Chesapeake Bay Retrievers have medium length coats that consist of tight curls that feel crisp to the touch and it covers their entire body, but not their muzzles or faces. They do not have an undercoat which means they are not heavy shedders as such they are not high maintenance in the grooming department. The structure of their coats makes them incredibly water resistant which means that water and dirt simply rolls off leaving a dog's coat clean. A twice weekly brush when a Chessie is moulting is all it takes to keep their coats looking tidy and a dog's skin in good condition.
It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary. If too much wax is allowed to build up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.
Chessies are high energy dogs and they need to be given a minimum of 2 hour's exercise every day. A shorter walk in the morning would be okay, but a much longer and more interesting one in the afternoon is a must to keep these dogs happy and healthy. They also benefit from being allowed to roam around a back garden as often as they can, but the fencing has to be very secure to keep these dogs in.
Because they are such intelligent dogs, Chessies also need to be given a tremendous amount of mental stimulation to prevent boredom from setting in. A bored Chesapeake will find ways to amuse themselves which could result in dogs developing some unwanted behavioural problems and becoming unruly, therefore harder to manage. These dogs excel at all sorts of canine sporting activities which includes obedience and agility because they boast incredible endurance and stamina. They also love being in water so care has to be taken when walking one of them anywhere near dangerous water courses.
With this said, young Chessie puppies should not be given too much exercise because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives. They should not be allowed to jump up or off furniture nor should they be allowed to run up and down the stairs because this puts too much pressure on their still growing joints and limbs.
If you get a Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
Because Chessies are prone to suffer from bloat (gastric torsion), it is really important that they be fed twice a day instead of giving them just one larger meal a day. It's also a good idea to invest in a stand to place their feed bowl which makes it easier for these large dogs to eat comfortably without having to stretch their necks down low to reach their food. You should never feed a dog just before or just after they have eaten either because this puts them more a risk of suffering from bloat.
