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Animal register · DogIn the app

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Chessie, Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, often called the Chessie, comes from the United States; the FCI lists it among the retrievers. The FCI standard describes a working retriever that is equally proficient on land and in the water, whose size and substance should not be excessive, with a thick, short coat over a dense, woolly undercoat and clear yellowish or amber eyes; any colour of brown, sedge or deadgrass is acceptable, and a black coat disqualifies. It gives a height of 58–66 cm and a weight of 29.5–36.5 kg for males, and 53–61 cm and 25–32 kg for females.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day, a large house and a large garden, and grooming once a week. PetMD describes a bright, cheerful and extremely affectionate dog that can become destructive if it is not stimulated or is left alone for too long, says that with proper introductions and socialisation Chessies make a great addition to a family, and advises not to let the dog exercise directly before or after eating.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Chesapeake Bay Retriever — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S459
Adult weight
males 29.5–36.5 kg, females 25–32 kg — FCI S458
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S459
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S459
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S459
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S459

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • an active familyS459
  • family lifeS461
  • families with childrenS460
  • a large house and gardenS459

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS459
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS461
  • shedsS459

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S459

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S459

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S459

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 15–18 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Height at the withers: males 58–66 cm, females 53–61 cm — FCI S458
  • Adult weight: males 29.5–36.5 kg, females 25–32 kg — FCI S458

Training

  • No. 27 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 263, group 8 (retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs); origin: USA. — FCI S457

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Chesapeake Bay Retriever need?

According to our sources, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S459.

How long does a Chesapeake Bay Retriever live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S459.

How big does a Chesapeake Bay Retriever get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S459; Adult weight: males 29.5–36.5 kg, females 25–32 kg — FCI S458.

How much grooming does a Chesapeake Bay Retriever need?

Coat and grooming of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S459; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S459; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S459.

Who is the Chesapeake Bay Retriever a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Chesapeake Bay Retriever as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club S459; family life — PetMD S461; families with children — VCA Animal Hospitals S460; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S459. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club S459; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S461; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S459.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.2× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S459

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips and elbows tested before breeding. — PetMD S461
  • Degenerative myelopathy, a disease of the spinal cord that slowly weakens the back legs, occurs in the breed; a DNA test is available. — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, occurs in the breed; DNA tests and eye testing are available. — PetMD S461
  • Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye and can lead to vision loss, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S461
  • Exercise-induced collapse, an inherited neuromuscular condition that can make a dog collapse after hard exercise, occurs in the breed. — PetMD S461
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PetMD S461

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • DNA test for degenerative myelopathy (DM) — The Royal Kennel Club S459

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S459
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S459

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S457FCI — Breeds nomenclature: CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER (263)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/CHESAPEAKE-BAY-RETRIEVER-263.html
  11. S458FCI (copy published by KUSA, the Kennel Union of Southern Africa) — FCI Standard No. 263: Chesapeake Bay Retriever (PDF, effective 01/01/2025)https://www.kusa.co.za/images/GUNDOG%20GROUP%202025/Chesapeake%20Bay%20Retriever%20-%20FCI%20[01-2025].pdf
  12. S459The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/gundog/retriever-chesapeake-bay/
  13. S460VCA Animal Hospitals (LifeLearn) — Chesapeake Bay Retrieverhttps://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dog-breeds/chesapeake-bay-retriever
  14. S461PetMD — Zack Newman, reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM — Chesapeake Bay Retriever Dog Breed Health and Carehttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/chesapeake-bay-retriever
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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