Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever was developed along the Chesapeake Bay to hunt waterfowl under adverse weather and water conditions, often having to break ice during the course of many strenuous multiple retrieves.

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 which tends to wave on shoulders, neck, back and loins. This "waterproof" coat feels slightly oily compared to other members of the same family. Three basic colours are generally seen in the breed: brown, which includes all shades from a light cocoa (a silvered brown) to a deep bittersweet chocolate colour; sedge, which varies from a reddish yellow through a bright red to chestnut shades; and dead grass, which takes in all shades of dead grass, varying from a faded tan to a dull straw colour. 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 Chesapeake is valued for its bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, and affectionate protective nature.

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