The Chessie's coat is meant to help him blend in to his surroundings--canine camouflage, as it were. He can be any shade of brown, sedge, or the dull tan or strawlike color known as deadgrass, a perfectly descriptive term.

Deadgrass has no red tones. Deadgrass can vary from almost yellow to tan. Sedge is an almost strawberry blonde coloration with definite reddish undertones on a relatively light-colored coat. Brown is darker and may have red undertones (light brown, brown and dark brown).

Occasionally the Chessie may have a white spot on the chest, belly, toes, or back of the feet immediately above the large pad.

Like most retriever breeds, Chessies shed heavily. Brush the coat weekly with a rubber curry brush to remove dead hair and distribute the skin oils throughout the coat. Regular brushing will help keep loose hair on the brush and off your clothes and furniture. Avoid using a wire slicker brush or coat rake, which can break down the wave and kink in the hair. Bathe a Chessie as little as possible to avoid stripping out the protective oils and destroying the coat's water resistance. A warm bath or two during shedding season helps release dead hair, however, so the new coat can grow in.

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