Chesapeake Bay Retriever vs Curly-Coated Retriever

A Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Photo: Original uploader was Keith Rousseau at en.wikipedia
A Curly-Coated Retriever
Photo: Mattias Agar

Side by side

Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Curly-Coated Retriever
Adult weight
Males 29.5–36.5 kg (65–80 lb); females 25–32 kg (55–71 lb)1
Males 29–41 kg (64–90 lb); females 27–36 kg (60–79 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 63.5–68.6 cm; females 58.4–63.5 cm3
Lifespan
Median 11.6 years4
Median 12.2 years4
Fully grown
12 months, both sexes5
Group
Retrievers & water dogs1
Retrievers & water dogs6
Coat
Short coat1
Curly coat6
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
A brush once a week
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Field
Field

Which suits you

Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Chesapeake Bay Retriever moults most as the seasons change, the Curly-Coated Retriever holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out.
Grooming
The Curly-Coated Retriever needs more grooming, brushing a few times a week, where the Chesapeake Bay Retriever needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Chesapeake Bay Retriever: affectionate on its own terms; Curly-Coated Retriever: likes its own space) and on loyalty (Chesapeake Bay Retriever: sticks close to its people; Curly-Coated Retriever: bonded to its family).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 31 kg (68 lb) for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever and 33 kg (73 lb) for the Curly-Coated Retriever.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Retrievers & water dogs · Large

Chesapeakes are affectionate and bright with their own people but are often reserved with strangers, and many are more protective than is typical of retrievers.

Curly-Coated Retriever
Retrievers & water dogs · Large

In temperament it is confident and intelligent, and is often described as more independent and reserved than the Labrador. It can be aloof with strangers while affectionate with its own people.

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever page →The Curly-Coated Retriever page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Curly-Coated Retriever
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Differs
Needs daily brain work
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Curly-Coated Retriever
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
Likes its own space
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Curly-Coated Retriever
Sensitivity
Differs
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Average
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Quiet
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour7. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home8,9.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 32 kg.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Curly-Coated Retriever
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More comparisons

Compare the Chesapeake Bay Retriever with
Chesapeake Bay Retriever vs Labrador RetrieverCurly-Coated Retriever vs Labrador RetrieverAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·