In the winter of 1807, two Newfoundlands were brought to Maryland on an English ship.

The two dogs were given to a family and were later mixed with local retrievers. This breed was first used for hunting in the Chesapeake Bay and later revealed to be an outstanding retriever.

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever’s color can vary from dark brown to faded tan or deadgrass. Little white spots can appear on the chest and the toes.

The outer coat is thick and short, the undercoat, dense and woolly. The hairs on the face and the legs are very short and straight, with a tendency to wave on the shoulders, the back and the neck.

The Chesapeake is friendly, loving and affectionate with family and the children. This is an intelligent and obedient breed, however a little slow to learn and with a mind of their own. They are willing, courageous and strong with a tendency to be very territorial. The Chesapeake is different from other retrievers as it tends to be more aggressive and reserved with strangers. This dog is also very slow to mature.

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is prone to hip dysplasia and hereditary eye diseases.

The Chesapeake needs to be brushed regularly to remove dead hairs and needs occasional bathing to prevent little odors, but not too often.

The owner of a Chesapeake Bay Retriever must be experienced and confident. These dogs like to have it their own way so the training should be made with authority, but kindly. The Chesapeake can be prone to dominance problems so it’s important to socialize and train them properly. This dogs needs a dominant master that knows how to handle it.

The Chesapeake needs a lot of daily exercise, including swimming if possible or they can become bored and show bad behavior.