Dog Bark Collars

An authentic American breed, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, or Chessie as it’s sometimes called, is a dog with a very interesting history.

In 1807 a British vessel was shipwrecked off the Maryland coast, and among those rescued were two Newfoundland puppies. The ship’s captain gave the puppies as a gift to his rescuers and they were later bred to various dogs in the area, including Otterhounds, Flat-Coated Retrievers, and Curly-Coated Retrievers, to eventually produce the Chesapeake Bay Retriever we know today.

These imposing dogs stand up to 24 inches at the shoulder and can weigh as much as 80 pounds. They are perfectly equipped for their primary job of retrieving game birds from the water, and are among the strongest of canine swimmers. The double coat is oily and dense, offering exceptional protection from the elements. Coat color is an attractive reddish brown.

The breed lacks the happy-go-lucky, outgoing personality of other retrievers, like Labradors or Goldens. Generally, they are loyal and protective of their immediate family, but reserved and alert around strangers.

They are assertive and self-confident dogs who require a strong and assertive owner. As such they are not particularly well suited to an inexperienced dog owner. They are a lot less eager to please than, a Golden Retriever, for example.

Although they are primarily working dogs, Chessies can be good family pets, under the right circumstances. They are however, not suitable for small kids and will have to be socialized with other pets.

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is generally a sound breed, but it is prone to the diseases typically found in purebred dogs, including hip dysplasia, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and Von Willebrand’s Disease, a form of haemophilia.

They may also suffer from bloat, a dangerous condition that often results in death if not treated immediately. Feed your dog several small meals, instead of a single large meal, to reduce the risk. Median lifespan for the breed is 12 years.

The coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a unique oily texture, and requires minimal grooming. A brush once a week with a bristle brush is sufficient. These dogs have a distinctive doggy odor, but you should not be tempted to bath them too often as this can strip out the natural oils from the coat.

Perhaps because of their assertive nature, the Chesapeake is more difficult to train than other retrievers. It’s not that they are not smart – they certainly are – just that they won’t follow an instruction blindly, just to please you. Reward-based, positive training will pay off in the end, and is a necessity for this dominant breed.

If your thinking of adopting a Chesapeake Bay Retriever you’ll have to be prepared for lots of activity. These are high energy dogs, requiring a great deal of exercise. A long daily walk is an absolute must, while your Chessie will appreciate any opportunity for a good swim.

Picking a name for your Chesapeake Bay Retriever can be a challenge. The best advice is to visit some of the many dog names, sites online. My recommendation is puppy-names-hq.com, which has a huge database, including thousands of girl dog names.

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