Chinook

Chinook

Developed as a sled dog, the Chinook is known for his speed, endurance and athleticism. In the early 1900s, Arthur Treadwell Walden created the breed on his New Hampshire farm using a Mastiff-type dog, Greenland Husky, and German and Belgian Shepherds. This versatile breed enjoys hiking, backpacking, jogging, and skijoring with his owners. The Chinook’s thick coat provides protection and requires little grooming.
Did you know?
One of the few breeds created in the U.S., the Chinook is named for one of Arthur Treadwell Walden’s dogs, a lead sled dog of a team that hauled freight for Admiral Richard Byrd’s first expedition to Antarctica. In Inuit, Chinook means warm winter winds. In 1941, Perry Greene and his team of Chinooks made a 502-mile journey in 90 hours, setting a record as the longest sled dog trek in the U.S. In 1965, the Guinness World Records listed the Chinook as the rarest dog in the world, with only 125 in existence. By 1981, there were 28 Chinooks, with only 11 used in breeding programs.