F.C.I.-Standard No. 263 d (29.06.95)

Country of origin: U.S.A.

General phenotype:
As a champion at land the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was developped for water hunting, to stand up to adverse weather, often break through ice or strenuous retrieving.

Frequently the Chesapeake has to walk up to tides as well as bearing long swimming in cold water. The characteristic of the Chesapeake breed are specially developped for facilitating this working easily, efficient and untiring.

The chesapeake skull is broad and round. His jaw should be long and strong enough for carrying big birds with a soft grip. Its fur is made of strong, wavy top hair and thick but fine woolly low hair, which contains a lot of fat, which is ideal for the cold and icy weather, in which the Chesapeake is going to work. From it phisique the Chesapeake is a strong, balanced dog of middle size and middle running distances. It owns a broad and deep chest, shoulders build for the whole freedom of movement. There is no tendency to any weakness, especially concerning the hindquarters.

Although its strength should not feature at the expenses of untiring and movability. Height and substance should not increase, as retrievers are very active dogs.

Distinctive markings are the eyes, which are clear, yellowish or amber coloured, the hindquarters, which are of a little bit more height comparing to its shoulders. As well the wavy top hair with its thick low hair only on shoulders, neck, back and loins.

Chesapeakes are highly regarded for their bright and cheerful nature, as well of course because of its intelligence, its calm behaviour and its devoted and protecting nature.

Excessive shyness or excessive aggressive tendencys are not desired for this breed, whether for huntig dog nor a family dog.

Rule out faults:
Dogs which show faults in their distinctive marks should be ruled out.

Size:
Males should measure about 58 – 66 cm, females about 53 – 61 cm. To large or to small dogs have to be punished.

Proportions:
The height from upper shoulder blade to bottom should measure a bit less than the size from breastbone to the seat.

Weight:
Males should weigh about 29,5 – 36,5 kg, females about 25 – 32 kg.

Head:
Chesapeake Bay Retriever should wear a intelligent impression.

Eyes:
Eyes should be middle sized, very clear, yellowish or amber coloured and wide apart.

Ears:
Ears are of a small size, positioned on top of skull, hangig removed from the skull. They should be of middle sized thickness.

Skull:
The chesapeake skull is broad and round.

Ridge of the nose:
Ridge of the nose is middlesized short. The fang is approximately as long as the skull, they taper, sharpened but not pointed.

Chaps:
They are slim, not removed hanging.

Set of teeth:
Pincer is preferred, forceps are acceptable. Ruled out faults: front and back bite.

Neck:
Should be middle sized, of strong muscular impression, getting narrower towards the shoulders.

Top line:
It should show, that hindquarters are the same height, or perhaps a bit higher than the shoulders.

Back:
Should be short, compact and strong.

Chest:
Should be strong, deep and broad, costal arch is round and deep.

Trunk:
Middle sized, whether bulky nor carp-like, but looking hollow from bottom, because the flanks have to be well torn.

Tail:
Middle sized, middle heavy from base. The tail should be straight or slightly bended, it should not be rolled above the back nor having a crack sideways.

Forhand:
There should be no tendency for any weakness of the forehand.

Shoulders:
They should fit tightly sloping, with full freedom for activity, a lot of strength and without any reduction of movability.

Legs:
They should be middle sized and straight, with good bones and good muscles.

Central forefoot:
Slightly sloping and middle sized. Forelegs shown from front and back look straight. Wolfclaws might be removed. Harepaws with good webs should be of good size together with rounded, tight fittig claws.

Hindquarters:
Good hindquarters are very important. They should own as much strength as the forehand. Hindquarters should show no tendency for weakness. Hindquarters have to be very strong for giving enough power for swimming. Legs should be straight, middle sized, provided with good bones and good muscles.
Hindquarters shown from front and back look straight. Wolfclaws have to be removed.

Rule out faults:
Wolfclaws at hindquarters are a rule out fault.

Fur:
The fur should be thick and short, at no place longer than 4 cm, also with thick but fine woolly low hair. Fur at head and legs should be short and simple with tendency of being wavy among shoulders, neck, back and loins. Moderate feathering of hindquarters and tail is permitted. The constitution of fur is a very important fact about chesapeakes, because chesapeakes are used for hunting among all sorts of adverse weather., often he is determined working in ice and snow. The fat of the top hair and the woolly low hair are valuable to prevent cold water get through to the skin of the chesapeake. It also helpful for quick drying. The chesapeake‘s fur should absorbe water the same way as duckfeathers. When a chesapeake leaves water, its fur should not hold back water, but only be damp.

Rule out faults:
Fur with tendency to wave all across the body has to be ruled out. Feathering of legs and tail above 4,5 cm length has to be ruled out.

Colour:
The chesapeake’s colour has to be as near as possible to its working surroundings. Each coloration of brown, rush or dead grass is acceptable. All one coloured chesapeakes are preferred, but no colour has to be preferred to another. A white blaze on chest, stomach, toes or behind paws (directly above the great pad) is allowed, the smaller the blaze is, the better. A through going colour will always be preferred. Colour and composition of fur have to get full observance when judging. "Honourable" scars shouldn’t be punished.

Rule out faults:
Black colour, white blazes at another point than chest, stomach, toes or paws have to be ruled out.

Gait:
The whole gait should be of elegant proportions, free and effortless. It should give an impression of power and strength. Shown from beside it should stride out with no restriction of front movability and a lot of thrust backsides. A well formed angle of knee joint and angle joint is necessary. Getting towards someone, the ellbows should show no signs tourning out. When the chesapeake is moving away, there should be no sign of cowanimosity With increasing speed legs show a increasing tendency to converge and move towards the same level as the body axis.

Character:
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers should be of bright and cheerful nature combined with an intelligent impression. Courage, willingness to work, intelligence, a good nose, love for water, general quality and – first of all – disposition should be highly regarded for selection and breed of the chesapeake bay retriever.

Rule out faults:
1.  Dogs, which show faults in their distinctive marks
2.  Front or back bite
3.  Wolfclaws at hindquarters
4.  Fur with tendency to wave all across the body
5.  Feathering of legs and tail above 4,5 cm length
6.  Black colour
7.  White blazes at another point than chest, stomach, toes or paws

Fur and a on the whole balanced type have priority by judging among all other points mentioned in tables. A Chesapeake should be well proportioned, a dog with good fur, which is balanced in other points of marks has to be preferred to a dog, which is excellent in some points, but weak in other ones.

Positive table of marks:
Skull, including chaps, ears and eyes  16
Neck  4
Shoulders and trunk  12
Hindquarters and knees  12
Ellbows, legs and paws  12
Colour  4
Crupper and tail  10
Fur and its composition  18
General phenotype  12
Total: 100

Approximately sizes (cm):
Length of skull, nose to backhead: 24,1 - 25,0
Perimeter at ears: 50,1 - 53,3
Talon below the eyes: 25,1 - 26,7
Length of ears: 11,4 - 12,1
Distance between eyes: 6,4 - 7,0
Perimeter of neck nearby the shoulders: 50,1 - 55,9
Perimeter at flanks: 61,0 - 63,1
Length from back leg to base of tail: 86,4 - 89,0
Perimeter of thigh: 48,3 - 50,1
Earbase to earbase over the skull: 12,1 - 15,2
Base of skull up to shoulder blade: 22,9 - 24,1
Ellbow to ellbow over the shoulders: 63,1 - 66,0

Males should own two obvious normal developped testicles which are completely located in the scrotum