Do you want a strong, dependable dog? Have you considered the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers?The breed was developed in the United States Chesapeake Bay area during the 1800's. They are very alert dogs with an eager-to-please attitude. They have natural instincts to hunt and they are strong and agile creatures.
Nicknamed as 'Chessie', they are regarded as more serious and more powerful among other retrievers. Their appearance is almost similar to Labrador retrievers. They are large with a powerful and muscular build. Primarily, they are good hunting companions but they also make nice family pets.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are superb hunting dogs very capable of retrieving animals especially game fowls in icy waters. These retrievers are oozing with machismo that it is viewed as the man's man of retrievers.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are not for just anyone. They are very strong-willed and independent. A Chessie owner must establish its dominance over the dog. As a master, there must be a strong presence of natural authority over the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. If not, the dog will develop dominance problems if it senses the owners are passive, meek, or timid and they will be very difficult to handle. Handlers need to be confident and must assert a pack leadership over Chessies.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are very discriminating to strangers and they are not as happy-go-lucky as other breeds of retrievers. Chessies are very territorial and can be very aggressive when they feel that their territory is threatened. They will make good guard dogs with this innate characteristic. They are alert and very protective!
Chessies are trainable although they are quite slow to learn. They can adapt easily to basic obedience training but are poor trick dogs. They can be easily distracted and that can make training even more difficult. If you want to train them, be consistent and train Chessies in short durations, about 4-7 minutes a few times a day. Later you can go longer as the dog improves and matures.
They need regular physical and mental stimulation. Exercises are a must for this breed. Chessies need to vent their energy through play and working out. Otherwise, they will become rambunctious and bored. It is good for their well-being if they are able to use their muscles frequently.
Also, they are very good swimmers and they love the water very much. It is great training for retrieving to have them to retrieve objects from the water. They are fun to play with and their energy seems inexhaustible. An ideal dog for a large family with a lot of kids, they are rugged and will do just about anything to have fun.
Surprisingly, even with their strong temperament, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are usually slow to mature. And unfortunately, they are prone to health problems. They are likely to suffer from skin, and joint diseases.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers may have varying temperaments and can be very mild or almost overly protective of their family, it largely depends on their hereditary traits and the way they are trained.
by T Brown
