Appearance of the Mastapeake
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| The combination of Mastiff and Chesapeake Bay Retriever produces a very large hybrid, typically ranging from 38.5 to 72.5 kilos, with powerful muscles, long legs and a deep chest. They have a broad head, though not usually as large as the purebred Mastiff, and although they may inherit the Mastiff's extremely shortened muzzle, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever's medium-length, square-shaped muzzle is more common. Mastapeake crosses have almond-shaped eyes that can vary from a very dark brown to the amber or golden eyes characteristic of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, they can also have wrinkles around their muzzle, and their medium-length triangular ears hang over the sides of their head. This hybrid sports a double-layered coat, usually composed of an extremely dense, water-resistant undercoat covered by a short, rather coarse layer of close-cropped fur that is generally straight, although the heritage of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever sometimes contributes a decidedly wavy or curly effect. texture to the coat. Mastapeake dogs are generally solid-colored, in various shades of gold, roan, red and brown. They may also have small white or black markings on the chest or feet, and possibly black masks. |
Temperament of the Mastapeake
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| This crossbreed is generally a friendly but reserved breed with strong protective instincts that can be passed down from both the Mastiff and Chesapeake Bay Retriever breeds. The Mastapeake is a very large and powerful dog that can be a little exuberant during its long adolescence, although it tends to be calmer as it matures. Any interactions that occur between children and these dogs must be closely supervised to avoid muscle and joint strain on the dog's part, or bumps and bruises on the child's part. These large to giant dogs are generally friendly and gentle with their families, but they are more cautious and reserved around strangers and can sometimes show aggression towards other dogs. Proper socialization and early training will help mitigate these tendencies and, hopefully, prevent any territorial behavior, overprotectiveness or aggression from taking root. This dog is generally smart enough to train, however, the Mastiff and Chesapeake Bay Retriever are known to have a stubborn sequence and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever tends to rebel against overly repetitive training methods, so to get the best results from this breed, training should focus on dynamic and creative methods. |
Needs and activities of the Mastapeake
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| The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an active and extremely athletic breed of dog that requires a lot of exercise every day. Fortunately for owners of these hybrids, the Mastiff brings a more placid temperament and the Mastapeake dog doesn't require as much activity as the parent breed Chesapeake Bay Retriever. In most cases, this particular crossbreed is quite content with just an hour or two of vigorous activity every day, preferably in several shorter exercise sessions. Great Danes can be rather noisy when they're young, and although they usually outgrow this by the time they've matured, it doesn't happen until they're around three years old. It's important to remember that too much activity and activities that involve jumping can cause stress and damage the joints of very large, giant-sized dogs like the Mastapeake, especially when they're young. Walks should be short but frequent, and jumping and jostling should be kept to a minimum, especially during adolescence. This dog is particularly well suited to swimming, sometimes even inheriting the webbed toes of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and swimming is an excellent way for large dogs to exercise without stressing the joints. |
Maintenance of the Mastapeake
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| The Mastapeake doesn't have particularly taxing grooming requirements, their coats are generally short and stiff and they tend to be pretty good at removing both dirt and water, so under ideal conditions they should only need to bathe a few times a year. It's important to note, however, that this dog is very active and enters his share of ponds, mud puddles and heather bushes when he gets the chance, and these behaviors may require a few extra baths throughout the year. They should also be rinsed every time they swim to avoid further skin irritation. The undercoat of this hybrid is often extremely dense, like that of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, making it less susceptible to tangling and matting, but weekly brushing is necessary to remove loose hairs from the coat and undercoat as well as to distribute natural oils from the skin to the coat. In spring and autumn, this dog may shed more than usual and should be brushed several times a week during this period. |
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