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Dog Articles
Past and Present: Chesapeake Retriever
This is an
essentially American dog and has come to a high state of perfection
along the eastern seaboard, and, as an introduced type, is much
esteemed in the ducking marshes of the Northwest. His parentage is
supposed to be chiefly Otterhound and Labrador, but it is altogether
probable that other blood runs in his veins, as he is one of the
dogs that has been developed for a particular use through particular
qualities his ancestors were found in actual practice to possess.
The result is a very curious, very excellent, but not very stable
nor beautiful dog.
But no
known dog is such an unswervable Retriever or can stand a fraction
of the exposure to icy wind and icy water which this hardy fowling
dog seems to revel in. To meet this rigorous demand, he has a
curious, deep woolly undercoat that seems never to wet
through, such as we find on water-dwelling mammals like the Otter;
this is protected and covered by a harsh, strong coat of regular
hair, straight or slightly curly, from which one good shake drives
practically all the water. They will chase a wounded duck over or
under the ice and will follow the liveliest ‘cripple’ till it
wearies. In open deep-water duck hunting such a dog is invaluable.
They vary
from 60 to 80 pounds in weight and from 22 to 25 inches in
height. The ear is quite short and set rather high, giving a squarer
look to the head than in the Setter, which it remotely resembles.
They are tawny brown or ‘sedge color’ generally, though other less
desirable colors are met with occasionally.
Source:
National Geographic 1919
Recommended Reading
Dog Training
Mastery - An Owners' Manual
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