CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVERS

Chesapeake Coat.

The basic Chesapeake coat consists of coarse outer hairs with a very thick, softer undercoat. The overall appearance can range from almost curled to mostly smooth with waves on the back. The outer hairs should not be "soft & silky" but harsh in texture. The undercoat should be short and wooly.

Oily and smelly?

Most books quote the old descriptions that called the Chessie coat full of oil. An extremely oily type of coat is rarely seen on indoor dogs, possibly from a selection against it, more frequent shampooing which strips oil from the coat or the greatly changed diet of modern dogs. There is still oil in the coat but not to the point where it will rub off easily on your hand.

You will also read about a "smelly" coat in Chesapeakes. A clean dog does not have a bad smell. If they are kept outdoors & never bathed, they will stink. However, they smell no worse than a shorthaired hound kept in the same conditions. I speak from experience.

Shedding.

People who are used to Labrador or Golden shedding patterns may become very concerned when their Chesapeake decides it is time to lose the old coat. Not all, but a lot of Chesapeakes look rather like junk yard shepherds or northern breeds when they are shedding.

Shedding patterns.

Many Chessies, true to their nature of singlemindedness, go for a "down to the skin" type of shed. This usually occurs in spring or early summer. Females who have just weaned a litter do the best job.

Being the rugged individualist type, each Chesapeake has its own style. Some leave the neck area until last, others shed everything except for a large tuft of dead hair over the hipbone area. I recall showing one rather ceative young female puppy who completely shed out from her head to mid body. From there back she had a full winter coat!

Indoor vs outdoor dogs.

Dogs that are kept outside in Northern winters will have more spectacular sheds that the fulltime indoor dog. Older, neutered dogs seem to get a coat that is always shedding but never gets any thinner.

Shedding or allergy problems?

When we had only a few years experience in the breed, I can remember worrying every spring about the mangy looking dogs we had. Every year we checked for worms, changed the food, gave supplements. Every year they grew back wonderful coats when they were good and ready.

I am sure there are many Chesapeakes diagnosed each year with allergies, demodex or other horrible disease when they are just having a normal unsightly shed. Some lines tend to go bald around the eyes when they are shedding. Others have hair so thin that the skin shows through. These signs can be confused with medical conditions that do need veterinary attention.

Coat care for the shedding dog.

When your dog starts to shed, strip out the loose hair with a rubber currycomb, metal comb, rake or whatever works for that particular coat. Give the dog a warm water bath and shampoo to speed up the shedding process. Strip out dead coat as necessary. We like to give a fatty acid supplement several times a week when they are shedding. We use Super 14 but there are others. Frequent swimming in unclorinated water seems to help the coat grow in nicely.

When to see the vet.

If your dog is very itchy and has heavy, crusty dandruff it could have a mite infestation. A greasy coat and mousy smell are danger signs. If there are circular, reddish spots with crusty margins, a bacterial infection or a juvenile acne type problem could be the cause. Black fly bites also cause round reddish spots but they are smaller and usually don't get scabby.

Home treatment for minor skin problems.

For minor irritations try Gold Bond powder. Oatmeal shampoo is also very soothing. Sometimes these home treatments are all that is necessary for relief. Some young dogs with raging hormones develop skin irritations. Usually, a few baths with a medicated shampoo solves the problem, though some cases may need a course of antibiotics.

The Chesapeake coat and hunting.

The proper coat can make a difference on the job in real hunting conditions. Please read Coat-Part Two