The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is
a large-sized breed of dog belonging to the Retriever, Gundog, and Sporting
breed groups. Members of the breed may also be referred to as a Chessie, CBR,
or Chesapeake. The breed was developed in the United States Chesapeake Bay area
during the 19th century. Historically used by area market hunters to retrieve
waterfowl, it is primarily a family pet and hunting companion. They are often
known for their love of water and their ability to hunt. It is a medium to large
sized dog similar in appearance to the Labrador Retriever. The Chesapeake has a
wavy coat, rather than the Labrador's smooth coat. They are described as having
a bright and happy disposition, courage, willingness to work, alertness,
intelligence, and love of water as some of their characteristics.
Description
Appearance
Distinctive
features include eyes that are very clear, of yellowish or amber hue,
hindquarters as high or a trifle higher than the shoulders, and a double-coat
that tends to wave on shoulders, neck, back, and loins. The waterproof coat
feels slightly oily and is often associated with a slight musky odor. Three
basic colors are generally seen in the breed: brown, which includes all shades
from a light to a deep dark brown; sedge, which varies from a reddish yellow
through a bright red to chestnut shades; and deadgrass in all its shades,
varying from a faded tan to a dull straw color. The breed standard states that
white may also appear but it must be limited to the breast, belly, toes, or
back of the feet. The head is round and broad with a medium stop and muzzle.
The lips are thin, and the ears are small and of medium leather. The forelegs
should be straight with good bone. The hindquarters are especially strong and
the toes webbed since excellent swimming ability is important for the
Chesapeake. This breed is also known for its large and powerful chest, used to
break apart ice when diving into cold water while duck hunting.
Coat
The
coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is given the most consideration of any
trait listed on the Positive Scale of Points in the Breed Standard. However the
AKC Standard also reads "The question of coat and general type of balance
takes precedence over any scoring table which could be drawn up. The Chesapeake
should be well proportioned, an animal with a good coat and well balanced in
other points being preferable to one excelling in some but weak in
others." The hair on the face and legs should be very short and straight
with a tendency to wave, never curl, on the shoulders, neck, back, and loins
only and nowhere over 1.5 inches long. Moderate feathering on the rear of the
hindquarters and tail is permissible although not longer than 1.75 inches
long.[5] The texture of the thick double-coat is important in protecting the
dog from cold water and icy conditions. The oil in the harsh outer coat and
woolly undercoat resists water, keeping the dog dry and warm. Maintenance of
the coat is minimal and mainly consists of brushing with a short-tooth brush
once a week. It is difficult to get a Chesapeake Bay Retriever thoroughly wet,
but they should be bathed every 3–4 months using a suitably mild shampoo, then
dried thoroughly. Brushing or bathing more often can ruin the texture since it
strips the protective oil from the coat and may even remove the undercoat.The
color of the coat must be similar to the working surroundings. Any color of
brown, sedge or deadgrass is acceptable and one color is not preferred over
another. The American Chesapeake Club includes a discussion on color:
Three
basic colors are generally seen in the breed: Brown which includes all shades
from a light cocoa (a silvered brown) to a deep bittersweet chocolate color;
sedge which varies from a reddish yellow through a bright red to chestnut
shades; deadgrass which takes in all shades of deadgrass, varying from a faded
tan to a dull straw color. Historic records show that some of the deadgrass
shades can be very light, almost white in appearance, while darker deadgrass
colors can include diluted shades of brown called ash, that appear as either
gray or taupe. The almost white and ash/taupe/gray shades are not commonly
seen, but are acceptable.
The
difference between a sedge and a deadgrass is that the deadgrass shades contain
no significant amount of red, while the sedge shades do have red. Coat and
texture also play a factor in the perception of color. The self-color pattern
is preferred by the standard (One color with or without lighter and darker
shadings of the same color). You will see dogs with varying degrees of other
markings such as: masking on top of the skull, striping effect of light &
dark through the body and on legs, distinct & indistinct saddle markings,
agouti coloring and tan points. All are acceptable, they are just not
preferred.
A
white spot on the breast (not extending above the sternum), belly, toes or back
of the feet is permissible, but the smaller the spot the better. White beyond
these areas and black anywhere on the body is not allowed in the breed
standard.
Temperament
The
quintessential Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a bright and happy disposition,
intelligence, quiet good sense, and an affectionate protective nature. Some can
be quite vocal when happy, and some will 'smile' by baring their front teeth in
a peculiar grin - this is not a threat but a sign of joy or submissiveness.
Chesapeake
Bay Retrievers can make excellent family dogs when socialized properly. Some
Chesapeakes are assertive and willful and may be reserved with strangers, but
others are passive and outgoing with people.
Training
Health
The
breed is subject to a number of hereditary diseases. These include, but are not
limited to:
·
Hip dysplasia
·
Progressive retinal atrophy
·
Type 3 von Willebrand disease
·
Cataract
·
Regional Alopecia in both sexes
A UK
Kennel Club survey puts the median lifespan of the breed at 10.75 years
(average 9.85).[17] A US breed club survey puts the average lifespan at 9.4
years. 1 in 4 lived to 13 years or more while 1 in 5 don't live past 5 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment