We are dedicated to the preservation of AKC & UKC registered Chinooks.
Remarkable, rare, American working dog breed.
Ferncroft Chinooks is located in New Hampshire. We are a small, home-based breeder with large expectations for our Chinooks! We are members of the Chinook Owners Association and the Chinook Club of America. Our goal is to produce a great representation of the Chinook breed with a focus on health, pedigree, and complementary traits. Our Chinooks are OFA hip and eye tested and as well Embark paneled for genetic diseases that are tested for our breed before being bred. We choose mates to compliment Chinook breed standard and are mindful of the pedigree to produce puppies with lower coefficient of inbreeding. We aim to produced active, versatile loving family companions. All puppies are raised by using Puppy Culture outline.
My first Chinook Zealand came home in 2013. Ferncroft came to live with us in 2017 and she became the founding dam of Ferncroft Chinooks. She produced 22 puppies and is now living the life of retirement and having adventures. We kept one of Ferncroft's puppies from her last litter named Ferncroft Home Grown Eden. Eden had a litter in June 2024. We may breed her in 2026.
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Ferncroft Trailhead in New Hampshire
Historic Chinooks
The History Behind the Unique Hallmarks of the Chinook Breed
Arthur Walden was an adventurer and headed to Alaska in 1896 where he took every job coming his way but he loved dog punching (hauling freight with a dog-sled). His favorite lead dog was a Husky mix named Chinook. When Walden came home to Wonalancet, he started breeding dogs to create the ideal "sledge dog" (freight-pulling dog), this dog had to be strong to haul heavy freight but also have stamina, endurance and the speed of the lighter sled dogs and he had to be intelligent and of good temperament to fit into the American home. Chinook was born to a mother that was tied to exploration. His dam Ningo was a Greenland Husky and the granddaughter of Robert Peary's North Pole expedition lead dog Polaris. Chinook's sire Kim provided the size and more substantial bone, as he was a large Mastiff cross. Chinook was one of 3 puppies born on January 17th, 1917 and he became Waldens favorite due to his intelligence, excellence as a lead dog on the sled team (he had an amazing sense of direction) and his gentle and kind demeanor. He was named Chinook after Walden's favorite sled dog back in Alaska. Chinook fulfilled all of the criteria that Walden had set out to create in a sledge dog and he became the foundation sire of this wonderful breed we know now.
Historic Looks and Conformation:
The historic Chinooks were registered at the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1991 and the American Kennel Club (AKC) Foundation Stock Service in 2001. Later, in 2010, they became a part of the AKC's Miscellaneous Class. Finally, Chinooks joined the working group of the AKC after becoming the AKC's 176th breed in 2013 the Chinook was a larger dog with good bone (intermediate bone structure), a good chest, a broad head and strong muscular hindquarters. Chinook himself was between 90-100+lbs. Chinook produced offspring that resembled him in size, structure and temperament. Ultimately, Chinooks were bred to be smaller even during Walden's days to be able to compete in New England sled races with the smaller and faster Husky-type dogs. The smaller Chinooks of today are more agile and faster than the larger historic Chinooks and excel at agility and other fast speed sports.
The Chinook was recognized by the United Kennel Club in March 1991. Chinooks joined the American Kennel Club (AKC) Foundation Stock Service in 2001 and were later added to the AKC's Miscellaneous Class in 2001 . The Chinook became the official New Hampshire State Dog in 2009.
Breed Standard:
https://www.chinookclubofamerica.org/breed-standard.html
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Chinooks are a active working breed
Chinooks are highly trainable, adaptable, and versatile in their abilities. They are four season athletes.
I call Chinooks "couch to trail dogs! Chinooks are a working breed and love to have a job. They excel in hiking, skijoring, sledding, agility, biking. Chinooks excel in AKC and UKC events and are now seen at the AKC Westminster Dog Show in the working dog class.
Our Chinooks love to go camping, back country camping, mountain biking and hiking. Ferncroft, Eden and Zealand often go to stores and run errands with the family. When we had a Eurovan they came with us on long adventures. Now they join us on Subaru car camping adventures. Chinooks love to snuggle and are very affectionate family members. Chinooks are an American dog breed and they are the New Hampshire State Dog.
Chinook history video link! https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/MVTN/id/7727/rec/1
https://www.chinookhistoryproject.org/chinooks-heritage.html