Does a Chesapeake Bay Retriever Shed?

If you are looking to get a dog for your house or family, you might be wondering if a Chessie is a good dog and more importantly, you might be wondering if they shed. 

Shedding is something to be concerned about if you have a family member that has allergies or if you just want a dog that doesn’t lose too much hair. 

Most dogs will shed a little unless they are hypoallergenic. 

Does a Chesapeake Bay Retriever Shed?

The simple answer is that Chesapeake Bay Retrievers shed, but not as much as other large breeds of dogs. There are some steps you can take to make sure they shed less, but you will also need to spend time each week vacuuming and cleaning the places where the dog lays frequently. 

Although you probably excepted Chessies to shed since they are a large breed and they have long coats, you might be wondering how much they shed exactly. 

Knowing how much they shed will allow you to get prepared for how often you may need to clean.

You also need to decide whether you are comfortable with the amount of shedding before you buy a Chessie. 

Are Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Heavy Shedders?

Even though you know Khttps://retrieveradvice.com/are-chesapeake-bay-retrievers-good-with-cats/

 shed, you might be wondering how much they shed and how much hair is normal to find around the house. 

Even though Chessies shed less than some other large breeds, they still shed pretty heavily. 

Their hair is a double coat that is short and thick. 

They usually shed more often in the spring and fall as the weather gets warmer. 

They will need to lose more of their hair so that they can stay comfortable as the weather gets hot. 

Chessies do not need a lot of grooming though even though their hair is long and oily. 

You need to make sure you are brushing them several times a week if not every day. 

You also need to make sure you are brushing them more often during shedding season. 

Taking them outside to brush them will make it less likely that you will find clumps of hair around the house and on the furniture. 

Chessies are rated above average shedders. They will shed about just as much as Golden Retrievers.

They are also related to Newfoundlands and Irish Water Spaniels.

This can be confusing because Newfoundlands are heavy shedders and Irish Water Spaniels are very low in shedding. 

Chessies are somewhere in the middle. 

Controlling the shedding is pretty easy though as all you need to do is keep brushing them to make sure all the lose the dirty hair is coming out before it has time to come off on your carpets or couches. 

Shedding heavily is just part of the breed and does not signal a problem with their fur or their health. 

If you notice them shedding much more than normal though and it’s not shedding season, you might want to consider talking to the vet to make sure the excessive shedding is not from a health issue. 

Some problems can include a poor diet, stress, fleas, or allergies. 

They will often have other symptoms though such as excessive itching or red and inflamed skin. 

You might notice them itching themselves often and large clumps of fur falling out. 

Even if you brush them often, they will still shed. 

So, this doesn’t make them an ideal breed for those who have allergies or those who like a clean home and can’t stand fur being on the floors and couches. 

To control the fur around the house though, you can make sure they do not get on the furniture and you can train them to only sleep on their bed or in their crates to make sure they are not spreading fur where people sit. 

Can Grooming Help With Shedding? 

Yes! Grooming your dog regularly can help with shedding and grooming Chessies is very easy compared to other dogs.

Most people also choose to groom their Chessie at home because they don’t require professional grooming unless you want them to. 

Brushing them once a week is usually enough to get them to not shed as much. 

However, you will need to brush them more often during shedding season.

Keep in mind that they have thick waterproof coats that might be harder to brush than some other breeds you might have had in the past or that you currently have. 

You will need to spend a lot of time brushing them and making sure you are getting all the dirty and dead hairs off. 

You might also want to get a bristle brush or a rubber hound glove to brush them. 

Deshedding brushes can also work well even though they will be more expensive than standard brushes. 

You don’t need to bathe Chessies as much as other dogs though. 

They have an oily coat and bathing them too often can make all their natural oils come off. 

This can also cause excessive shedding and skin dryness. 

If they like to swim often though, you can always rinse them off their clean water rather than giving them full baths with shampoo and soap. 

How Can I Stop My Chessie from Shedding? 

There is no way you can stop a Chessie from completely not shedding. 

Shedding is a normal and natural thing that Chessie will do to help maintain body temperature and health.

 You can take some steps to manage the shedding though which can make living with the Chessie easier. 

The easiest way to controls shedding is by regular brushing and proper diet. 

To make sure they are getting a proper diet, ask the vet for food advice. 

They can make sure you are getting a high-quality food that will maintain their health and nutrition. 

Shedding can be caused by poor nutrition. 

Keep in mind that you should not shave your Chessie. 

Most vets and groomers will recommend you do not shave them or cut their hair shorter than an inch from their skin. 

Any double-coated dog should not be shaved completely because it will make them harder to maintain their body temperature and might make them have health issues. 

Shaving them also makes it harder for them to swim because they will not be able to float as well and they will not be able to keep themselves insulated in cold water. 

Saving their hair off also makes them more susceptible to sunburns and mosquitoes. 

A groomer will be able to recommend for you the places you can trim the Chessie to make shedding more manageable.

Are Chesapeakes Hypoallergenic? 

Chesapeakes have long double coats that shed so they are not hypoallergenic.

If you have someone in your family that is allergic to dogs, you should not buy a Chessie. 

Even if you brush them and groom them often, they will still shed and cause problems for the people in your family that have allergies.  

If you need a hypoallergenic dog, you might want to look for other breeds that will make the people in your home more comfortable. 

Do Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Shed More Than Labs?

Chesapeake Bays and Labs have many things in common and one of them is the shedding. 

Chessies and Labs tend to shed the same amount even though the Lab has straighter and thicker hair.

Some Labs can have more of a wire feeling coat though, so their hair might be harder to see around the house. 

Both dogs need to be brushed twice a week or more though and they also need to be brushed more during shedding seasons.

If you have one dog from each breed, you can be sure you will find a lot of hair around the house. 

Final Thoughts

Chessies are considered to be heavy shedders since they have a thick double coat. 

Since their coat is important for their swimming skills and hunting, you should not shave their coats. 

Shaving them can be tempting if you don’t want to clean them often or if you have allergies. 

If someone in your family develops allergies to the dog, you might want to talk to the doctor about ways to manage the allergies so that you do not have to give away the family dog. 

If you already know someone in the family has allergies though, look into getting another breed that sheds less. 

Learning that Chessies are heavy shedders can be hard for some people to learn if they are looking for a dog that will not leave hair around the house. 

However, don’t be discouraged. 

There are some grooming techniques you can follow to make sure the shedding is reduced. 

Consider getting a rubber brush and taking them outside to brush them every day or at least a few times a week

In shedding season, you need to make sure the brushing happens every day. 

Brush them outside so that the hair does not fall onto the floor of the house or onto the carpet.