years
- AKC Group: Sporting Group – AKC recognized in 1878
- Shedding: average shedder
- Living Conditions: not recommended for apartments; relatively inactive indoors; best with average sized yard (minimum)
Personality of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an independent dog. They can be protective of their owners, and tend to be reserved around strangers. They are great watchdogs.
They are affectionate, friendly, and great with children. They can get along with cats that are already a part of the household, but may chase other cats.
These dogs are eager to learn new things and thrive on outdoor activity, especially the opportunity to be in the water.
History of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed
There is an interesting story behind the origin of this dog breed. The story says that in 1807 two Newfoundland puppies were rescued from a shipwrecked ship off the Maryland coast. One puppy was black and the other was red. They were handed over to rescuers who would take care of them.
The puppies were soon found to be highly skilled water retrievers. As their popularity grew, they were bred to other local retriever dogs, and other breeds such as the Bloodhound and the Irish Water Spaniel dog breed.
Over time, a distinct local breed stated to develop. The result was a dog that was capable of swimming in the icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay to retrieve duck and other waterfowl. Even up to today, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has the remarkable ability to mark a spot where a bird fell and get back to that exact spot from miles away.
The breed was officially registered by the American Kennel Club in 1878 as a member of the Sporting Group.
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed Care and Grooming
These dogs require daily exercise as they are rather large and active dogs. Take them on a daily walk or play active games such as fetching. If possible, they love to participate in water activities.
Grooming requirements include a weekly brushing of the dense, harsh, short-haired coat with a good dog grooming brush. These dogs tend to have an oily coat with a distinct smell. You may want to give them an occasional bath to get rid of the odor, but not too often or you will remove the natural oils from the coat.
This breed is an average shedder.
Health Problems of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed
The average life expectancy of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever breed is about ten to twelve years.
Major health concerns for this breed are:
- CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia)
- gastric torsion
Minor health issues include:
- PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
- hypothyroidism
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
For even more information about this dog breed check out the book:
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Omar Reyes, Omar Reyes. Omar Reyes said: The Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breed Profile http://goo.gl/fb/oaa9G [...]
[...] dog was refined over time by crossings with the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and the American Water [...]