- The colour of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever must be as nearly that of its working surroundings as possible.
- Preferred: Any colour of brown, sedge or deadgrass is acceptable, self-coloured Chesapeakes being
- Preferred: One colour is not to be over another
- Permissible: A white spot on the breast, belly, toes, or back of the feet (immediately above the large pad), but the smaller the spot the better, solid coloured
- The colour of the coat and its texture must be given every consideration when judging on the bench or in the ring.
- Honorable scars are not to be penalized
About the Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Origin: United States Of America
- Typical life span
- 10-13 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 29-36 kg
- Female
- 25-32 kg
- Height
- Male
- 58-66 cm
- Female
- 53-61 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs
- Origin
- United States Of America
- Known hereditary risks
- 6 documented conditions, with the test for each
About
What is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever?
A powerful, muscular gundog with distinctive wavy, waterproof double coat and amber eyes, bred for retrieving waterfowl in the harsh conditions of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay Retriever history and origins
Developed in the 19th century along the Chesapeake Bay from two shipwrecked Newfoundland-type puppies (Sailor and Canton) bred with local retrievers to create a water gundog capable of withstanding icy conditions and retrieving waterfowl in harsh environments
Chesapeake Bay Retriever appearance and size
Males typically weigh 29-36 kg and stand 58-66 cm at the shoulder; females 25-32 kg and 53-61 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Retriever equally proficient on land and in the water
- Behaviour and temperament
“The Chesapeake is valued for its bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, and to work, affectionate protective nature. Courage, willingness alertness, nose, intelligence, love of water, general quality and, most of all, disposition should be given primary consideration in the selection and breeding of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Extreme shyness or extreme aggressive tendencies are not desirable in the breed either as a gun dog or companion”
Quoted from FCI standard n°263. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Retriever equally proficient on land and in the water” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 4 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 6 conditions documented
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever
What you get with the Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Retriever equally proficient on land and in the water”
- The standard describes the breed as: “The Chesapeake is valued for its bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, and to work,…”
What you are taking on
- 6 serious inherited conditions are documented, mainly in bones & joints and brain & nerves. The health guide tab has the test to ask for on each.
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “Moderate feathering on rear of hindquarters and tail is permissible.”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; American Chesapeake Club — Breed Health Statement (Board Motion 16:39, 11 Sept 2016). One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged preferred and permissible.
Coat
Coat should be thick and short, nowhere over 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) long, with a dense, fine, woolly undercoat.
Hair on the face and legs should be very short and straight with a tendency to wave on the shoulders, neck, back and loins only.
Moderate feathering on rear of hindquarters and tail is permissible.
The texture of the Chespeake's coat is very important, as the Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake'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 the Chesapeake leaves the water and shakes, the coat should not hold water at all, being merely moist
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°263 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Chesapeake Bay Retriever in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Known hereditary risks for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
6 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Bones & joints
Hip dysplasia
Serious
Malformation of the hip joint that can progress to osteoarthritis. Freedom from it is named in the breed parent club's official, board-approved health statement.
What to ask for
Hip evaluation from OFA or a BVA/KC hip score on both parents
Elbow dysplasia
Serious
Developmental abnormalities of the elbow joint causing pain, lameness and a predisposition to arthritis. Freedom from it is named in the breed parent club's official health statement.
What to ask for
Elbow evaluation from OFA on both parents
Brain & nerves
Exercise-induced collapse (EIC)
Serious
Affected dogs develop wobbly hindquarters or partial hind-limb paralysis after intense, excited exercise. A breed-specific carrier rate of around 17%, with roughly 3% affected, has been reported.
What to ask for
DNA test for the DNM1 gene mutation on both parents
Degenerative myelopathy (DM)
Serious
A slow, progressive disease of the spinal cord causing weakness and eventual paralysis of the hind legs, typically in older dogs. There is no cure, only management.
What to ask for
DNA test for the SOD1 gene mutation on both parents
Eyes
Progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA) and hereditary eye disease
Serious
Progressive, incurable degeneration of the retina leading to blindness, occasionally seen in this breed alongside other inherited eye conditions screened for on annual exam.
What to ask for
DNA test for prcd-PRA plus an annual ACVO ophthalmologist eye exam, on both parents
Skin & coat
Ectodermal dysplasia / skin fragility syndrome
Serious
A rare inherited skin disorder causing extremely fragile skin that blisters or tears from birth, especially around the ears, mouth and feet. The causative mutation was identified specifically in this breed.
What to ask for
DNA test for the PKP1 gene mutation on both parents
How long the Chesapeake Bay Retriever lives, in the records
Median survival 11,6 years
95% confidence interval from 10,5 years, upper bound not estimable, from 42 recorded deaths among 129 dogs
Mortality hazard 1.16 (0.85, 1.56) relative to crossbred dogs, whose median is 12,0 years.
Few deaths recorded for this breed, so the figure is imprecise.
Measured in the United Kingdom from 584.734 dogs. Median survival is not a prediction for an individual dog.
McMillan, K.M., Bielby, J., Williams, C.L., Upjohn, M.M., Casey, R.A. & Christley, R.M. (2024) Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531.
Gallery
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Puppies
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