Chesapeake Bay Retriever

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Origin and history of the breed in Denmark

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are breeds bred by professional duck and goose hunters who needed dogs that were willing to retrieve, were persistent and, not least, strong when it came to post-shoot work. A breed of dog that could also work in difficult terrain and that was almost tireless when put on tough retrieving tasks in Chesapeake Bay. These hunters relied on being able to shoot as many birds as possible to then get them to market, and so found these dogs perfectly suited for their purpose.

Reliable and sturdy dog

According to literature on the breed, the Chesapeake dates back to 1807, when an English boat sank off the coast of Chesapeake Bay. The crew and 2 Newfoundland puppies were rescued ashore. The owner of the boat was very interested in the Newfoundland and bought a male and a bitch from the best line. However, the captain later sold the two puppies, both of whom earned a good reputation as retrieving water dogs and were used for hunting water-based birds and geese. As far as is known, the two dogs were never crossed with each other, but they were crossed with local "coonhounds” and the result was a relatively homogeneous type, which was extremely sturdy with strong retrieving skills and a love of water. They went by the name of Chesapeake Bay Ducking Dogs. The Chesapeake was reinvented in the 19th century, and was recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1878. The exact breeding standard currently in force can be found on the club's website. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever has been in Denmark for almost 100 years, where the first two dogs were imported from the America. However, it took a number of years for the breed to make its "breakthrough” in the country. So it was not until the mid-1960s that these dogs were imported from the Netherlands and the US. It is also during this period that the first Danish-born puppy litters were registered in the Danish Kennel Club.

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Persistent and efficient

These highly committed breeders founded the line of Chesapeake Retrievers that we see active in Denmark today. Even though it was a slightly difficult start for the breed in Denmark, it is now an established gun dog that is part of the Danish Retriever Club. The club organises a wide range of activities all year round, offering advice and guidance in on gun dog training and shows. The website offers great learning opportunities and dog socialisation events, especially useful for new dog owners.

OTHER RETRIEVER BREEDS

Curly-coated

Labrador

GOLDEN

Flat-coated

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The Chesapeake as a gun dog

The Chesapeake loves to work and possesses great persistence and raw power. This places demands on the training, and as a new dog owner, it may be a good idea to take advantage of the club's offer of advice and guidance in order to get the skilled gun dog you want. One of the strengths of this breed is its great enthusiasm for water. The Chesapeake is truly built for water. It stands out from the other breeds because its hind legs, which are extra long to make it an efficient swimmer. It also has webbed skin between its toes. The breed has a long, strong tail to help the dog navigate the waves. A Chesapeake does not give up and shows great perseverance.

A Chesapeake combines effective hunting with an appearance that is typical of the breed. A ”dual-purpose dog”. The breed has been bred to retrieve and with a core skill in water work. In short, it has been bred to work all day at an effective pace. The Chesapeake can of course also be trained to search in short ranges under the gun and/or operate in hunts, so it's not ”just" a post-shoot dog. It is quick and usually close to its handler. It is also an excellent tracking dog, and many of these dogs have been included in the Schweisshund Register, and several Chesapeakes have done well in Bloodhound tracking trials in Denmark. A Chesapeake is a lovely family dog, but requires an active life. It needs to be kept active and both muscles and mind need to be kept stimulated.

Appearance and size

Most Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are brown. The term "the Chessie rainbow” covers the breed's many colours that allow any colour of brown, sedge and deadgrass, which is why the breed standard list a whole eight colour variants. The hallmark of the breed is its coat, where you see a short and dense coat with a strong undercoat that protects against cold. The coat is curly and the right coat is never curly on the legs. On the head, the fur is short and straight, the "Deadgrass" colour is similar to wispy grass, and the "Sedge" colour resembles reeds. Another distinctive trait is the eye colour, which is yellow to amber. The Chesapeake has a powerful and athletic appearance. Males weigh approx. 35-40 kg and bitches approx. 25-32 kg. In terms of height, the ideal size for males is 58-66 cm, and 53-61 cm for bitches.

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