ODU recently added a Chessie to our staff (Cider) and we wanted to share with you a partial story and link to one about the Chesapeake Bay Retriever from Ducks Unlimited. “The legend and lore of the Chesapeake Bay retriever percolates somewhat mysteriously from this breed’s Atlantic Flyway beginnings. Conflicting historical anecdotes still collide occasionally, with the only agreed-upon detail being that the Chessie bloodline can be traced to Maryland, where this retriever has reigned as the official state dog for nearly 50 years.
Most sources acknowledge that the Chessie’s story began in 1807, when an American ship, the Canton, came across a distressed British brig bound from Newfoundland to England. Two lesser Newfoundland puppies (also described as St. John’s water dogs) were found on board and subsequently purchased. The reddish brown male pup was named Sailor and the black female was named Canton, in honor of the rescue ship.
Sailor was sold to Governor Edward Lloyd, of Talbot County, and became the sire of the Eastern Shore strain of Chesapeake Bay ducking dogs. Canton was acquired by Dr. James Stewart, of Sparrow’s Point, and became integral to the development of the Western Shore’s population. According to legend, the descendants of these two dogs ultimately became known as Chesapeake Bay retrievers.
Read the entire Chessie story By Gary Koehler at this link – http://www.ducks.org/hunting/retriever-training/retrievers-the-all-american-chessie
