LargeWorking Group

Chinook

The Chinook was developed in early-20th-century New Hampshire by Arthur Walden as a sled-hauling freighter; all modern Chinooks descend from one dog named Chinook born in 1917.

Calculate Chinook age

Lifespan13.5 yrrange 12–15

SizeLargeWorking Group

Weight50–90 lb22.7–40.8 kg

Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the Chinook

The Chinook was developed in early-20th-century New Hampshire by Arthur Walden as a sled-hauling freighter; all modern Chinooks descend from one dog named Chinook born in 1917. The breed reached 11 living dogs worldwide in 1981 before breed-club restoration; AKC recognition dates to 2013.

Aging

How Chinooks age

Not in RVC VetCompass; breed-standard estimates indicate 12-15 years. Hip dysplasia, cryptorchidism, and idiopathic epilepsy are the defining inherited concerns on OFA screens; the extreme founder-population bottleneck concentrates recessives.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 13.5 yr · range 12–15 Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10 Common health issues3 tracked conditions

Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight: 50–90 lb(22.7–40.8 kg)
Height: 22–26 in(55.9–66 cm)
Coat type: Double
Colors: Red GoldFawnTawnyPalominoGray RedSilver FawnBuffWhiteBlack & TanGray & TanBlack

Temperament

How Chinooks tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

intelligentaffectionatedignifiedhardy

Energy
3/5
Trainability
4/5
Good with kids
5/5
Good with other dogs
5/5
Shedding
3/5

Health

Common health issues

Full health profile

Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr
Patellar Luxation
Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.
Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr
Cataracts
Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.
Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr
Elbow Dysplasia
Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.