CHINOOK

Official U.K.C. Breed Standard      Northern Breeds Group

                                © Copyright 1997, United Kennel Club, Inc.

HISTORY

The Chinook is a Northern breed derived from a single ancestor. The father of the breed, Chinook, was born on author/explorer Arthur Walden's Wonalancet, New Hampshire farm in 1917. He was one of three pups born to a "Northern Husky" female sired by one of the dogs on Peary’s North Pole team. Chinook’s sire was a large, mixed breed dog. Chinook was a “sport,” a phenomenon of nature, not resembling either of his parents. He was an outstanding sled dog and accompanied Admiral Byrd's South Pole expedition in 1927. Chinook’s offspring, who inherited his coloring, size and general characteristics, were bred to combine the strength of the large freight dog with the speed of the smaller racing sled dogs.  In the early 1900's, the Chinook set records for distance covered, loads carried and running time. This breed has been maintained through the years by a small number of dedicated fanciers.

          The Chinook was recognized by the United Kennel Club in March 1991.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The Chinook is a large dog capable of pulling light to heavy loads. The Chinook has a broad skull, a tapered muzzle slightly shorter in length than the skull, a variety of ear carriages, brown almond-shaped eyes, a dense medium-length double coat of tawny color and a low-set saber tail that hangs down with an upward curve at the tip when the dog is in repose, but may be carried in a graceful sickle curve when the dog is alert. This breed is presented in a completely natural condition with no trimming, even of whiskers. Honorable scars are not to be faulted. The Chinook was developed to be a working sled dog and any deviation from the standard which compromises that purpose should be penalized in proportion to the degree of the deviation.

CHARACTERISTICS

The Chinook is a Northern breed, bred to perform many of the same tasks as the Spitz-type breeds and with some Spitz-type ancestors in the background.  The Chinook however bears more resemblance to the Mastiff-type dogs than the Spitz-types in that he has a more rectangular shaped head, a saber tail, and a close-fitting, tawny-colored coat made up of a coarse-textured outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat. Other typical Chinook characteristics include webbed feet with thick, well-furred pads and the aquiline nose. One of the key breed characteristics is the Chinook temperament: calm, non-aggressive, with a willing, friendly disposition. Chinooks are bred to work in teams and do not exhibit dog aggression. Notwithstanding its gentle, even temperament, the Chinook is a dignified dog who may be reserved with strangers or in unfamiliar surroundings. A Chinook should, however, never appear timid or aggressive. In action, the Chinook is graceful but purposeful, alert but calm. His expression reflects his intelligence; his proud carriage reflects his dignity.

This breed matures slowly and individual dogs may not reach their prime until as late as four years of age.

HEAD

The head is of moderate length, about 10 inches, more or less, depending on the size of the dog. The length of the muzzle, measured from stop to the end of the nose, is slightly shorter than the length of the skull, measured from occiput to stop. The skull and muzzle are parallel to one another when viewed from the side, and joined by a moderate stop. The skin on the head is tight with no wrinkles.

SKULL - When viewed from the front, the skull is broad and slightly domed. The width of the skull is approximately equal to the length of the skull from occiput to stop. The stop is moderate and there is a shallow furrow running vertically from the stop to the occiput. The skin on the face and skull is free from wrinkles. The cheeks have a chiseled appearance.

MUZZLE - The muzzle tapers slightly from base to nose, is moderately deep and not pointed.  The distance from the stop to nose is slightly shorter than the length of skull from occiput to stop. The bridge of the muzzle is slightly aquiline, and roughly parallel to the top of the skull. The nose is large, always solid black and projects slightly over the mouth. The lips are black in color. The top lip overhangs the lower lip very slightly and the corners of the lower lip are slightly pendulous.

TEETH - The jaw is of moderate width with a full complement of strong, evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. The line of the incisors is straight and perpendicular to the outside lines of the jaw.

          Faults - Excessive overbite. Undershot jaw.

EYES - The eyes are almond-shaped and of moderate size, with intelligent expression. Dark brown eyes are preferred but lighter, amber eyes are acceptable. Eye rims are dark-pigmented. A dark, apostrophe-shaped accent mark at the inner corner of the eyes is preferred.

EARS - The ears are well-furred, medium-sized and set wide apart on the head. The ear leather is thick from base to tip. The inner edge of the ear is in line with the outer corner of the eye just below it. Drop, prick, or helicopter ears are acceptable. Helicopter ears are 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. For aesthetic purposes matching ears are preferred.

NECK

The neck is strong and moderately arched. The skin on the neck is pliable but does not form a prominent dewlap.

BODY

In profile the body measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks is slightly longer than tall (measured at the withers.) The topline of the back is straight and strong with a slight arch over the loin to allow for efficient transfer of thrust from the rear quarters. The ribs are well-sprung out from the spine, forming a strong back, then curving down and inward to form a deep body. The chest is deep, extending nearly to the elbow, and moderately broad. The deepest part of the chest is just behind the forelegs. The forechest extends well in front of the legs. There is a definite tuck-up with a clearly defined waist at the flank. The body is extremely flexible and is well-muscled and hard.

          Faults - Body too short or too long. Barrel-shaped or slab-sided ribs. Shallow or narrow chest.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulders are moderately laid back. The scapula and the upper arm form an angle of about 110 degrees. When standing the forelegs are placed directly under the withers. The muscles of the upper leg are firm and well-developed. The forelegs are straight, with strong, moderately short, slightly sloping pasterns and moderate bone. The shoulder blade and the upper arm are roughly equal in length. Elbows are neither close to the body nor out but are set on a plane parallel to the body. There should be a slight rotation of the pastern causing the dog to toe out not more than 10 degrees so that the dog pushes off from the center toes. Front dewclaws may be removed.

          Faults - Straight shoulders. Weak pasterns. Fine bone. Short upper arm.

HINDQUARTERS

Viewed from behind, the rear legs are moderately spaced and parallel. Thighs are powerful in appearance and strongly muscled. Stifles are moderately angulated. Hocks are well let-down and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. When viewed from the rear or the side, the hocks are perpendicular to the ground. Rear dewclaws, if present, must be removed.

          Faults - Straight stifles. Sickle hocks.

FEET

The feet are oval, firm, and compact, with well-knit, well-arched toes and tough, deeply cushioned, darkly-pigmented pads. The toes are moderately webbed and the feet are well-furred, even between the toes. The front feet turn slightly outward. Dewclaws may be removed from the front feet and, if present, must be removed from the back feet.

          Faults - Splayed toes. Long, injury-prone toes. Cat feet or hare feet.

TAIL

The Chinook has a saber tail with an overall well-furred appearance. The tail is distinctly flattened on the sides, with longer hair occurring on the underside and at the base of the tail. It is set just below the topline and is carried in a graceful sickle curve when the dog is alert. When the dog is standing, the tail hangs downward, approximately to the hocks, with a slight upward curve at the tip. The Chinook tail is never docked.

COAT

Chinooks have a double coat of medium length hair. The undercoat is thick, soft, and downy in texture. The outer coat is coarse and the hair lies close to the body. Less dense coats are normal in very warm climates. The neck is well-furnished with hair, which forms a protective ruff blending into the apron. The tail is well-furred with longer hair at the base and underside of the tail. The groin and inside of the rear legs are protected by coat.

          Faults - Long, soft, or thin coat. Lack of double coat in cold climate. Unprotected belly and groin.

COLOR

The Chinook is tawny in color. This preferred tawny coloration has historically been a distinguishing characteristic of the breed. 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.

          Faults - Any color other than tawny.

SIZE AND WEIGHT

Height for mature males ranges between 23 and 27 inches at the withers, with an average weight of 70 pounds. Height for mature females ranges between 21 and 25 inches, with an average weight of 55 pounds. At all weights, the appearance is lean and muscular with moderate bone. Gender differences should be easily discernable with the females somewhat smaller and lighter than the males. In judging Chinooks, size does not take preference to quality.

GAIT

The Chinook must be exhibited at a trot. This gait is smooth, efficient and effortless. When the front leg is fully extended the foot should reach to a perpendicular line drawn from the center of the chin to the ground. Viewed from behind, the rear pads should be fully visible. Viewed from the side, some smooth up and down movement at the trot is allowed because this is consistent with proficiency at the gallop. If a Chinook paces in the ring, the judge should ask to have the dog gaited again into a trot. No Chinook should be penalized for pacing unless it cannot demonstrate the correct trotting gait.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Viciousness or extreme shyness. Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. White dogs. Rear dewclaws.

 

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Carolina Dog is a dog of medium build, possessing the general appearance of a small jackal or wolf, in combination with many of the features of a small sighthound The distinctive features of the breed are those which confer survival advantage under free-living conditions in tall grass Savannah and bottom land swamp forest habitats of the southeastern United States. The dog typically has a medium length straight back with a distinct waist which sets off a deep brisket from a high tucked up loin. The tail is distinctive in both its fishhook like configuration and its variable carriage depending on mood. The large upright ears and long graceful neck are also distinctive and suggest he appearance of a small, versatile and resourceful predator well adapted to surviving on its own in natural habitat. In ideal conditions, a Carolina Dog should appear thin and "tight." It would not to be inappropriate for example for the ribs to show slightly as in a well conditioned racing sighthound. Individuals that are greatly overweight should be severely penalized. The dog should be shown in a natural condition with little or no evidence of grooming or scissoring. Vibrissse should not be amputated.

 

TEMPERAMENT: A generally shy and suspicious nature is characteristic of the breed but excessive fear and any resistance to examination is not desirable. No individual should be expected to be friendly and outgoing nor to enjoy physical contact with strangers. Out ward aggression, however, is a major fault.

 

HEAD AND SKULL: The skull is strong and impressive. Broad between the ears and moderately rounded with ample muscling, there is a distinct furrow extending down to between the eyes, with the forehead being slightly rounded. There is a distinct occipital peak and a slight but distinct stop, the shill tapering to a strong, distinctively pointed muzzle. The length of the muzzle should be approximately equal to the length of the cranial portion of the skull. Viewed from above, the head should form a wide triangle, the tapering of the muzzle being accentuated by the highly developed jaw muscles. The jaw are powerful, clean and deep. The lips are tight fitting and buck The teeth are well developed, even, and meet in a scissor or level bite. Undershot or overshot bites should be severely penalized. The nose should be black with large well opened nostrils. Liver, pink or partly colored noses should be considered a minor fault. Younger dogs often show a distinctive fine wrinkling on the forehead giving a frown effect.

 

EYES: The eyes are almond shaped, set obliquely and dark brown in color. Eye rims should be black and unbroken. Overall expression is one of softness and intelligence, but highly cautious.

 

EARS: The ears are distinctive, expressive and versatile in carriage. They should be slightly rounded at the tip, erect when alerted but can be carried folded back along the neck They should be set well on top of the head and be fine in texture and slightly forward pointing. A characteristic position is for one ear to be firmly pricked and the other to rotate sensitively to pick up sounds. Ear placement is more important than size, but it is essential that they be forward pointed and set on top of the head The ideal ear should appear as an equilateral triangle, although the base may be slightly shorter than the ascending edges. Semi prick and drop ears are permitted but should be penalized, according to the degree of deviation from a full upright configuration.

 

NECK: The neck is notable in its strength and development. It is strongly crested, fitting well into the shoulders thus accentuating the crest to give the head a lofty carriage. The neck is graceful and swan like yet muscular and well arched, providing the animal with a means of making rapid and effective downward stabbing movements with the head when hunting in tall grass. Short or throaty necks are to be strongly penalized.

 

FOREQUARTERS: The chest is narrow to medium in width with the brisket, deep, reaching to the elbows in mature specimens. The forelegs are straight with the forearms showing moderate bone and distinctive musculature. The pasterns should be a good length, moderately straight and flexible. The shoulders are long and well laid back with good length of forearm. While standing, the feet may be slightly turned out, but equally. The feet themselves should be moderately small and compact never splayed. Toes should be well arched with hard pads and strong nails.

 

BODY: The back is strong and straight. It may be moderately long, but must have no suggestion of slackness, slightly rising over the loin. The chest cavity is well sprung, and is deep and with plenty of lung and heart loom. brisket ends in a definite waist with a well defined cut up.

 

HINDQUARTERS: The hindquarters are strong, powerful and muscular. They should be set under the body, be well angulated and exhibit tremendous drive and agility thus enabling the dog to turn quickly while moving forward Thighs are thick strong, and well muscled almost as in a well conditioned racing sighthound. The hindquarters should be parallel when in gull gait. Rear dewclaws are desirable, but their absence should not be penalized.

 

TAIL: Like the ears, the tail is a most expressive and characteristic feature of this breed. It is set on as a continuation of the spine, has moderate brush, but is most heavily haired on the underside which is always light colored or at least paler than the upper surface which may show some dark cabling. When alert, the tail is held in a characteristic "fish hook" carriage, usually at about a 45 degree angle from the horizontal. While Baiting at the trot, the tail is usually carried in a downward "pump handle" configuration. At other times, especially when being approached by strangers, the tail may be held low or tucked between the rear legs, but must never be slack or loose in its hang. Any tail which twists, curls or is held unduly forward over the back should be severely penalized.

 

COAT: The coat is a distinguishing feature and is seasonal, the winter coat being distinctly heavier then the summer coat. Hair is short and smooth on the head, ears and front legs. There should be a wealth of undercoat in cooler months. Coarser and longer guard hens extend over the neck withers and back and when aroused, this hair stands erect. The coat behind the shoulder blades is often lighter in color. The skin is pliant, but not flabby or loose. Long curly, wavy or broken coats should be considered faulty. Animals showing excessive shedding at appropriate times of the year should not be penalized.

 

COLOR: The preferred color is deep red ginger with pale buff marking over the shoulders and along the muzzle. Variations in color, grading from straw colored through wheaten to pale yellow or buff are also acceptable, but never all white. The above colors usually include lighter colors on the underside, chest and throat, sometimes nearly white on the latter. Some white on the toes is also common and not to be penalized. Dark sabling over the back loins and tail is also permissible and dogs less than two yeas of age often have all black muzzles although this is not required. Black and tan piebald spotting and black blanket back color patterns are also permitted but, all else being equal, are not to be economized.

 

MOVEMENT: The gait should be low, free moving, effortless, and smooth. There should be a suggestions of flexibility in the back as would be expected for a small sighthound capable of a double suspension gallop. High, choppy or hackneyed gait should be strongly penalized. Other signs or unsound movement such as tendencies to toe in, toe out or moving too close behind should be similarly penalized.

 

WEIGHT AND SIZE: The weight is dependent on the overall size and the, but varies from approximately 15 to 20 kilograms. At no time should the breed appear heavy bodied. Bitches are generally lighter in build than dogs, but the two sexes overlap broadly in both size and weight.

 

HEIGHT: The height at the withers generally angles from 45-50 cm but can vary according to build. Type and symmetry are more important than size.