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Chesapeake Bay Retriever

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When writing this rating we were torn between rating this breed "R" or "PG-13" and it was only after much consideration that we voted for a "PG-13" Rating. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a wonderful breed if you know how to train a dog. The sad truth is that most people do not know how to train a dog and The Chesapeake is not a breed that will let you Forest Gump your way through training. This is a incredibly strong dog that will not obey you unless you can prove that you are a great leader. These dogs will become aggressive, they will fight and strut if they are not properly trained. Simply put, to own a great Chesapeake is to become a great dog owner.

The Chesapeake is known for being good with children, notwithstanding, until this breed is raised and trained we do not feel that the influence of unattended children benefit these powerful dogs. A young Chesapeake Bay Retriever can mistake children for baby pack members, this misunderstanding often leads these dogs to think that they are in charge. This does not make them a danger to the children they are living with, however, it often promotes a kind of mindset that causes dominance problems in other areas of life.

If you are an experienced dog owner (which means your last three or four dogs were well trained and lived long) and if you have no children, or children that respect the rules you set in your own home, this may be a great breed for you. But make no mistakes, when you own a Chesapeake Bay Retriever you own a real dog that requires real work.

Temperament

These are friendly, intelligent and obedient dogs with a mind of their own. Courageous, willing, loving and trainable although they may be a little slow to learn. Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are affectionate and good with children. They love to swim and retrieve. This breed will get along with cats that are already living in your house, but may chase other cats. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not recommended for an inexperienced new dog owner. The handler needs to be confident and to exude authority because these dog like to have their own way. A consistent but kind approach is the most successful way to handle these dogs. If possible, attend obedience classes with this breed. Willful, this breed can be prone to dominance problems if not properly trained and socialized. Take your puppy out with you as much as possible and introduce it to other dogs so that it has a chance to feel relaxed with them. The Chesapeake is different than other retrievers in that he can be more aggressive, willful and reserved with strangers. They may be combative with other dogs. These are strong dogs and have a tendency to be territorial, so they require firm training and good management. Chesapeake's are usually slow to mature.

 

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