The Chinook dog is a rare American breed of sled dog that was used in the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition in 1927. Created by Arthur Walden the Chinook dog was bred to be a working dog as well as a house pet. It is this ideal temperament that would save the breed from the grasp of extinction. The Chinook dog is a rare breed that was developed in North America during the early 20th century as a working sled dog. This breed was derived from a single dog called Chinook, owned by Arthur Walden in the 1920s.
The original Chinook dog was the result of crossing breeds, namely a Last revised: November, 2010 Husky with a Mastiff-like dog, but the offspring (including Chinook himself) did not closely resemble either of the parents. Later, most of Chinook’s offspring were similar to their father, and descendents were later bred with German Shepherd dogs, Eskimo dogs, and Belgian Sheepdogs, among other breeds. Chinook’s progeny ultimately created the Chinook breed that had the desired traits, such as being of good temperament and intelligence, strong, and fast.
In later years, Chinook dogs were bred by Julia Lombard and Perry Green. Green bred Chinook dogs from the 1930s until 1963, and was the only breeder for many years. After his passing, the population of Chinook dogs dwindled, until there were only eleven breeding dogs left in 1981. Today, Chinook dogs are still rare with only around 700 in existence. Some mixes can also be registered as Chinook dogs if they are crossed with breeds that ar part of the Chinook breed ancestry (German Shepherd dogs, etc).
Traditionally, Chinook dogs and the breeds they were derived from were working dogs who liked to pull. While Chinook dogs are largely employed as family companions nowadays due to their affable temperament, some dogs are using their skill set to find a job. Chinook dogs are sometimes employed for search and rescue, obedience, agility, flyball, packing, herding, and “skijoring” (dog pulls a human who is on skis). The Chinook typically weighs between 55 and 90 pounds, with a height that ranges between 21 and 27 inches. It is a lean, muscular, and tawny-colored dog that may include darker markings around the muzzle and ears.
A Chinook dog can have drop, prick, or “helicopter” ears. Helicopter ears are described as “similar to flying ears except that the outer edges of the ears fold inward and the inside edges of the ear stand out from the head, parallel to the ground .“ Chinooks should have a broad, rectangular shaped head with a strong muzzle. Its tail is saber shaped, and wellfurred. The Chinook has a double coat with a course outer layer with a soft undercoat that does not require a lot of grooming. While Chinook dogs have a double coat, they are said to vary in the amount of fur they shed. Some are said to be heavy shedders, while others shed twice per year. Other Chinook owners report very little shedding.
The overall physical appearance can vary in Chinook dogs; for example, some of these dogs more closely resemble a shepherd, while others may resemble a lab. The Chinook is agile and has great drive, which makes them great candidates for agility training.
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