Chesapeake Bay retrievers are friendly, social, and outgoing; they are very fun dogs to have.
Whether you’re considering getting a Chessie or struggling with their frequent barking, you need to know more about their barking tendencies.
In this article, we’ll explore how often and how loudly Chesapeake Bay retrievers bark. In addition, we’ll go over their personality traits and suggest a few ways you can prevent them from barking too much.
Do Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Bark Frequently?
Chesapeake Bay retrievers are known to be excellent watchdogs. They’re very protective of their owners as well as their territory. As with all guard dogs, they will bark when necessary.
The mere sight of a close passerby in the vicinity can have the Chesapeake Bay retriever barking like crazy. This is one of the things many of us dog owners have to get used to.
They do not bark excessively. Compared to many other dog breeds, Chesapeake Bay retriever barks are rather low under normal circumstances.
Chesapeake Bay retrievers are social and friendly; they require a lot of physical activity and, of course, quality time. The lack of any of these will cause them to feel bored, lonely, anxious, or inactive. This will naturally cause them to bark more.
Your Chesapeake Bay retriever’s barking tendencies will largely depend on how they’re cared for and how active they are. With the proper training, caring, and exercise, your dog will not bark more than normal.
Excessive barking can be dealt with easily. We’ll explore some ways to minimize your Chessie’s barking in a later section.
Do Chesapeake Bay Retriever Breeds Bark Loudly?
Retrievers are quite loud barkers. So, it’s a good thing that they don’t bark excessively. A golden retriever, for instance, has the loudest bark of all breeds and a Guinness World Record to show for it.
While a Chessie’s bark will output far fewer decibels than a golden retriever’s, it’s still very loud when they do bark. If your Chessie’s barking is causing a disturbance, your best bet is to figure out the reason behind it.
Being even-tempered dogs, Chesapeake Bay retrievers rarely bark in a bothersome manner. While this probably won’t cause an issue during the day, you would rather they didn’t bark at all at night. A few successive barks are very likely to wake up you and your family.
Knowing what causes your Chessie to bark, particularly at night, will help you find an appropriate solution. It’s not always easy for a dog owner to get a good night’s sleep, but, by taking the right measures, you will be able to.
What Temperament Do Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Have?
Chesapeake Bay retrievers were bred to withstand adverse conditions. They have strong endurance and very high energy levels.
They have the strongest personality among all retrievers, which makes them tricky to be raised and trained by inexperienced dog owners, and this is why obedience training is crucial early on.
Chesapeake Bay retrievers aren’t very excitable, but they require a great deal of activity during the day. They are clever and perfectly adaptable to urban life, provided they remain active for the larger part of the day.
Swimming, even in cold icy water, is one of a Chessies’ strong suits. They were often made to hunt ducks in the ocean, and they were excellent at it. Encourage them to swim as it is one of their most enjoyable activities.
Chesapeake Bay retrievers are social, friendly, playful, and intelligent dogs, although not quite like other retrievers. They do get along with children. Chessies don’t care much for strangers, which isn’t something you’d want in a watchdog anyway.
Large spaces and outdoor activities are important for Chesapeake Bay retrievers, as they need to get enough exercise. They’re not well-suited to small apartments or houses without outdoor areas.
Unless you spend a considerable amount of time walking them each day, they’ll easily get bored and won’t be in the best shape.
How To Deal With Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Barking
We’ve seen that these dogs can bark for a variety of reasons. Being natural guard dogs, you can’t do much about their alarm barking unless you don’t want them to be guard dogs. There are several things you can do to stop them from barking more.
Here are some ways you can minimize a Chessie’s barking.
Find Out What Causes Their Barking
Chesapeake Bay retrievers bark for the same reasons as practically all other dogs. It can be protectiveness, fear, anxiety, loneliness, attention-seeking, excitement, or playfulness.
Since nobody knows your Chessie more than you do, you should be able to tell why they’re barking most of the time. When they’re barking is excessive and bothersome, you can deal with it accordingly.
Of course, nobody will mind their Chessie barking when they are fetching a ball, have found a duck to chase, or have spotted a stranger creeping into their house.
In other cases, it might be a sign of negative behavior that you should tend to.
If your Chessie is feeling bored and lonely, for instance, you should play with them or get them out of the house more often. Ensure they have a full day so they don’t get sick from the lack of activity.
If there are more people in your household, you can take turns to make sure your dog is busy enough during the day. After all, these dogs are so energetic they will outlast the best of us.
Ignore And Reward
One of the main reasons Chesapeake Bay retrievers bark is to seek attention. The best way to handle this is to ignore them until they’re done, at which point you can reward them for stopping.
Knowing that barking is a dog’s only means of communication, it stands to reason that they’ll keep barking if they’re getting something out of it. So, give them nothing.
Chesapeake Bay retrievers are clever and adaptable. At first, they might bark non-stop for several minutes. Given time, they’ll learn to bark less.
Make Sure They’re Active Enough
Laziness should never be a characteristic of a Chessie’s lifestyle. These dogs are extremely energetic and require plenty of activity to stay healthy and happy. Naturally, owning Chessies is only advised for those who can take them to exercise every day.
You don’t have to spend hours with them daily; Chessies are independent, after all. It’s recommended to train them, play with them, or give them intensive work for around 30 minutes every day.
If you’re not feeling very energetic, take them on a one-hour walk or so, and take in some fresh air yourself. Additionally, whenever you can, get them out to enjoy their favorite activities like swimming.
The idea is to help your Chessie make the best of their day. Eventually, they’ll feel tired, yet content, and won’t have to bark at night because they’re feeling bored.
Create A Safe Zone For Them
An unhappy dog is more likely to bark. If they’re sad, lonely, scared, or afraid, make them feel safe and comfortable.
One thing you can do is to avoid the things that make them angry or scared. If they’re easily aroused by the sight of passersby or motor vehicles, keep them somewhere with little or no contact with those, unless you want them to be watchdogs.
If they panic whenever you attempt to leave home, put them somewhere away from the main door before you leave.
You get the idea. The more comfortable and safe Chesapeake Bay retrievers feel, the less they are prone to the stress and fear which leads to barking.
Final Thoughts
Chesapeake Bay retrievers are highly intelligent, strong-willed, and energetic. While they have low barking tendencies and are mostly even-tempered, they are easily bored, which can cause them to bark more often.
The key to dealing with Chessies’ excessive barking is to figure out what’s behind it. Proper care and enough daily exercise are usually what it takes to minimize their barking and keep them healthy and happy.
