Chesapeake Bay Retriever

State Dog of Maryland

            The Chesapeake Bay Retriever can trace its history to a ship wreck off the coast of the State of Maryland in the United States in 1807.  This working breed is known for its exceptional retrieving and hunting abilities.  The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not the most popular of the retriever breeds, however it is arguably one of the best suited for its duties.

             The coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is short and slightly wavy.  Unlike other breeds it is slightly oily to the touch, as this helps repel water while swimming.  Colors can vary in shades and include red, brown, and tan.  While solid colors are more preferred white can be found on the chest and feet.  This breed stands between 21-26 inches and weighs between 55-70 pounds, females tending to be smaller then the males.  Another distinguishing feature of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is its webbed toes to help with swimming.

            In many ways the origin of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was the result of a shipwreck.  In 1807 an English trading ship wrecked off the Maryland coast and the crew and cargo were rescued by an American ship.  On board the ship were two Newfoundland puppies.  The pups were given to two Maryland hunters, Dr. James Stuart and John Mercer.  As the pups grew their new owners found that they were exceptional retrievers and their offspring were highly sought after by local duck hunters.  By the mid-1800s the breed was distinguishable from other retrievers and prized for their working abilities in the ice packed waters of the bay.  To this day the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not an extremely popular dog aside from waterfowl hunters, however, that is the way their fanciers would prefer it stayed.

            Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are not a good first dog, nor do they do well in the city.  Breed for hunting and room to roam they are quite inactive indoors.  This is an intelligent breed, but independent minded and stubborn, which can make training difficult.  Socialization of a Chesapeake Bay Retriever as a pup with humans and canines is a must, as it can lead to dominance problems when they are older.