The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Unusual Breed

In 1807 an English vessel wrecked of the coast of Maryland, among the cargo where two Newfoundland Pups, a male named “Sailor” and a Female who was named for their rescuing vessel “Canton”.  The two were appreciated locally for their retrieving ability and the rest so they say is history.   These guys are a little on the slower side, and not as friendly with strangers, as they are one of the more aggressive retrieving breeds.  Various shades of brown with a wiry undercoat, these dogs need to be bathed to remove the loose material and keep the animal looking its best.

Take care early in life to make sure these guys develop strong bones, the heavier dogs will need this and the sooner they develop quality skeletons the better off they will be for the rest of their lives.  Good protein for lean strong muscles and make sure they get lots of play time.  Bred to be used in colder water, that puppy fuzz will soon give way to a coat that requires frequent though not daily grooming, tolerate no fussing at grooming time from the puppy or you will be in a fight with this for the rest of your life.    

Watch the joints on these guys, and understand they are heavy set and they don’t always make the best jogging partners.  They are bred for swimming in extremely cold water, and may not appreciate running in the hot sun for miles in the summertime.  Anything activity like dock diving and field trials these dogs will go crazy for and they love a gentle game of Frisbee with a picnic in the shade.  They are very outdoors kind of people and would love to campo with the family, but again they are not always thrilled with strangers, look out for your older dogs and keep them away from situations that you are nervous about taking them into.

With a very narrow starting base these guys run the scope of breed issues, including hip dysphasia and a plethora of eye problems.  They are heavy set, and prone to obesity, which opens them up for all the health disorders that go along with being overweight.  When breeding your female, try to keep her from getting either over or under weight.  She will benefit being in good working weight both before and during her pregnancy.  She should get gentle walks as she grows heavier, but do not strain her, especially with swimming.  She will get too zealous in the water.