Chinook (dog)

Last updated
Chinook
Mountan Laurel Ajax the Chinook dog.jpg
A male Chinook
Origin United States
Kennel club standards
United Kennel Club standard
NotesState dog of New Hampshire
Dog ( domestic dog )

The Chinook is a breed of sled dog, developed in the state of New Hampshire during the early 20th century. The Chinook is New Hampshire's official state dog.

Contents

Description

Appearance

Standing 21 to 27 inches (53 to 69 cm) in height at the withers and weighing 45 to 90 pounds (20 to 41 kg), the Chinook is balanced and muscular. The United Kennel Club (UKC) breed standard [1] states, "The ideal coloration runs from light honey color to reddish-gold. Black markings on the inside corners of the eyes are preferred. Dark tawny to 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 color other than tawny and disqualifies albinism. Other proposed standards state that the medium-length double coat is "tawny" in color, with darker shadings on muzzle and ears; white dogs are not allowed, nor are other colors. Eyes are brown to amber in color. Ear carriage is variable, but dropped is preferred and the head more strongly rectangular than other sleddog breeds. The tail is a well-furred saber and not the usual brush or plume of Arctic breeds.

Temperament

The Chinook is an affectionate and playful family companion with a special devotion toward children. It is a willing worker who is eager to please and enthusiastic to learn. The Chinook is highly trainable, adaptable, and versatile in his abilities. Gregarious with other dogs, the Chinook works well in teams and within family packs. The Chinook is a dignified dog; some may be reserved with strangers but should never appear shy or aggressive.

Health

Health issues include normal hereditary problems such as epilepsy, hip dysplasia, and atopy. [2] Also common is cryptorchidism, which occurs in about 10% of all male dogs.

History

Arthur T. Walden and Chinook, 1922 Arthur T. Walden and Chinook.JPG
Arthur T. Walden and Chinook, 1922

The Chinook owes its existence to one man: Arthur Treadwell Walden of Wonalancet, New Hampshire. The breed derives principally from one male ancestor born in 1917, named "Chinook", who was Walden's lead dog and stud. Walden began his efforts to create what he believed could be the ideal sled dog after an expedition to the Yukon where he worked alongside a native american guide and his dog named Chinook. Walden, in his effort to create his own Chinook, bred a Greenland Dog directly descended from the lead of the Peary North Pole expedition named Ningo with a large, tawny male Mastiff/St. Bernard mix named Kim. The pair had three pups. Walden's wife, Katherine Sleeper Walden, named them Rikki, Tikki, and Tavi in reference to The Jungle Book. As Rikki grew, he showed the traits which Walden had searched for and was renamed Chinook after his native american companion's dog. "Chinook" derived from a crossbreeding of a female 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 the lead driver and trainer on Byrd's 1929 Antarctic expedition. He is credited with bringing sled dog sports to New England and founding the New England Sled Dog Club in 1924. The 12-year-old "Chinook" went missing on the Byrd expedition while hauling supplies miles overland from ship to shore, and was presumed to have died.

Control of the core breeding stock passed from Walden to Julia Lombard and from her to Perry Greene in the late 1940s. Greene, a noted outdoorsman, bred Chinooks in Waldoboro, Maine, for many years until his death in 1963. Rare and closely held by Greene, who was for many years the only breeder of Chinooks, the population dwindled rapidly after his death. By 1981 only eleven breedable Chinooks survived. [2] Breeders in Maine, Ohio and California divided the remaining stock and managed to save the type from extinction.

The Chinook obtained registered status with the UKC in 1991; [1] the current number of registered animals is around 800. Only about 100 puppies are born annually worldwide. 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 UKC purebred Chinooks if they meet the Chinook Owner Association's Cross Breeding Program requirements. [2]

Chinooks joined the American Kennel Club (AKC) Foundation Stock Service [3] [4] [5] in 2001 and were later added to the AKC's Miscellaneous Class in 2010. [6] Finally, in January 2013 the Chinook became the AKC's 176th breed and joined the working group. [7] Chinooks are still working for recognition from other major kennel clubs.

Working life

Although still used for recreational dog sledding by some owners, Chinooks today appear to be used largely as family pets. Individuals are also used for dog-packing, search and rescue, skijoring, and obedience and dog agility trials.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keeshond</span> Dog breed

The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog with a plush, two-layer coat of silver and black fur with a ruff and a curled tail. The Keeshond is descended from ancient Arctic dogs. Their closest relatives are the German spitzes such as the Großspitz, Mittelspitz, Kleinspitz, Zwergspitz (Dwarf-Spitz) or Pomeranian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siberian Husky</span> Dog breed

The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working sled dog breed. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly furred double coat, erect triangular ears, and distinctive markings, and is smaller than the similar-looking Alaskan Malamute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kooikerhondje</span> Dog breed

The Kooikerhondje is a small spaniel-type breed of dog of Dutch ancestry that was originally used as a working dog, particularly in an eendenkooi to lure ducks. Kooikers were popular in the 17th and 18th century and appear in the paintings of Rembrandt, Gerard ter Borch, and Jan Steen. The breed is gaining popularity in the United States, Canada and Scandinavia, where it is still relatively unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catahoula Leopard Dog</span> American breed of dog

The Catahoula Leopard Dog is an American dog breed named after Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. It became the state dog of Louisiana in 1979. It is recognized by the United Kennel Club under the name Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, while the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service calls it Catahoula Leopard Dog. Both registries have assigned the breed a herding designation, although it has traditionally been used in hunting feral boars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boxer (dog)</span> Dog breed

The Boxer is a medium to large, short-haired dog breed of mastiff-type, developed in Germany. The coat is smooth and tight-fitting; colors are fawn, brindled, or white, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic, have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism, very strong jaws, and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to large prey. The Boxer was bred from the Old English Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisser, which became extinct by crossbreeding rather than by a decadence of the breed. The Boxer is a member of both The Kennel Club and American Kennel Club (AKC) Working Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaskan Malamute</span> Dog breed

The Alaskan Malamute is a large breed of dog that was originally bred for its strength and endurance, to haul heavy freight as a sled dog, and as a hound. It is similar to other arctic breeds such as the husky, the spitz, the Greenland Dog, Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Siberian Husky, and the Samoyed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patterdale Terrier</span> Dog breed

The Patterdale Terrier is a breed "type" of dog descended from the Northern terrier breeds of the early 18th century. Bred in Patterdale, Lake District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fédération Cynologique Internationale</span> International federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium.

The Fédération cynologique internationale is the largest international federation of national kennel clubs and purebred registries. The FCI is based in Thuin, Belgium and has 98 members and contract partners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Bulldog</span> Dog breed

The American bulldog is a large, muscular breed of mastiff-type dog. Their ancestors were brought to the British North American colonies where they worked on small farms and ranches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rat Terrier</span> Dog breed

The Rat Terrier is an American dog breed with a background as a farm dog and hunting companion. They share much ancestry with the small hunting dogs known as feists. Common throughout family farms in the 1920s and 1930s, they are now recognized by the United (UKC) and American Kennel Clubs (AKC) and are considered a rare breed. Rat Terriers are an intelligent and active breed that can be kept both for pest control and as a family pet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Swiss Mountain Dog</span> Dog breed

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a dog breed which was developed in the Swiss Alps. The name Sennenhund refers to people called Senn or Senner, dairymen and herders in the Swiss Alps. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are almost certainly the result of indigenous dogs mating with large mastiff-type dogs brought to Switzerland by foreign settlers. At one time, the breed was believed to have been among the most popular in Switzerland. It was assumed to have almost died out by the late 19th century, since its work was being done by other breeds or machines, but was rediscovered in the early 1900s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Pit Bull Terrier</span> Dog breed

The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a dog breed recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), but not the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is a medium-sized, short-haired dog, of a solid build, whose early ancestors came from England. When compared with the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier is larger by margins of 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) in height and 25–35 pounds (11–16 kg) in weight. The American Pit Bull Terrier varies in size: males are normally about 18–21 inches (45–53 cm) in height and around 35–60 pounds (15–27 kg) in weight, while females are normally around 17–20 inches (43–50 cm) in height and 30–50 pounds (13–22 kg) in weight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treeing Walker Coonhound</span> Dog breed

The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a breed of hound descended from the English and American Foxhounds. The breed originated in the United States when a stolen dog known as "Tennessee Lead" was crossed into the Walker Hound in the 19th century. The Treeing Walker Coonhound was recognized officially as a breed by the United Kennel Club in 1945 and by the American Kennel Club in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dogue de Bordeaux</span> Dog breed originating in France

The Dogue de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Mastiff, French Mastiff or Bordeauxdog is a large French mastiff breed. A typical brachycephalic mastiff breed, the Bordeaux is a very powerful dog, with a very muscular body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boykin Spaniel</span> Dog breed

The Boykin Spaniel is a medium-sized breed of dog, a Spaniel bred for hunting wild turkeys and ducks in the Wateree River Swamp of South Carolina, in the United States. It is the state dog of South Carolina, where it was discovered and further developed by hunters in the 1900s. 1 September, 1984 is Boykin Spaniel Day in South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bull and terrier</span> Mixed breed

Bull and terrier was a common name for crossbreeds between bulldogs and terriers in the early 1800s. Other names included half-and-halfs and half-breds. It was a time in history when, for thousands of years, dogs were classified by use or function, unlike the modern pets of today that were bred to be conformation show dogs and family pets. Bull and terrier crosses were originally bred to function as fighting dogs for bull- and bear-baiting, and other popular blood sports during the Victorian era. The sport of bull baiting required a dog with attributes such as tenacity and courage, a wide frame with heavy bone, and a muscular, protruding jaw. By crossing bulldogs with various terriers from Ireland and Great Britain, breeders introduced "gameness and agility" into the hybrid mix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Treadwell Walden</span>

Arthur Treadwell Walden was a Klondike Gold Rush adventurer, author, dog driver and participant in the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition. He is also known as the creator of the Chinook dog breed, which would eventually be named as the official state dog of New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Longhaired Pointer</span> Dog breed

The German Longhaired Pointer (GLP) is a breed of dog. Developed in Germany, it is used as a multipurpose gundog. It is closely related to its cousins, the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP), the German Wirehaired Pointer (GWP) and the Large Münsterländer, which was previously part of the breed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russkiy Toy</span> Dog breed

The Russian Toy is a very small breed of dog originally bred in Russia from the English Toy Terrier. There are two types of coats in the breed: smooth coat and long coat. The smooth-coated variety was previously known as the Russian Toy Terrier and long-coated as the Moscow Long-Haired Toy Terrier. Both were brought together under the same Russian Toy Terrier name in 1988 and the "Terrier" was dropped from the name when the breed was added in 2006 to the official list of breeds registered with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and has been registered in the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club since 2008, allowed to compete in AKC companion events since 2010. The first official breed standard of the two varieties was written in 1966 in Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miniature American Shepherd</span> Dog breed

The Miniature American Shepherd, frequently abbreviated MAS, is a small herding dog breed. The MAS is highly intelligent and biddable. The breed is often trained for dog sports such as herding, agility, obedience, canine freestyle, flyball, and others. The Miniature American Shepherd was recognised by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2015 and is the club's 186th breed. In September 2019, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) officially accepted the breed.

References

  1. 1 2 "Chinook breed standard". United Kennel Club . Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Bell, Jerold S. (2007). "American Breed Clubs and Health Initiatives". In Ostrander, Elaine A.; Giger, Urs; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin (eds.). The Dog and Its Genome. CSHL Press. pp. 40–44. ISBN   978-0-87969-781-5 . Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  3. "American Kennel Club: Chinook Facts" . Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  4. Smart, Sylvia (2008). Dog Breeders Professional Secrets: Ethical Breeding Practices. Dogwise Publishing. p. 44. ISBN   978-1-929242-59-7 . Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  5. De Vito, Carlo; Ammen, Amy (2008). Everything Dog Book (2 ed.). Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media. p. 52. ISBN   978-1-59869-591-5 . Retrieved April 9, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. "American Kennel Club: Chinook History" . Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  7. Terri Pous (12 January 2013). "American Kennel Club Invites Two New Breeds to the Litter". Time. Retrieved 13 January 2013.