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Official
Standard For The Chesapeake Bay Retriever
GENERAL APPEARANCE-
Equally proficient on land and in the water, the Chesapeake Bay
Retriever was developed along the Chesapeake Bay to hunt waterfowl under
the most adverse weather and water conditions, often having to break ice
during the course of many strenuous multiple retrieves. Frequently the
Chesapeake must face wind, tide and long cold swims in its work. The
breed's characteristics are specifically suited to enable the Chesapeake
to function with ease, efficiency and endurance. In head, the
Chesapeake's skull is broad and round with a medium stop. The jaws
should be of sufficient length and strength to carry large game birds
with an easy, tender hold. The double coat consists of a short, harsh,
wavy outer coat and a dense, fine, wooly undercoat containing an
abundance of natural oil and is ideally suited for the icy rugged
conditions of weather the Chesapeake often works in. In body, the
Chesapeake is a strong, well balanced, powerfully built animal of
moderate size and medium length in body and leg, deep and wide in chest,
the shoulders built with full liberty of movement, and with no tendency
to weakness in any feature, particularly the rear. The power though,
should not be at the expense of agility and stamina. Size and substance
should not be excessive as this is a working retriever of an active
nature.
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 only.
The Chesapeake is valued for its bright
and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, and affectionate
protective nature. Extreme shyness or extreme aggressive tendencies are
not desirable in the breed as a gun dog or companion.
Disqualifications: Specimens that are
lacking in breed characteristics should be disqualified.
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE-
Height Males should measure 23 to 26 inches; females should measure 21
to 24 inches. Oversized or undersized animals are to be severely
penalized. Proportion Height from the top of the shoulder blades to the
ground should be slightly less than the body length from the breastbone
to the point of buttocks. Depth of body should extend at least to the
elbow. Shoulder to elbow and elbow to ground should be equal. Weight
Males should weigh 65 to 80 pounds; females should weigh 55 to 70
pounds.
HEAD-
Chesapeake Bay Retriever should have an intelligent expression. Eyes are
to be medium large, very clear, of yellowish or amber color and wide
apart. Ears are to be small, set l well up on the head, hanging loosely,
and of medium leather. Skull is broad and round with a medium stop. Nose
is medium short. Muzzle is approximately the same length as the skull,
tapered, pointed but not sharp. Lips are thin, not pendulous. Bite
Scissors is preferred, but a level bite is acceptable.
Disqualifications: Either undershot or
overshot bites are to be disqualified.
NECK, TOPLINE, BODY-
Neck should be of medium length with a strong muscular appearance,
tapering to the shoulders. Topline should show the hindquarters to be as
high as or a trifle higher than the shoulders. Back should be short,
well coupled and powerful. Chest should be strong, deep and wide. Rib
cage barrel round and deep. Body is of medium length, neither cobby nor
roached, but rather approaching hollowness from underneath as the flanks
should be well tucked up. Tail of medium length; medium heavy at base.
The tail should be straight or slightly curved and should not curl over
back or side kink.
FOREQUARTERS-
There should be no tendency to weakness in the forequarters. Shoulders
should be sloping with full liberty of action, plenty of power and
without any restrictions of movement. Legs should be medium in length
and straight, showing good bone and muscle. Pasterns slightly bent and
of medium length. The front legs should appear straight when viewed from
front or rear. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed. Well webbed hare
feet should be of good size with toes well-rounded and close.
HINDQUARTERS-
Good hindquarters are essential. They should show fully as much power as
the forequarters. There should be no tendency to weakness in the
hindquarters. Hindquarters should be especially powerful to supply the
driving power for swimming. Legs should be medium length and straight,
showing good bone and muscle. Stifles should be well angulated. The
distance from hock to ground should be of medium length. The hind legs
should look straight when viewed from the front or rear. Dewclaws, if
any, must be removed from the rear legs. Disqualifications: Dewclaws on
the hind legs are a disqualification.
COAT-
Coat should be thick and short, nowhere over 1 1/2" long, with a
dense fine wooly 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 the rear of the hindquarters and
tail is permissible.
The texture of the Chesapeake'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 wooly 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.
Disqualifications: A coat that is curly
or has a tendency to curl all over the body must be disqualified.
Feathering on the tail or legs over 1 3/4" long must be
disqualified.
COLOR-
The color of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever must be nearly that of its
working surroundings as possible. Any color of brown,
sedge, or deadgrass
is acceptable, self-colored Chesapeakes being preferred. One color is
not to be preferred over another. A white spot on the breast, belly,
toes or back of feet (immediately above the large pad) is permissible,
but the smaller the spot the better, solid colored preferred. The color
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.
Disqualifications: Black colored; white
on any part of the body except breast, belly, toes or back of feet must
be disqualified.
GAIT-
The gait should be smooth, free and effortless, giving the impression of
great power and strength. When viewed from the side, there should be
good reach with no restrictions of movement in front and plenty of drive
in the rear, with flexion of stifle and hock joints. Coming at you,
there should be no signs of elbows being out. When the Chesapeake is
moving away from you, there should be no sign of cow hockness from the
rear. As speed increases, the feet tend to converge toward a center line
of gravity.
TEMPERAMENT-
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever should show a bright and happy disposition
with an intelligent expression. Courage, willingness to work, 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.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
1. Specimens lacking in breed characteristics.
2. Teeth overshot or undershot.
3. Dewclaws on hind legs.
4. Coat curly or with a tendency to curl all over the body.
5. Feathering on the tail or legs over 1 3/4" long.
6. Black colored.
7. White on any part of the body except breast, belly, toes or back of
feet.
The question of coat and general type of
balance takes precedence over any scoring table which could be drawn up.
The Chesapeake should be well proportioned, an animal with a good coat
and well balanced in other points being preferable to one excelling in
some but weak in others.
The Chesapeake
was accepted to the
American
Kennel Club's Sporting
Group in 1878.
Revisions
to the Standard
Discussion
of Chesapeake Coloring
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