rec.pets.dogs: Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Breed-FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore
Posting-frequency: 30 days
Last-modified: 09 Nov 1994
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CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVERS
Authors
* Originally written by William Millios, 18 May 92
* Currently maintained by Cindy Tittle Moore, (tit...@netcom.com)
Last modified 22 Sep 94.
_________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
* History
* Characteristics and Temperament
* Frequently Asked Questions
* Description
* Recognized
* Special Medical Problems
* Resources
+ Books
+ Email List
+ Breed Rescue Organizations
+ Breed Clubs
_________________________________________________________________
History
It all began in the year 1807 when an English ship was wrecked off the
coast of Maryland. Fortunately, all hands were saved including two
puppies. One was a reddish male named Sailor, and the other a young,
black bitch named Canton in honor of the rescuing ship. The puppies
were of the St. John's Newfoundland breed, used at the time to help
fishermen recover their nets. Both were given homes in the Chesapeake
Bay area, and as a result of their disposition toward water, were
trained and used as duck retrievers.
While Sailor and Canton were never bred to each other, they are
considered to be the original breeding stock of the present
Chesapeakes. However there have been numerous theories concerning
which crosses were instrumental in maintaining and enhancing the
desirable characteristics of the breed. It is believed that the Curly
and Flat-Coated Retrievers, the Irish Water Spaniel, several setter
breeds, and coonhounds, along with local duck retrievers, played a
part in the development of a definite, true-breeding type of dog by
1885. This breed of dog became known for their courage and prowess
exhibited in the icy cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Recognition of
their unique abilities led to careful developmental breeding resulting
in the Chesapeake we know today.
The first Chesapeake Bay Retriever was registered by the American
Kennel Club in 1878. The present American Chesapeake Club was
recognized by the AKC in 1918, becoming the first member breed club
for retrievers.
Characteristics and Temperament
PET AND COMPANION
The Chesapeake is a multi-purpose dog, a marvelous companion, and an
individualist. His coat requires little grooming and no clipping. A
weekly brushing keeps the coat clean and in top condition. The
Chesapeake becomes firmly attached to his owner and family. He often
has a special affinity for children, and will tolerate much
"roughhousing".
The Chesapeake is more headstrong and stubborn than his oft-compared
counterpart, the Labrador. He requires a good amount of exercise and
will be bored and destructive without it. Becuase he is a retrieving
breed, he is likely to chew quite a lot throughout puppyhood and
adolescence. Because he will grow to be relatively large, it is
imperative to do at least minimal obedience training so that he does
not jump on people or pull on the leash.
HUNTING
The Chesapeake is first and foremost a superb hunting dog. With
minimum training, he will retrieve ducks, doves, quail, pheasants, or
almost anything else you throw him. His excellent nose will nearly
always bring a cripple to bag. Chesapeakes have an extraordinary
ability to remember multiple falls. The Chesapeake is known for his
love of the water and especially water retrieves. There are many
well-authenticated stories of Chesapeakes retrieving as many as 200
ducks in a single day under punishing conditions. This kind of
stubborness and tenacity is readily evident in his temperament -- this
is never a soft dog.
SHOW, OBEDIENCE, AND TRACKING
Preparation for the Breed or Show requires little grooming. Your
Chesapeake needs clean teeth and ears, whiskers clipped, and a good
brushing. At the same time you enter your dog in Breed, you can enter
Obedience. Novice work is a simple extension of the field training. A
desire to please on his part and patience on yours can quickly send
your Chesapeake on his way toward his CDX degree. Utility training
requires more extensive work, but the Chesapeake's superb nose quickly
masters scent discrimination. Chesapeakes are inherent trackers, thus
facilitating training for a Tracking Degree.
FIELD TRIAL CONTENDERS
The present day Chesapeake is fast and stylish. He is noted for his
intelligence and loyalty. His excellent sight makes him a "natural"
marking dog: a quality that cannot be taught. The desire to please
makes the Chesapeake a proficient handling dog.
CHOOSING A PUPPY
A puppy should have sound temperament, be in good health, and conform
to the breed standard. If possible, spend some time with the litter,
observing the individual characteristics of each puppy in action with
littermates. Puppies should be retrieving a rolled-up sock or bird at
seven weeks with no signs of shyness. Noises should not be an
upsetting factor. An indication of good socialization is a pup's
eagerness to approach strangers. Coat color can change, either
becoming darker or lighter with maturity. Usually around eleven weeks
the puppy will begin to develop a more mature coat. The Board of
Directors strongly recommends that parents be certified free of hip
dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and certified free
of hereditary eye diseases by the Canine Eye Registration Foundation,
Inc. Look carefully at the parents as the offspring should be similar
in conformation and temperament.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Aren't Chesapeakes a kind of Labrador?
No, although the breeds are related. In CBR's, the ears are set
higher, and the legs tend to be longer. CBR's are not as stocky as
Labradors and they have a different topline. The coat of a Labrador
is not woolly. Moreover, CBR's only come in various shades of brown,
whereas Labradors can be yellow, black, or chocolate. The easiest
way to distinguish a chocolate Labrador from a dark Chessie is by
the lighter pigment on the Chessie's nose and the woolliness and
curliness of its coat.
Description
Offical Breed Standard (approved November 9, 1976, condensed)
Head: skull is broad and round with medium stop and medium short
muzzle, pointed but not sharp. Lips thin, not pendulous. Ears are
small and set well up on head, hanging loosely and of medium length.
Eyes are medium large, very clear, yellow to amber in color.
Neck: medium length with a strong muscular appearance, tapering to
shoulders.
Shoulder, Chest and Body: shoulders are sloping and should have full
liberty of action with plenty of power without any restrictions of
movement. Chest is strong, deep and wide. Barrel is round and deep.
Body is of medium length, neither cobby nor roached, but rather
approaching hollowness, flanks well tucked up.
Hindquarters and Stifles: hindquarters should be as high or a trifle
higher than the shoulders. They should show fully as much power as the
forequarters. There should be no tendency to weakness in either fore
or hindquarters. Hindquarters should be especially powerful to supply
the driving power for swimming. Back should be short, well-coupled and
powerful. Good hindquarters are essential. Stifles should be
well-angulated.
Legs, Elbows, Hocks and Feet: legs should be medium length and
straight, showing good bone and muscle, with well-webbed hare feet of
good size. The toes are well rounded and close, pasterns slightly bent
and both pasterns and hocks medium length - the straighter the legs
the better, when viewed from front or rear. Dewclaws, if any, must be
removed from the hind legs. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed. A
dog with dewclaws on the hind legs must be disqualified.
Tail: tail should extend to hock. It should be medium heavy at base.
Moderate feathering on stern and tail is permissible. Tail should be
straight or slightly curved. Tail should not curl over back or side
kink.
Coat and Texture: coat should be thick and short, nowhere over 1 1/2
inches long, with a dense fine woolly undercoat. Hair on face and legs
should be very short and straight with tendency to wave on the
shoulders, neck, back and loins only. The curly coat or coat with a
tendency to curl not permissible. The texture of the dog's coat is
very important, as the dog 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 woolly undercoat is of extreme value in
preventing the cold water from reaching the dog'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 he leaves the water and shakes
himself, his coat should not hold the water at all, merely being
moist. Color and coat are extremely important, as the dog is used for
duck hunting. The color must be as nearly that of his surroundings as
possible and with the fact that the dogs are exposed to all kinds of
weather conditions, often working in ice and snow, the color of coat
and its texture must be given every consideration when judging on the
bench or in the ring.
Color: any color varying from a dark brown to a faded tan or
deadgrass. Deadgrass takes in any shade of deadgrass, varying from a
tan to a dull straw color. White spot on breast, toes and belly
permissible, but the smaller the spot the better. Solid and
self-colored dogs are preferred.
Weight: males, 65 to 80 pounds; females 55 to 70 pounds.
Height: males, 23 inches to 26 inches; females, 21 inches to 24
inches. Oversized or undersized dogs are to be severely penalized.
Recognized
American Kennel Club
Canadian Kennel Club
(plus others)
Special Medical Problems
Chesapeakes are susceptible to hip dysplasia as well as other joint
problems. All breeding stock should be x-rayed and certified clear of
hip dysplasia by the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals).
They are also susceptible to an eye disease called PRA (Progressive
Retinal Atrophy). This insidious disease of the eyes eventually causes
blindness. It is believed to be inherited by a simple recessive mode.
This means that for a dog to be affected, both parents must be either
carriers or affected themselves. The problem is that this disease has
a late onset where the dogs do not show symptoms until they are over
four years of age, in which case they may have already been bred.
Carriers show no symptoms. All breeding stock should be examined
annually and have their eyes cleared through CERF (Canine Eye
Registration Foundation).
Resources
BOOKS
Horn, Janet and Dr. Daniel Horn. The New Complete Chesapeake Bay
Retriever. Howell Book House, 1994.
EMAIL LIST
Wilf Leblanc (wi...@zeus.achilles.net) maintains an email list for
owners of Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. To subscribe, send email to
CHESSIE-...@NYX10.CS.DU.EDU with the single word subscribe in
the subject line.
BREED RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS
BREEDERS
(The following breeders are advertisers in the monthly magazine
PBD/AKG, the offical publication of the AKC; neither the AKC nor the
author of this FAQ recommends, endorses, nor rates these breeders,
their kennels, or their stock.)
Anderson, Mr. & Mrs. Ronald
3984 Farm Ln.
Monrovia, MD 21770
301-831-9743
Baldwin, W. Chase & Dyane
RD 2, Box 287A
Pond Hollow
Newport, PA 17074
717-582-4997
Chalkley, Lindsey
Rt. 5, Box 925-PB
Canyon Lake, TX 78133
512-964-3191
Fischer, Shirl
P.O. Box 332
Palm Harbor, FL 34682
813-786-3612
Horn, Mrs. Daniel
Eastern Waters
RD 1, Box 357A
Frenchtown, NJ 08825
908-996-4922
Horn, Nat
Eastern Waters MD
Highland, MD 20777
301-854-2455
BREED CLUBS
American Chesapeake Club
Ms. Janel E. Hopp
1705 RD 76
Pasco, WA 99301
_________________________________________________________________
Chesapeake Bay Retriever FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, tit...@netcom.com