Chesa-Poo

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever was founded in the 1800s in the United States as a gundog and retriever. Their history states that they were puppies of two Newfoundland dogs that were rescued by an American ship, the Canton, in 1807 from a shipwrecked English brig ship off the coast of Maryland. These two dogs were given to the rescuers as gifts and are believed to be descendants of the Bloodhound, Irish Water Spaniel, and other Hounds. The female was a black dog named Canton and the male was a red dog named Sailor. However, others say they were bred from the Curly-Coated Retriever, Flat-Coated Retriever, and the English Otterhound. They became famous for swimming through the icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay to retrieve between 100 and 200 ducks per day. 

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever was recognized in 1878 by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and today they are the 43rd most popular breed in the United States. It is also one of the small number of breeds that originated in the United States. The Poodle originated in France in the 1500s as a performer, lap dog, and retriever. However, some say they came from Denmark or Germany. Their earliest ancestors were curly dogs from Asia and were water dogs. Their name comes from the German word, pfudel, which means splash or puddle. They were popular in duck hunting but soon became popular for other uses such as circus performing, military service, guard dog, and guide. Their coat was usually shorn to help them swim although some say the puffed hair on the knees and tail were to protect them during hunting. However, the more popular belief is that the puffy hairdo is for decorative purposes. They were accepted into the AKC in 1887 and are the 7th most popular dog in the United States.