Personality
The Chesapeake Bay retriever is valued for its bright and happy disposition, intelligence, quiet good sense, affectionate and protective nature. The Chesapeake is naturally dominant and will defend his or her position as the alpha dog. The Chesapeake tends to recognize only one person in its family as master. All other people are considered by the dog to be either equal or subordinate. Willful, this breed can be prone to dominance problems if not properly trained and socialized.
Aggression
The Chesapeake is different than other retrievers in that they can be more aggressive, willful, and reserved with strangers. They may be combative with other dogs and have a tendency to be territorial. Obedience training is highly recommended with this breed.