Chinook

The Chinook is a sleddog first bred in the New England region of the USA in the early 20th century. They have one male ancestor ‘Chinook’ a Husky mastiff cross.

Appearance
Standing 21 to 27 inches (53-69 cm) at the withers and weighing 55 to 90 pounds (25-41 kg), the Chinook is well balanced and muscular. The UKC standard states that 'The ideal coloration runs from light honey colour to reddish-gold. Black on the inner corners of the eyes are preferred. Dark tawny/black markings on the ears and muzzle are preferred. Guard hairs on the tail may be black.

No white markings are allowed. Buff markings on the cheeks, muzzle, throat, chest, breeches, toes and underside are acceptable. ‘The UKC standard faults any colour other than tawny and disqualifies Albinism.

Other proposed standards state that the medium-length double coat is ‘tawny’ in colour, with darker shadings on muzzle and ears; white dogs are not allowed, nor are other colours. Eyes are brown to amber in colour.

Ear carriage is variable, but dropped is preferred and the head more strongly rectangular than other sled dog breeds. The tail is a well-furred saber and not the usual brush or plume of Arctic breeds. Overall, the Chinook seems to owe more to mastiff than spitz in appearance.

Editor – it is very odd for a breed with such a limited pool of breeding animals, so few that they are bred with other breeds to keep the breed going that there is such a strict breed standard, especially for a breed initially bred for a purpose, not a standard.

Temperament
Chinook's are calm, non aggressive and friendly, though sometimes reserved with strangers. They are inherently gentle with children.

Health
Health issues in Chinooks are epilepsy, canine hip dysplasia, and eye defects, though none of these are especially common. When considering buying a Chinook, be sure to seek out a reputable breeder and ask questions about their breed stock. They are longer lived than other large breeds and may live for up to 12 years.

History
The Chinook was created by Breeder Arthur Walden of Wonalancet, New Hampshire and derives principally from one male ancestor born in 1917, named ‘Chinook,’ who was Walden’s lead dog and stud. Chinook derived from a crossbreeding of husky stock from the Peary North Pole expedition with a large, tawny Mastiff-like male.

Photos of ‘Chinook’ show a drop-eared dog with a broad Mastiff head and muzzle. Walden’s leader was bred to Belgian Sheepdogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Canadian Eskimo Dogs and perhaps other breeds; the progeny were bred back to him to set the desired type and was apparently a strong reproducer of his own traits.

Arthur Walden was an experienced dog driver with years of experience in the Yukon; he was lead driver and trainer on the 1929 Byrd Antarctic expedition. He is credited with bringing sled dog sport to New England and with founding the New England Sled Dog Club in 1924. The 12-year old 'Chinook' died on the Byrd expedition.

Control of the central breeding stock passed from Walden to Mrs. Julia Lombard and from her to Perry Greene in the late 1930s. Greene, a noted outdoorsman, bred Chinooks in Waldboro, Maine, for many years until he died in 1963, with the Chinook population dwindling after his death. By 1981 only eleven breed able Chinooks survived. Breeders in Maine, Ohio and California divided the remaining animals and managed to save the breed from extinction. The Chinook obtained registered status with the United Kennel Club in 1991; current numbers of registered animals are around 400. The registry has a cross-breeding program under which Chinooks are bred to individuals of other breeds thought to have contributed to Chinook development; fourth-generation backcross descendants of such crosses may be accepted as registered Chinooks.

Working Life
Although some are still used for recreational dog sledding by some owners, Chinooks are now mainly used largely as family pets. Individuals are also used for dog-packing, search and rescue, obedience and dog agility trials.