Chesapeake Bay Retrievers 101

Apr 7th 2010

Name: Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Personality: The Dog Breed Info Center says that Chesapeake Bay retrievers are "brave and obedient... affectionate, loving, friendly and good with children." The American Chesapeake Club adds that the breed "should also exhibit courage, willingness to work, alertness, intelligence, love of water."

Grooming: "The dense, harsh, short-haired coat is oily with a distinct smell and is easy to groom," says the Dog Breed Info Center of the Chessie's fur. "Brush with a firm bristle brush to remove the dead hairs. While the Chesapeake needs the occasional bath to prevent any noticeable odor, they should not be bathed so often that the oily texture is stripped out. The oily coat helps protect the dog from icy waters. This breed is an average shedder."

Common Health Issues: A 2004 study sponsored by the American Chesapeake Club found that the most common ailments reported in the breed were hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, seizures, and canine cancers. Less frequent conditions included cataracts, thyroid issues, muscular and skeletal issues and degenerative myelopathy. While most of these conditions are common throughout many dog breeds, degenerative myelopathy is a "progressive neurological disease resulting in spinal cord tissue destruction, causing affected dogs to loose hind limb mobility, which worsens until they can no longer walk," according to the ACC, which has conducted extensive research on the prevalence of degenerative myelopathy in Chessies.