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Chinook

devoted / smart / patient
Working Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

24-26 inches (male)

22-24 inches (female)

Weight

55-90 pounds (male)

50-65 pounds (female)

Life Expectancy

12-15 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    80% 80%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    60% 60%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    20% 20%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    80% 80%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    100% 100%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    80% 80%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    60% 60%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    20% 20%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    80% 80%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    100% 100%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

The Chinook is a tough working dog and loving family pet that is revered in Wonalancet, New Hampshire. It is renowned for its intelligence, patience, and desire to please. The Chinook is one of the AKC’s rarest breeds, having formerly been on the point of extinction. Males of the no-frills, tawny-coated Chinooks are large, strong, and can reach a shoulder height of 26 inches. Females are slightly smaller due to their particularly feminine appearance. Chinooks were designed as dual-purpose carriers with the speed of sled racers and the muscle of freighting dogs. They have a lovely twinkle in their dark almond eyes and exude a strong-hearted dignity. Chinooks are peaceful, sociable dogs with a special affinity for kids.

They are amiable employees who strive to satisfy. They are experts at sledding, carting, obedience, agility, search-and-rescue work, and herding. Chinooks are not especially active dogs, but they still require regular exercise to maintain a healthy level of hardness.

What To Expect When Caring For a Chinook

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Although the Chinook is a strong, healthy breed, there are several health issues that it is predisposed to. Hip dysplasia, cryptorchidism, gastrointestinal issues, and allergies are a few of them. Cryptorchidism is the absence of one or both testicles from the scrotum. Although it is usually believed that Chinook seizures are movement disorders rather than actual seizures, some Chinook do experience them. Like all breeds, Chinooks should have their teeth brushed frequently and have their ears checked frequently for indications of infection.

Grooming

The Chinook's luxurious double coat requires little maintenance. Chinooks shed some hair throughout the year, just like all mammals. Weekly brushing will help to keep the dog looking his best by removing dirt and loose hair. During shedding season, which typically happens twice a year but occurs more frequently with spayed or neutered animals, longer, daily brushing sessions will be necessary. As with all breeds, the nails should be periodically cut because excessively long nails can hurt the dog and make it difficult for it to run and walk.

Exercise

While they often appear relaxed and mellow around the house, Chinooks have a tremendous amount of energy, and they thrive on exercise and play. Because they bond strongly with their owners, they make great companions on long walks, hikes, bicycle rides, and camping trips. They even enjoy swimming and boating with their human family. Of course, Chinooks were bred to pull sleds, so it's no surprise that they excel at sports such as sledding, skijoring, bikejoring, and scootering. Chinooks also enjoy participating in agility, obedience, rally, tracking, and lure coursing events.

Training

All dogs should participate in puppy training sessions and early socialization to help them develop into well-mannered, well-adjusted adults. Chinooks are simple to train utilizing methods of positive reinforcement. They may be dependable off-leash, unlike the majority of sledding breeds. Young Chinooks are very animated and friendly, and unless they are taught early on not to approach friends and relatives who are human, they will often jump up and come right up to them. No amount of training will transform a Chinook into a guard dog because of his amiable, self-assured, and gregarious demeanor.
 

Nutrition

Breeders recommend that the Chinook be fed high-quality dog food appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog's calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet.
 

History

Adventurer and polar explorer Arthur Treadwell Walden of Wonalancet, New Hampshire, developed the Chinook. The 24-year-old New Englander traveled to Alaska during the height of the Gold Rush in 1896 due to his wanderlust. Walden traversed the Klondike for six years as a prospector, stevedore, logger, riverboat captain, and—most significantly—a sled-dog driver.
By the time Walden arrived home, he had become a dedicated musher who was determined to create his own line of sled dog breeds. Walden employed a mastiff-like dog and offspring of one of Admiral Robert Peary’s Greenland huskies as his foundation stock. The puppies he produced were admired for their all-around sledding prowess as well as their amiable, loving personalities. Chinook, the sled team’s lead dog, inspired Walden to give the breed that name. This dog was the ancestor of the breed, and all Chinooks can be traced back to him (the word “Chinook” is Native American for “warm wind”).
Walden and his new breed gained notoriety in the sledding community as a result of his breeding program’s outstanding success. Len Seppala and his Siberian Huskies, who gained fame for their 1925 “Serum Run” to Nome, Alaska, quickly overshadowed them, though.
The renowned 1928 Antarctic expedition led by Admiral Richard Byrd included Walden and his Chinook squad. The tenacity of the 58-year-old Walden and his 11-year-old lead dog, Chinook, left Byrd in awe. In two trips covering a distance of 16 miles each, Walden’s single team of thirteen dogs transported 3,500 pounds of goods, the author stated. The core of our conveyance was Walden’s group.
While attempting to save his wife from the fire that ravaged their Wonalancet farmhouse, Walden perished in 1947. The breed he developed had a sharp decline in population over the years, almost going extinct. With only 125 known specimens, the Chinook was recognized as the rarest dog breed by Guinness World Records in 1965. Prior to devoted Chinook aficionados from all over the world quietly bringing the breed back from the brink, that number fell much lower.