Chesador
Hybrid Breed Description
The Chesador is a cross between the Chesapeake Bay Retriever and the Labrador Retriever. Because each hybrid inherits a unique combination of traits from both parents, we recommend thoroughly researching both breeds before choosing a Chesador. Pay special attention to temperament, health issues, and care requirements, as your dog may express characteristics from either parent breed.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever presents a powerful, medium to large build designed specifically for demanding waterfowl work in harsh conditions. Males typically stand between 23 and 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh 65 to 80 pounds, while females measure 21 to 24 inches tall and weigh 55 to 70 pounds. Their robust, muscular frame features a distinctive characteristic where the hindquarters sit equal to or slightly higher than the shoulders, creating a unique silhouette that aids in swimming power. The broad, round skull carries striking yellowish or amber eyes set wide apart, contributing to their intelligent and alert expression. Their medium-sized ears hang close to the head, and their strong jaws are built to carry large game birds gently yet firmly. The breed's most distinguishing physical feature remains their exceptional double coat, which feels slightly oily or waxy to the touch due to natural waterproofing oils. The harsh, wavy outer coat lies over a dense, fine, woolly undercoat, with waves typically appearing on the shoulders, neck, back, and loins but remaining relatively short elsewhere, never exceeding 1.5 inches in length. This unique coat texture makes the Chesapeake nearly impervious to icy water, with the oil content resisting moisture and providing insulation during long swims in frigid conditions. Three primary color variations define the breed: brown shades ranging from light cocoa to deep chocolate, sedge tones varying from reddish yellow through bright red to chestnut, and deadgrass hues spanning faded tan to dull straw colors. Small white spots may appear on the chest, belly, or toes, though solid coloring remains preferred. Additional physical attributes include webbed feet that function like natural flippers for powerful swimming, a thick tail that tapers gradually toward the tip and serves as an effective rudder in water, and a deep, wide chest providing both lung capacity and strength for breaking through ice. Their well-balanced, athletic build enables smooth, effortless movement with impressive reach and drive, creating an impression of great power and stamina in motion.
Key Characteristics
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever displays a distinctive temperament characterized by intelligence, loyalty, and an independent working spirit that sets them apart from other retriever breeds. They possess a bright and happy disposition combined with quiet good sense and an affectionate, protective nature toward their families. While not as gregarious or outgoing as some retriever cousins, Chessies form deep, devoted bonds with their people and demonstrate remarkable courage and willingness to work. Their temperament reflects generations of breeding for serious waterfowl retrieving work in challenging conditions, resulting in dogs that think independently and make decisions in the field while maintaining a strong desire to please their handlers. Historically regarded as more strong-willed and stubborn than other retrievers, the breed requires confident, experienced ownership and consistent training approaches using positive reinforcement methods. Modern training philosophy emphasizes daily obedience work combined with play sessions to keep these intelligent dogs engaged and willing rather than relying on physical corrections. They learn at remarkably high speeds due to their intelligence but may test boundaries, making early socialization and training essential. Chesapeakes tend to be more reserved or aloof with strangers compared to other retrievers, though proper socialization helps moderate this tendency. They serve as excellent watchdogs due to their protective instincts and alertness, being naturally territorial about their families and property without excessive barking or aggression. Their energy levels demand substantial daily exercise, particularly activities involving swimming and retrieving, which tap into their natural instincts and provide necessary physical and mental stimulation. Without adequate outlets for their energy and intelligence, Chessies may develop undesirable behaviors including destructiveness, excessive vocalization, or stubborn resistance. They generally show patience and gentleness with children when raised together and properly socialized, though their protective nature and strong physicality require supervision with very young children. While they can coexist peacefully with other dogs and pets through proper introduction and socialization, some individuals may display dog-directed aggression or dominance behaviors. The breed excels in various canine sports and activities including field trials, hunt tests, obedience, agility, and tracking, demonstrating their versatility beyond waterfowl work.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers face several significant health concerns that prospective owners should understand and monitor throughout the dog's life. Hip dysplasia represents one of the most common inherited conditions affecting the breed, occurring when the hip joint develops improperly and causes the ball and socket to grind against each other rather than moving smoothly. This degenerative condition leads to arthritis, chronic pain, and mobility challenges over time, with symptoms including altered gait, difficulty rising or climbing stairs, reluctance to exercise, and lameness in the hind limbs. While genetic in origin, environmental factors including diet, growth rate, and exercise patterns during development significantly influence disease progression. Responsible breeders screen breeding stock through hip radiographs evaluated by organizations like the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, and buyers should verify parental health clearances. Similar concerns affect the elbows, where dysplasia can cause forelimb lameness and pain. Progressive Retinal Atrophy, specifically the prcd-PRA form affecting Chesapeakes, causes gradual degeneration of retinal cells leading eventually to complete blindness. Symptoms typically emerge around ages 8 to 9 years, beginning with night blindness and dilated pupils before progressing to total vision loss. While incurable and painless, PRA significantly impacts quality of life, making genetic testing of breeding stock crucial for disease prevention. DNA tests can identify clear, carrier, and affected dogs before symptoms appear, allowing breeders to make informed pairing decisions that eliminate affected puppies. Other eye conditions including cataracts may also occur in the breed. Exercise-Induced Collapse presents another hereditary concern, causing affected dogs to experience sudden muscle weakness, loss of coordination, and collapse following intense physical activity. Episodes typically occur in dogs under two years of age during or immediately after vigorous exercise, with the dog remaining mentally alert despite physical incapacity. Most dogs recover within 15 to 30 minutes, though body temperature may reach dangerous levels during episodes. Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, commonly called bloat, poses a life-threatening emergency particularly relevant to deep-chested breeds like Chesapeakes. The condition occurs when the stomach fills with gas and twists on itself, cutting off blood supply and trapping contents. Without immediate surgical intervention, bloat proves fatal within hours. Warning signs include a distended, hard abdomen, restlessness, rapid breathing, excessive drooling, and nonproductive vomiting attempts. Preventive measures include feeding multiple small meals rather than one large feeding, avoiding vigorous exercise immediately before or after meals, and using slow-feed bowls. The breed's lifespan averages 10 to 13 years, with proper health screening, nutrition, exercise management, and regular veterinary care contributing significantly to longevity and quality of life.
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever presents a strongly built, medium to large physique characterized by athletic proportion and balanced conformation that enables versatile working ability. Males typically stand 22.5 to 24.5 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 65 and 80 pounds, while females measure 21.5 to 23.5 inches in height and weigh 55 to 70 pounds. The breed displays an almost square appearance when viewed in profile, with body length from the point of shoulder to point of rump roughly equal to or slightly longer than height from withers to ground. Their build reflects generations of breeding for retrieving game over long hours in challenging conditions, resulting in dogs with substantial bone structure without appearing heavy or cumbersome. The broad skull sits parallel to the well-defined muzzle, creating an intelligent, friendly expression enhanced by medium-sized, expressive eyes that range from brown to hazel depending on coat color. The Labrador's distinctive physical features include the famous otter tail, which remains thick at the base and gradually tapers toward the tip, covered completely in short, dense fur that creates a rounded appearance. This powerful tail serves as an effective rudder during swimming and should never curl over the back or appear thin and whip-like. The short, dense double coat provides exceptional weather resistance, with a harsh outer coat lying over a soft, insulating undercoat that naturally repels water and protects against cold. Labs come in three recognized solid colors: black, yellow ranging from pale cream to fox red, and chocolate spanning light to dark brown shades. Small white markings may appear on the chest or rear of front pasterns but remain minimal in well-bred specimens. Their webbed feet enhance swimming capability, while drop ears of medium size hang close to the head, framing the characteristic kind, gentle expression. The breed's muscular, athletic construction enables tireless movement with impressive reach in front and powerful drive from behind. Their deep, wide chest provides ample lung capacity for sustained activity, while the level topline and short-coupled body contribute to efficiency and endurance. Labradors possess remarkable versatility in their physical abilities, equally capable of sprinting at speed over short distances or maintaining an easy loping stride for miles. They demonstrate surprising agility for their size, able to jump heights exceeding three feet and navigate obstacles with coordination and grace.
Key Characteristics
Labrador Retrievers earn their reputation as one of the world's most beloved breeds through their exceptionally friendly, outgoing, and eager-to-please temperament. They rank among the most social and affectionate dog breeds, thriving on human companionship and forming intensely strong bonds with their families. Labs possess an even-tempered, gentle nature that makes them outstanding family dogs, displaying remarkable patience and tolerance particularly with children. Their friendly disposition extends beyond immediate family to include strangers, other dogs, and often other household pets, though their enthusiasm and strong tails can accidentally knock over small children during exuberant greetings. This gregarious personality makes them poor guard dogs despite their size, as they typically welcome visitors with wagging tails rather than suspicion or territorial behavior. Intelligence and trainability define the Labrador temperament, with these dogs demonstrating exceptional learning ability and genuine desire to work with people. Their eagerness to please combined with high intelligence makes them highly responsive to positive reinforcement training methods, excelling in obedience work and adapting readily to various roles including service dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue work, and detection tasks. They possess an inherent retrieving instinct so strong that many Labs develop an almost compulsive desire to carry objects in their mouths, whether retrieving thrown items or simply holding toys as they move about. This oral fixation can manifest as destructive chewing, particularly in under-exercised dogs or during puppyhood, requiring appropriate outlets through sturdy chew toys and regular retrieving activities. Labs mature relatively slowly both physically and mentally, often retaining puppy-like exuberance and playfulness well into adulthood, with some individuals not fully settling until three years of age or older. The breed's energy level demands substantial daily exercise and mental stimulation to maintain good behavior and emotional wellbeing. Labradors bred from field lines typically display higher energy and drive than show-line dogs, though all Labs require at least an hour of vigorous activity daily including walks, swimming, retrieving games, and interactive play. Without adequate physical and mental outlets, they may develop problem behaviors including excessive barking, destructive chewing, digging, and hyperactivity. Their love of water runs deep, with most Labs enthusiastically jumping into any available body of water given the opportunity. While generally excellent with other dogs through proper socialization, their enthusiasm and size require early obedience training to prevent them from dragging owners on leash or overwhelming other dogs with overly boisterous play.
Labrador Retrievers generally enjoy good health but face predisposition to several significant conditions that prospective owners should understand and monitor. Hip and elbow dysplasia represent the most common inherited orthopedic problems in the breed, occurring when these joints develop abnormally during growth. Hip dysplasia causes the femur to fit improperly into the hip socket, while elbow dysplasia encompasses several developmental abnormalities affecting the elbow joint. Both conditions lead to progressive arthritis, chronic pain, and mobility limitations, with symptoms including lameness, difficulty rising or navigating stairs, reluctance to exercise, and altered gait. Genetics play the primary role in these conditions, though environmental factors including rapid growth, obesity, and inappropriate exercise during development significantly influence severity. Responsible breeders screen breeding stock through radiographic evaluation by organizations like the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, and maintaining ideal body weight throughout life helps minimize progression. Progressive Retinal Atrophy, particularly the prcd-PRA form, causes inherited degeneration of retinal photoreceptor cells leading to blindness. Initial symptoms typically appear between ages 3 and 9 years, beginning with night blindness and progressing gradually to complete vision loss. While painless and incurable, PRA significantly impacts quality of life, making genetic screening of breeding dogs essential for prevention. DNA testing identifies clear, carrier, and affected dogs before symptoms manifest, allowing breeders to eliminate the disease through careful pairing decisions. Exercise-Induced Collapse affects some Labs, causing episodes of muscle weakness, incoordination, and collapse following intense physical activity or excitement. Affected dogs typically experience first episodes around one year of age, with sudden hind limb weakness that may progress to full collapse while the dog remains mentally alert. Body temperature can reach life-threatening levels during episodes. Genetic testing identifies at-risk dogs, and affected individuals require modified exercise intensity to prevent episodes. Obesity poses a particularly significant health challenge in Labradors, with the breed showing genetic predisposition to weight gain and food motivation. Research identifies specific gene variants affecting appetite regulation and metabolism in Labs, with approximately one in four dogs carrying variants associated with increased food interest and reduced satiety. Obesity exacerbates joint problems, increases diabetes and heart disease risk, and shortens lifespan, making weight management crucial throughout life. Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, or bloat, represents a life-threatening emergency in which the stomach fills with gas and twists, cutting off blood supply. Deep-chested breeds like Labs face elevated risk, with the condition progressing rapidly and proving fatal without immediate surgical intervention. Warning signs include distended abdomen, restlessness, rapid breathing, and nonproductive vomiting. Preventive measures include feeding multiple small meals, avoiding exercise around meal times, and using slow-feed bowls. Labs also show increased incidence of certain cancers including hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, and mast cell tumors. The average lifespan ranges from 11 to 13 years, with proper nutrition, weight management, regular exercise, and preventive veterinary care supporting longevity and quality of life.
Important to Remember
Each hybrid dog is unique and may inherit any combination of traits from either parent breed. The information above represents the characteristics of the purebred parent breeds. Your Chesador may favor one parent over the other or display a blend of both. We strongly encourage you to read the complete breed profiles for both the Chesapeake Bay Retriever and Labrador Retriever to fully understand the range of possible temperaments, health concerns, and care requirements.