Chesapeake Bay Retriever - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
We can trace Chesapeake Bay Retrievers history to the year 1807, when two Lesser Newfoundland dogs were were rescued from a Brittish ship near Maryland. These dogs were amazing duck retrievers and they were crossbred with other dogs, probably with some water spaniels and various hounds.

2) Water lovers
Considering their ancestry and heritage, it is no wonder that these dogs love swimming. They are just made for it with their thick oily double coat and strong tail which is used as a rudder. You should include swimming to the exercising routine, there is not many other things, that will make a Chessie happier than a good swim.

3) Around strangers
This is not the typical friendly, social and welcoming retriever as you might expect if you are only familiar with Labs or Goldens. Chesapeake Bay Retriever tends to be more reserved with strangers. Of course, that does not mean they will be agressive towards them, they are just not that extremely welcoming and social. Overall, they are more willful and assertive, than other retriever dog breeds.

4) Coat
The coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is truly unique, and even when they just got out of the water, it seems to be barely wet. It is a water resistant double layered coat, with oil in each layer, which helps them to dry out very quickly. Also, thanks to their wavy coat, you can easily tell them apart from other retrievers. You can find them in brown and red color.

5) Workers
Chessies are known for being little bit stubborn, but it is not a bad thing when they are working as hunters and retrievers, which is their original purpose. They will just look for the fallen game until they find it. They can also be trained as good protectors and of course, they are amazing family companions. You can also try some dog sport with them, for example field trials, flyball, rally or agility.

6) Maintenance
This is quite low maintenance dog breed, only ocassional brisk brush is needed. You should not bath them very often as the oil in the coat should be maintained. Also, by often bathing, you can destroy the water resistance of the coat. Just like all the retrievers, this is medium to high shedder, so be prepared for that.

7) Children
This is a great companion for older kids, who know how to act gently towards dogs. The Chesapeake is very playful and they love playing with the kids. Some Chessies might be possesive over their toys and food, which might cause some troubles. They also typically dont have problems with other dogs in the family, especially if they are raised with them from the puppyhood.

8) Size
This is a well proportioned dog with average height between 21-26 inches which is 53-66 cm and weight between 55-80 pounds, which is 25-36 kgs. The females tends to be little bit smaller than males.

9) Exercise

As you can probably expect, this is a dog breed with high exercise needs. Regular daily long walks, jogs or swims are a must if you want to have healthy and happy dog in your home. They also love retrieving, so playing fetch with toys or sticks is perfect for this breed.

10) Health
The lifespan of this breed is between 10-12 years and they suffer from some more or less serious health problems, most commonly from hip dysplasia, von willebrands disease, progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts.