The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is valued for its bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, and affectionate protective nature. Some of them can be quite vocal when happy, and some will 'smile' by baring their front teeth in a peculiar grin - this is not a threat but a sign of joy or submissiveness.
Temperament can be an inherited trait. Selecting a puppy from parents with good temperaments is advised.
Like other dogs, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers can make excellent family dogs when socialized properly. Chesapeakes can be more assertive and willful and may be reserved with strangers while others are passive and outgoing with people. It simply depends on the personality of the dog.
Health:
The breed is subject to a number of hereditary diseases. These include, but are not limited to:
▪ Hip dysplasia
▪ Progressive retinal atrophy
▪ Type 3 von Willebrand disease
▪ Cataract
▪ Regional Alopecia in both sexes
