In der Rasse gibt es einige verschiedene Farbschläge von Braun. Diese unterteilen sich von einem hellen creme (light deadgrass) bis zu einem zartbitter braun (dark brown) - innerhalb dieser Skala sind so gut wie alle Töne vorhanden. Die einzige Farbe, die genetisch nicht vorkommen kann ist schwarz und damit disqualifizierend. Ein weißer Fleck an der Brust, am Bauch, an den Zehen oder hinter den Pfoten (unmittelbar über dem großen Ballen) ist zulässig, aber je kleiner der Fleck, desto besser; eine durchgehende Färbung wird bevorzugt. Keine Farbe darf der anderen vorgezogen werden, wobei Einfarbigkeit bei ansonsten gleichguten Hunden zu bevorzugen ist.

Neben der Farbe ist vor allem die Fellbeschaffenheit von entscheidender Bedeutung und dieser gilt es einen deutlich höheren Fokus zu widmen. Das Haar sollte dicht und kurz sein, nirgendwo länger als 4 cm, mit dichter, feiner, wolliger Unterwolle. Das Haar an Gesicht und Läufen sollte sehr kurz und schlicht sein, mit einer Tendenz, sich nur über Schultern, Hals, Rücken und Lenden zu wellen. Mäßige Befederung an der Rückseite der Hinterhand und an der Rute ist zulässig. Dies ermöglicht es diesen Wasserspezialisten auch im kalten Wasser ausdauernd schwimmen zu können und nach dem Wasseraustritt schnell wieder zu trocknen.

Insgesamt ist zu sagen, dass die Farbe beim Chessie eine stark untergeordnete Rolle zugeschrieben wird. Von 100 Punkten bei der Bewertung ist die Farbe mit einer Wichtung von nur 4en bemessen.

There are only two color disqualifications in the breed – black-colored, and white on any part of the body except breast, belly, and toes or back of feet.  The white disqualification seems to cause the most confusion.  White, which extends above the point of the sternum, whether connected or unconnected to white below, is a disqualifying location.  White can also appear farther up on the neck and is often difficult to see.  It is suggested that you lift up the head and examine this area for white.  Premature graying does occur in this breed and should not be cause for disqualification.  White is also allowed on the toes and on the back of the feet.  The anatomical definition of foot is to be used when interpreting the Chesapeake standard.  This means that the foot includes the carpal/tarsus, metacarpal/metatarsal and phalangeal areas.  Legal white can also occur on the preputial region, or area of the sheath of the penis.  The preputial region is a sub region of the pubic portion of the abdomen, in common terms “belly”. - American Chesapeake Club Color Article

"The eye color of the Chesapeake is either a yellowish or amber color.  There is no preference for either color over the other.  Eye color does not necessarily have to match coat color – e.g. a brown dog may have yellow eyes.  While individual breeders may have a personal preference for eye and coat color to match, the standard DOES NOT require this.  Brown dogs with light eyes or deadgrass/sedge dogs with dark eyes should not be faulted." - American Chesapeake Club Color Article

"Three basic colors are generally seen in the breed: Brown which includes all shades from a light cocoa (a silvered brown) to a deep bittersweet chocolate color; sedge which varies from a reddish yellow through a bright red to chestnut shades; deadgrass which takes in all shades of deadgrass, varying from a faded tan to a dull straw color. Historic records show that some of the deadgrass shades can be very light, almost white in appearance, while darker deadgrass colors can include diluted shades of brown called ash, that appear as either gray or taupe. Theseash/taupe/gray shades are not commonly seen and are not preferred. Eye color for these diluted shades, as with all coat colors, must be of yellowish or amber color. The difference between sedge and deadgrass is that the deadgrass shades contain no significant amount of red, while the sedge shades do have red. Coat and texture also play a factor in the perception of color."  - American Chesapeake Club Color Article

In der Rasse gibt es neben den einfarbigen Hunden auch Muster. Am Häufigsten dürfte brindle sein. Es kommt aber auch Agoutifärbungen vor bei denen die einzelnen Haare mehr als eine Farbe haben, Masken im Gesicht der Hunde und Tan Point Pattern. Alle Muster sind im Standard erlaubt, Einfarbigkeit ist bei ansonsten gleicher Qualität zu bevorzugen.

"The self-color pattern is preferred by the standard (one color with or without lighter and darker shadings of the same color).  You will see dogs with varying degrees of other markings such as: masking on the top skull, striping effect of light & dark through the body and on legs, distinct & indistinct saddle markings, agouti coloring and tan points.  While these patterns are not preferred, they should not be disqualified.  Considering that color counts for only 4 points in the Chesapeake standard, dogs with such markings should not be arbitrarily excluded from consideration.  The other qualities of the dog that are more important to function, such as coat, angulation, head, balance and size, should be given the most consideration when judging.  A good quality dog with minor pattern variations may have more virtues to offer than a mediocre self-colored specimen.  It is true that these coloration patterns, at times, can be very pronounced.  There have been judges who have disqualified dogs because of these patterns under the “specimens lacking breed characteristics” disqualification.  Please note that characteristics are plural and color alone is not sufficient to warrant the use of this disqualification.  If the coloration patterns bother you to a great extent, then leave the dog unplaced or put it last." - American Chesapeake Club Color Article

"First the American Chesapeake Club has a website and on it is a discussion of the color in the breed. I am always amazed at people who because they never saw the other color patterns that are present in the breed, those patterns are NOT Chesapeake. From the VERY beginning, the colors and patterns seen in the breed today were seen in the breed. The Newf ancestor came with brindle, a dulite gene & tan points and came in brown. Then the various hounds mixed in with the dogs also brought in color patterns. The other breed used was the Irish Water Spaniel. The early breeders wanted a dog that was NOT black. They selected over the years for the brown color base and eliminated any dogs that were black going forward. Brown is recessive so over time the only gene left on the B locus (dogs are only Black or Brown depending on the gene at the B locus) was brown. Genetically tested all CBRS would test bb-recessive brown. On this base color of brown, other PATTERNS can occur. Tan points is one of them, brindle is one and saddle markings another. Those patterns can overlay on brown, sedge or deadgrass. The sedge and deadgrass are created by gene locus A K E that in specific combinations prevent the expression of the brown. So that dog with the markings was most certainly a purebred CBR. Now many breeders do not like the patterns and select away from them-they are all recessive (self-color is the dominant gene at K). The parents of that dog had to both carry the recessive gene for the pattern. The Carroll Island Gun Club's breeding records describe a dog with tan points. We are talking late 1870's to 1890's. There were nearly as many deadgrass dogs as there were brown. Many sedge. The first actual standard for the breed 1918-dark brown was a disqualification. It was changed since many Eastern dogs were dark brown. The Mid-west, Canada & West favored the lighter colors. As to white, the early dogs closer to the Newf cross actually had stripes of white down the face, and much more white on chest and up legs. These are also markings-white is the absence of color and are recessive. Over time the breeders selected away from lots of white. However in the past 5 yrs there have been photos of purebred CBRS with white down their face. And if someone would take and keep selecting for white, you could eventually get a dog with white bibs and all four legs white. I have seen one or two. I hope this helps explain the color of the breed. Forgot to add the gray/ash color is created by the dilution gene on the D Locus. Ash/gray dogs would test dd as dilute is recessive. The ash color was also present in the 1800's." - Dyane Baldwin (USA)