GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 53 - 66 cm 
Colour: Dark brown to faded tan. White spots permitted on toes, chest and belly.
Coat: Thick, oily and short coat with a tendency to wave and a woolly dense undercoat. Short hair on the head, ears and legs.
Gait: Fore and hindlegs move straight with strong hind propulsion and tendency to single track.
These rugged dogs have a strong muscular appearance. The skull is broad and round with a moderately short muzzle. The eye and nose colour blends with the coat colour of the dog. The smallish ears are set high and hang close to the cheek. The topline dips behind the shoulders and runs up to slightly higher and very strong hindquarters. Webbed feet are essential in a breed Where swimming in strong tides is required. The tail reaches the hock and should never be carried over the back.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Cold icy weather does not worry these dogs as their distinctive oily wavy coat protects them~from the elements. They have a natural affinity with water and love swimming and retrieving from the sea, lake or river.
Sensitive, intelligent and easily trained, harsh discipline always should be avoided. Bathing should be infrequent in order not to lose the natural oiliness in the coat particularly if the dog is being worked in a cold climate.
Normal grooming to remove dead hair and keep the coat healthy is all that is necessary.
HISTORY
Truly an American dog, the Chesapeake forebears are believed to have been a pair of Newfoundlands who were rescued from a shipwreck in 1807.
Later, when mated to local dogs carrying Irish Water Spaniel, Bloodhound, Otter and Coonhound lines, a distinctive strain evolved. The breed takes its name from Chesapeake Bay on the east coast of America where the local hunters expected their dogs to plunge into icy waters and retrieve ducks and geese.