Chinook

The Chinook has a compact muscular frame that well suits this gentle sled dog.

The body is well balanced; the chest is deep; moderate bone and flexible musculature are prominent.

The skin on the head is tight with no wrinkles. The stop is moderate and there is a furrow running vertically from the stop to the occiput.

The muzzle is powerful and the teeth are enduring. The breed's ear carriage, rather wind-blown and bending, gives the dogs a curious and entreating glint; however, the ears can also be pricked up.

The nose has large wide nostrils, should be solid black, and project 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.

The teeth meet in a scissors bite.

The eyes are almond-shaped and of moderate size, with an intelligent expression.

Dark brown eyes are preferred, but lighter, amber eyes are acceptable. Eye rims are dark-pigmented.

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.

Temperament: Strong Willed, Gentle, Calm, Suspicious, Dominant

Health Problems: Eexcessive shyness, eye abnormalities, hip dysplasia, hormonal skin problems, mono/bilateral cryptorchidism, seizures and spondylosis. Generally, the breed is very healthy and these diseases occur in a small percentage of the population.

Breeders are working hard to screen out dogs with any diseases listed above, and buyers should make sure the parents of a puppy are certified as free of eye and hip disease.