| DO CHESAPEAKES MAKE GOOD FAMILY PETS? |
| Yes, they thrive on being a part of the family, BUT must be
socialized and obedience trained early on. Early months are critical - your chessie
needs to experience many GOOD experiences. The Chessie takes his job of caring for
his family very seriously; he must have an owner that he knows is in control. Thus
the chessie; he must have an owner that he knows is in control so he will not feel
the need to take over. |
WILL A CHESSIE TRANSFER ITS AFFECTIONS & LOYALTY? |
| Yes, the breed is very intelligent and knows when good things
are happening. However, some take longer than others to settle into a new home. But
in time, as he feels safe and secure, the new family will be rewarded with much love,
respect and trust. |
SHOULD A CHESAPEAKE ALWAYS BE A HUNTING DOG? |
| Not necessarily. As much as a Chesapeake loves his field and
water work, he also loves his person/family and will enjoy sharing activities with
them.... hiking, games of fetch, obedience and agility work can all be 'jobs' to help
the chessie feel useful. Remember, the Chesapeake was bred to take care of his person's
belongings, as well as retrieve all he shot for market. This protective nature and
need to work are inherent.... it would not be a true Chesapeake if these qualities
were bred out. In the nearly 200 years since the Chesapeakes originated, the country
has changed; the dedicated market hunters on the Shores of the Chesapeake Bay are
no longer . Yet, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever still carries the drive and devotion
that made him the loyal working companion of that hunter of long ago. |
ARE CHESAPEAKES GOOD WITH CHILDREN? |
| Yes, with proper socialization and obedience work, a Chesapeake
can make a wonderful companion for children. However, a dog should never be left unsupervised
with children, especially ones who are excitable or overprotective. |
ARE CHESSIES LIKE LABS AND GOLDENS? |
| No, although they have common ancesters, Chesapeakes have a
different mind-set . The whole approach to training needs to be different - individually
geared to the nature of the Chessie. The fact that they are thinking dogs, coupled
with their stubbornness and perseverance, sets them apart from the other retrievers. |
HOW DO CHESSIES GET ALONG WITH OTHER DOGS, CATS, ETC. |
| This is an individual thing - a true chessie will 'live and
let live'..... not be too concerned for the other dog, unless there is a serious territorial
issue involved. However, some Chessies, with a very strong prey drive, are not to
be placed in homes with cats or other smaller animals. If brought up in these situations
from puppyhood, generally it works fine. A second-hand dog (rescue) might have issues,
thus the rehoming process needs to be very carefully evaluated. |
ARE THERE SPECIAL GROOMING NEEDS FOR A CHESAPEAKE? |
| Not really; we like to call them 'wash and wear' dogs. Low maintenance.
In the marsh this morning - in the show ring this afternoon. Basically, ear cleaning,
nail trimming, brushing out of dead hair (NOT a wire brush) and some teeth brushing
will keep your Chessie ready for any event. Bathing with a natural soap is an option....
chessies need the natural oils in their coat to repel the cold water; however, some
tend to have an odor peculiar to the breed - but not really a problem. These are dogs
that do not need to go to the Groomer - the owner should be able to do these basic
tasks... the better to stay acquainted with your companion. |
DO CHESAPEAKES HAVE PARTICULAR HEALTH PROBLEMS? |
| Yes, as in all breeds, there are tendencies for inherited health
problems. Hip Dysplasia, PRA and cataracts are the most prominent in the Chesapeakes.
When purchasing a new pup, you should see proof of hips and eye exams of each parent
before breeding. There are incidents of skin allergies, thyroid problems - but these
are very individual. When adopting a rescued dog, it has to be a leap of faith! |
SPECIAL FEEDING NEEDS? |
| Always use high quality food! Top brands now carry large breed
foods, often with dental care and joint therapy additives. Usually a diet of dry food
will suffice. But these brands carry companion canned foods -which should be used
sparingly. Kongs and nylabone chew toys help with the need to chew. Many of our dogs
coming into rescue have not had good diets, but after 4 to 6 weeks of top shelf feeding,
coats show remarked improvement. |
CAUTION |
| Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are NOT guard dogs and should not
be encouraged to be such. Their very nature is to be protective, and this needs to
be kept in careful check, not encouraged further. We cannot stress this enough, thus
the early socialization, obedience training are critical as a part of the life of
all Chessies, pups or rescued dogs. |
THIS BREED MUST NOT BE CHAINED OUT OR BANISHED FROM THE LIFE OF THE FAMILY! |
| Remember, the Chesapeake needs to take care of its family. It
earned a bad reputation in the years that hunting dogs were relegated to a chain in
the back yard.... this led to frustration and an anti-social dog. WE WILL NOT ADOPT
A CHESSIE INTO A HOME THAT DOES NOT PLAN TO MAKE IT A PART OF THE FAMILY! |
YES, THAT WAS A SMILE! |
| Many chessies have a wicked smile - toothy, maybe a lip curl.
It is a special trait, and a special treat to be the recipient of such a smile. |
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