The story behind the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers is an amazing history that comes from two Newfoundland puppies which were rescued from a shipwrecked brig, right off the coast of Maryland in the United States of America. This event happened back in 1807 and is a very stirring story.

Along with the majority of the ship's cargo, these two little puppies had their lives rescued and were handed over to rescuers who took good care of them. One little pup was black and the other was red. They were soon found to be very intelligent and capable water retrievers. Once their skill became known, they were bred with local retrievers and other breed types, which are referred to as the Bloodhound, Irish Water Spaniel, and Newfoundland Dog.

After a while, a very unique local breed started to came into view. The outcome was a dog that could actually swim through the icy cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay and take duck time and time again. Even to this very day, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever demonstrates an inherent ability to mark a spot where a bird has dropped and remember accurately how to get back to that spot, even from distance miles.

Its reputation caught up with the dog breed exceeding the Chesapeake Bay area and by the year 1885, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was placed on the record by the AKC. It has stayed rather popular ever since then.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever's Personality

I guarantee that you probably already know by now that this dog is a good swimmer and totally loves outdoor action and water. Chesapeake Bay Retriever's are also known as very independent animals and very eager to learn new things. For owners of this animal, it can be very protective and also aloof when around strangers. So, this makes the Chesapeake Bay Retriever a very good watchdog.

How to Take Care Of Your New Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is also known to be a very large and very active dog. So, if you want to own a dog like this, you have to make sure that it is involved exercise on a day to day basis. Obviously water games and retrieving is placed at the base of the list if you live near this type of area. On the other hand, day to day walks and playing fetching games will do quite well for any proud owner of a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Grooming is easy although it may take a little brushing on a weekly basis. This is because of the dog's long and wavy coat. On the other hand, it hardly ever needs to be washed.

Health Info For Your Pet

Lastly, but certainly not least, Chesapeake Bay Retriever dogs have a lifeline of up to fourteen years, with eleven to twelve being the norm. These animals are very healthy with only CHD and gastric torsion being major issues. The minor health issues that may take place are PRA and hypothyroidism.