Chesapeakes GENERAL APPEARANCE- Equally proficient on land and in the water, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was developed along the Chesapeake Bay to hunt waterfowl under the most adverse weather and water conditions, often having to break ice during the course of many strenuous multiple retrieves. Frequently the Chesapeake must face wind, tide and long cold swims in its work. The breed's characteristics are specifically suited to enable the Chesapeake to function with ease, efficiency and endurance. In head, the Chesapeake's skull is broad and round with a medium stop. The jaws should be of sufficient length and strength to carry large game birds with an easy, tender hold. The double coat consists of a short, harsh, wavy outer coat and a dense, fine, wooly undercoat containing an abundance of natural oil and is ideally suited for the icy rugged conditions of weather the Chesapeake often works in. In body, the Chesapeake is a strong, well balanced, powerfully built animal of moderate size and medium length in body and leg, deep and wide in chest, the shoulders built with full liberty of movement, and with no tendency to weakness in any feature, particularly the rear. The power though, should not be at the expense of agility and stamina. Size and substance should not be excessive as this is a working retriever of an active nature. Distinctive features include eyes that are very clear, of yellowish or amber hue, hindquarters as high or a trifle higher than the shoulders, and a double coat which tends to wave on shoulders, neck, back and loins only. The Chesapeake is valued for its bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, and affectionate protective nature. Extreme shyness or extreme aggressive tendencies are not desirable in the breed as a gun dog or companion. Disqualifications: Specimens that are lacking in breed characteristics should be disqualified. SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE- Height Males should measure 23 to 26 inches; females should measure 21 to 24 inches. Oversized or undersized animals are to be severely penalized. Proportion Height from the top of the shoulder blades to the ground should be slightly less than the body length from the breastbone to the point of buttocks. Depth of body should extend at least to the elbow. Shoulder to elbow and elbow to ground should be equal. Weight Males should weigh 65 to 80 pounds; females should weigh 55 to 70 pounds. HEAD- Chesapeake Bay Retriever should have an intelligent expression. Eyes are to be medium large, very clear, of yellowish or amber color and wide apart. Ears are to be small, set l well up on the head, hanging loosely, and of medium leather. Skull is broad and round with a medium stop. Nose is medium short. Muzzle is approximately the same length as the skull, tapered, pointed but not sharp. Lips are thin, not pendulous. Bite Scissors is preferred, but a level bite is acceptable. Disqualifications: Either undershot or overshot bites are to be disqualified. Dewclaws, if any, must be removed from the rear legs.Disqualifications: Dewclaws on the hind legs are a disqualification. COAT- Coat should be thick and short, nowhere over 1 1/2" long, with a dense fine wooly ondercoat. Hair on the face and legs should be very short and straight with a tendency to wave on the shoulders, neck, back and loins only. Moderate feathering on the rear of the hindquarters and tail is permissible. The texture of the Chesapeake's coat is very important, as the Chesapeake is used for hunting under all sorts of adverse weather conditions, often working in ice and snow. The oil in the harsh outer coat and wooly undercoat is of extreme value in preventing the cold water from reaching the Chesapeake's skin and aids in quick drying. A Chesapeake's coat should resist the water in the same way that a duck's feathers do. When the Chesapeake leaves the water and shakes, the coat should not hold water at all, being merely moist. Disqualifications: A coat that is curly or has a tendency to curl all over the body must be disqualified. Feathering on the tail or legs over 1 3/4" long must be disqualified. COLOR- The color of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever must be nearly that of its working surroundings as possible. Any color of brown, sedge, or deadgrass is acceptable, selfcolored Chesapeakes being preferrred. One color is not to be preferred over another. A white spot on the breast, belly, toes or back of feet (immediately above the large pad) is permissible, but the smaller the spot the better, solid colored preferrred. The color of the coat and its texture must be given every consideration when judging on the bench or in the ring. Honorable scars are not to be penalized.
Coat is a very important aspect in hunting. The most common color seen is the browns. It is so common because it is a dominant color and it is prefered in the ring. In the field is a different scenario. In the field the brown colors tend to stand out more than any other color. We prefer the standard from the ACC as listed below. Color is 4pts. The heavly oil coat is something that is not seen anymore. Selective breeding against it has made for a less oily coat. It is still best not to wash it to often but it can surely be washed on a regular basis.
COLOR IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER
Three basic colors are generally seen in the breed: Brown which includes all shades from a light cocoa (a silvered brown) to a deep bittersweet chocolate color; sedge which varies from a reddish yellow through a bright red to chestnut shades; deadgrass which takes in all shades of deadgrass, varying from a faded tan to a dull straw color. Historic records show that some of the deadgrass shades can be very light, almost white in appearance, while darker deadgrass colors can include diluted shades of brown called ash, that appear as either gray or taupe. The almost white and ash/taupe/gray shades are not commonly seen, but are acceptable. Eye color for these diluted shades, as with all coat colors, must be of yellowish or amber color. The difference between a sedge and a deadgrass is that the deadgrass shades contain no significant amount of red, while the sedge shades do have red. Coat and texture also play a factor in the perception of color.
The selfcolor pattern is preferred by the standard (One color with or without lighter and darker shadings of the same color). You will see dogs with varying degrees of other markings such as: masking on topskull, striping effect of light & dark through the body and on legs, distinct & indistinct saddle markings, agouti coloring and tan points. All are acceptable, they are just not preferred. They should not be disqualified. Considering that color counts for only 4 pts. in the Chesapeake standard, dogs with such markings should not be arbitrarily excluded from consideration. The other qualities of the dog that are more important to function, such as coat, angulation, head, balance and size, should be given the most consideration when judging. A good quality dog with minor pattern variations is preferable to a mediocre selfcolored specimen. It is true that these coloration patterns, at times, can be very pronounced. There have been judges who have disqualified dogs because of these patterns under the "specimens lacking breed characteristics" disqualification. Please note that characteristics is plural and color alone is not sufficient to warrant the use of this disqualification.
There are only two color disqualifications in the breed: blackcolored and white on any part of the body except breast, belly, toes or back of feet. The white disqualification seems to cause the most confusion. White which extends above the point of the sternum, whether connected or unconnected to white below, is a disqualifying location. White can also appear farther up on the neck and is often difficult to see. It is suggested that you lift up the head and exam this area for white. Premature graying does occur in this breed and should not be cause for disqualification. White is also allowed on the toes and on the back of the feet. The anatomical definition of foot is to be used when interpreting the Chesapeake standard. This means that the foot includes the carpal/tarsus, metacarpal/metatarsal and phalangeal areas. Legal white can also occur on the preputial region, or area of the sheath of the penis. The preputial region is a subregion of the pubic portion of the abdomen, in common terms belly. White in this location is not a disqualification either. An excellent text on comparative anatomy is Canine Anatomy, A Systemic Study, Donald R. Adams, Iowa State University Press 1986.
There also has been some confusion about eye color. The eye color of the Chesapeake is either a yellowish or amber color. There is no preference for either color over the other. Eye color does not necessarily have to match coat color e.g. a brown dog may have yellow eyes. While individual breeders may have a personal preference for eye and coat color to match, the standard DOES NOT require this. Brown dogs with light eyes or deadgrass/sedge dogs with dark eyes should not be faulted.
The standard also states a preference for solidcolored, meaning no white. This does not mean that a poorer conformed and coated specimen without white should be selected over a better quality animal with white. Again, consideration should be weighted to those qualities that are more important to function.
Notice how nicely the sedge and deadgrass blend into it's surroundings? Dogs with more pattern blend in more than the solid darker ones. Puppy coats typically have heavier shading than adult coats. Contrasts blend nicely with adult coats. Coats change color during sheds as well.
MORE ON CBRS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
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AMBER-NOT FOR SALE
AKC Brown Female
Height:
Weight: 70-75lbs
Amber is our talker. She always has something to say and is always smiling when she says it. We wish we spoke 'dog' because it would be interesting to see what she is saying. She fits right in with our 3 boys and must be the center of attention. She has a high drive and has never misses a retrieve. She is intense and doesn't give up easily. Her favorite game is to search for hidden toys, whether burried in the snow or deep in the corn field she won't give up until she comes back with it. Mostly she just loves to be part of the family and watch our kids.
Amber is just about ready to shed her coat in these pics.
It is still a toss up as to what Amber's favorite game is, tennis or frisbee toss. Even a combination of the two get her excited. Add water and she's in heaven.
Amber in her 'summer' coat.
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__________________________________________________ Chesapeakes are not "Labs" but a totally different breed of "Retriever". The officially recognized retriever group consists of Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly Coated Retrievers, Flat Coated Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers. For field events, the Irish Water Spaniel is also included in the retriever group. At certain retriever events in Canada, Standard Poodles may compete. Each breed has its own physical and personality traits and are not "interchangeable". According to the popular story, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was developed from two Newfoundland pups rescued, along with captain & crew, in 1807 from a sinking ship. The vessel had been bound for England where the carefully selected pups were to be sold. The pups, male & female were purchased by one of the rescuers and wound up on opposite sides of the Chesapeake Bay. These two developed into outstanding water dogs and were bred to other types of "ducking dogs" already used in the Chesapeake Bay area. The first Chesapeake was registered with the National American Kennel Club in 1878. The American Kennel Club was founded in 1884 and the studbook was open to Chesapeakes from the beginning. The first standard was written in 1890. The Chesapeake breed has always been known as waterfowl specialists. However, with more breeding for field trials and hunt tests, the breed has become more of an all-round dog. Some Chessies regard flushing work as beneath their dignity but many are excellent upland hunters. Some even point!
BENELLE-NOT FOR SALE
AKC Deadgrass Male
Height:
Weight:65-70lbs
Ben is a diehard retriever in the water and a door stop in the off season. His color is the perfect camouflage in the field. We don't cover him at all when in the field. We searched for quite along time for a smaller deadgrass male and we finally found him! He's large enough to handle our cold late season hunts and agile enough that he'll go all day on a hot pheasant hunt. We couldn't ask for a better all around chesi. He has phenomenal pups that have strong instincts at an early age. He is also the perfect size and temperament to use in our weimapeake breeding program.
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Sage--NOT FOR SALE
AKC Sedge Female
Weight 81lbs
Sage is one of the most mellow dogs we have at our farm. She is very easy going and listens well. She is a solid retriever and can end a game without going crazy. She gets along with everyone she meets and adors watching over our kids. She is very agreeable for a chesi. We don't hear a peep from her unless there is a stanger on the property and then settles when the 'boss' gives the command. She loves water, especially when there is mud around.
The below 3 pics show her nice coat. It's still coming back from her 1st litter of pups but still gives a good ideas as to how nice her coat is. She gets the deep red coloring in her summer coat.
Sage's summer coat
Better info on CBRS
CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER
BREED INFORMATION
FACT OR FICTION?
Chesapeakes are "a kind of Lab".
Chessies are a new breed.
Chesapeakes are only for duck & goose hunting.
How are they different?
Many people have a belief that all the retriever breeds are alike in temperament, differing only in coat type and colour. This type of thinking will only lead to disappointment at best and disaster in a worse case senario. This is why Chesapeake breeders spend much of their time persuading callers to look at another breed.
Why are you looking for a Chesapeake?
The first tipoff is often one of these lines. "I really like the looks of chocolate Labs but everyone has them. I want something different"- "I thought about a Golden retriever but don't like long hair. "How much do Chesapeakes shed?"- "I heard that Chesapeakes are bigger than Labradors, do they come in black?"
Do you really understand the difference?
These callers might have read that Chesapeakes are more protective, are hard headed, one man dogs, etc. They may understand the words but still think that these are very minor differences. They are not. Chesapeake traits make these dogs quite unlike most Goldens & Labradors.
Protectiveness- the pros
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Protectiveness- the cons
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Other Chesapeake traits.
The Chesapeake is often described as hard-headed, stubborn and difficult to train. Whatever the trait is called, (we prefer single-minded, capable of independent work, etc.) the result is a dog that is less "biddable" than Goldens or Labs. Tell a Chesapeake to jump and s/he doesn't ask "how high" but "why". If you have the dog's respect and can provide a good explanation, then s/he will obey. People who want instant obedience with little or no training should look at a different breed.
One man dog?
The Chessie has a reputation for being a "one man dog". They certainly are less willing to obey or work for people they don't know than many other breeds. Our dogs are all taught to be polite with strangers as we have many people coming and going around the kennel. Many visitors are disappointed when we let these friendly, tail-wagging dogs out of their kennels. Most of the dogs ignore or give a half-hearted greeting to the strangers, then run over to see one of us.
Overcoming this trait.
This "one person" type loyalty can cause problems in a family situation. The dog will obey the person they have bonded with and totally ignore others in the family. This tendency can be overcome by having everyone work with the dog. Some hunters want the dog to be bonded only to them. A much better idea for keeping peace in the family is to have the spouse/children do obedience work with the dog while hunting training is done by the hunter. The dog gets more practice, realizes that all family members are higher status and gets to enjoy more social contact
Chesapeakes are very people and dog aggressive.
There still are some Chesapeakes that are aggressive. For a number of years, concerned breeders, have been working to produce a milder mannered dog better suited to today's society, while keeping those traits that make the Chesapeake different. Dog aggression can still be a problem in the breed, especially if the owner's personal space and/or possessions are encroached upon by another dog. A typical hunt scene shows each Chesapeake keeping watch over their owner's bag limit. This tendency can be controlled by obedience training and proper socialization. Many Chesapeakes live harmoniously in multi-dog, multi-animal families. However, they are not Golden or Labrador Retrievers. Adult male and females have to be supervised around strange dogs.
A Chesapeake will only work for one person.
Most Chesapeakes will only deliver birds to the person they are hunting with. If they are trained and handled only by one member of the family, they will be "one person dogs". If all members participate in activities & obedience training, all of them will be able to handle the dog. The dog may still have a favourite family member but will obey others. Chesapeakes tend to be rather aloof with strangers.
Chesapeakes need heavy handed training methods.
Chesapeakes are usually physically tough but cannot take the stress of the very structured methods that many Labradors thrive on. Especially when young, Chessies will tend to shut down and quit retrieving or even get snappy when pushed too far. Not all Chesapeakes are like this and field trial lines usually can take more pressure type training. Most Chesapeakes respond well to fair but firm training and lots of opportunities to learn "on the job".
A Chesapeake has to live outdoors.
The more time spent in close contact with their families the better. Chesapeakes will adapt as kennel dogs and are often kept outside or in a cooler area of the home during hunting season to allow better coat growth. They need to spend time with their owners each day to develop the best bonding and desire to please.
All Chesapeakes weigh 90-100 lbs or more.
There are many large Chesapeakes around, however, the standard calls for a male 23"-26" at the highest point of the shoulder blade and 21-24" for females. Weights are given as 65-80 lbs for males and 55-70 for females. [This is the AKC standard, there are slight difference in the CKC version] There are many oversized dogs, very few undersized. It is possible to find the type of Chesapeake you want, from 55 lb "canoe dogs" to 100 lb, massive bodied dogs for late season sea duck hunting. Oversized dogs often do not have as good hip structure and can be prone to elbow and shoulder problems but, with careful research, some very sound large dogs can be found.
