History of the Breed

Today's chinooks

In 1986 Harry Gray purchased the abandoned Perry Greene Kennels and moved his Northdown Kennel there. Gray made improvements to the property from 1986 to 1993 and bred many Chinooks and Chinook crosses during this time. Harry and Katy Gray created the Chinook Club of America (CCOA) and became the first club to offer pedigrees to Chinooks, keep computerized databases of breedings, and published the first owners directory. By 1985 the Chinook population had risen to approximately 60 dogs.

In 1988 Harry Gray and his Chinooks from Northdown Kennel went to Alaska in what would later become an aborted attempt to train and eventually run in the Iditarod. According to Bob Johnson of Northern Lights Chinooks, Gray ran headlong into one of the worst Alaskan winters in memory. Heavy snow, up to 212-inches, buried Gray and his Chinooks at their training camp. Out of dog food and fearing for the welfare of the Chinooks, Gray placed an emergency phone call to Stan Victor of Victors Chinooks. Victor financed the rescue of Gray and his Chinooks with Bob Johnson coordinating efforts from Talkeetna, Alaska. Bob Johnson found and leased more favorable land for the Chinooks while they recovered from their ordeal. Chinook owners must forever be grateful for Stan Victor and Bob Johnson’s efforts. Almost every modern day purebred foundation sire and dam were rescued by Stan and Bob. These dogs included Toes, Yukon Jack, North Wind Nome, North Wind Kiska, Victor’s Nikiska, Northdown Nugget and Kaltag to mention a few. Without these sires and dams the breed may not have recovered. The Chinooks arrived in Alaska November 28th, 1988 and departed June 30, 1989.

In 1989 the Chinook Owners Association was resurrected. A registry was created to record breedings and litters. In 1990 the First Chinook-Round-Up took place in Dayton, Ohio. Almost 50 people and 30 Chinooks from across the United States to competed in a fun match and took part in the first formal meeting of the COA. This gather was quite an accomplishment after the Chinook was listed three times in the Guinness Book of World Records as the dog breed with the fewest population. In 1991 The United Kennel Club recognized the Chinook. Chinooks would also be recognized by the American Rare Breed Association. Joyce Maley, T.J. and Grace Anderson, and Rick and Gail Skoglund joined the ranks of breeders who were instrumental in achieving these goals.

In 1992 the Chinooks were invited to have a Specialty in Washington, D.C. at the 2nd Annual Cherry Blossom show held by the American Rare Breed Association. Many Chinooks and their owners participated in what the COA would call their second Round-Up. Owners from as far away as Canada and Washington State participated. In 1993 a group of Chinook owners from the Northeast started a new National Breed Club, Chinooks Worldwide (CWW). CWW became the first Chinook club to adopt By-laws, Incorporate and hold general elections and today maintains a breeding database of all known Chinooks and Chinook crosses to assist breeders in their breeding programs.

In 1993 Martha Kalina purchased the Northdown Kennel and restored its historical name of Perry Greene Kennel. An ambitious renovation program began that now includes a small display of Chinook breed history and a dog outfitters store that is open to the public. In 1994 the first Perry Greene litter of Chinooks in over 25 years was whelped. Today, people from all over the country come to visit the historic home of the Chinook in Waldoboro, Maine.

In 1994 Chinooks Worldwide sponsored the first Chinook Specialty show in New England. The largest group of Chinooks ever assembled for a dog show attended this event. In 1995 CWW sponsored a specialty in Washington DC and renewed the New England Specialty at the Nutmeg Classic Dog Show held by the American Rare Breed Association.

In 1995 the World Wide Kennel Club formally recognized the Chinook giving owners more opportunities to show their Chinooks around the country. In 1995, Stan Victor, of Victors Chinooks completed a Chinook rescue and retirement home on 70 acres of land in Bridgewater, New York.
This unique facility can house a dozen Chinooks in separate kennels and is set up for the care and comfort of older Chinooks.

In 1996 the Perry Greene Kennel made arrangements with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to have the signs replaced on the Chinook Trail with a likeness of Walden’s Chinook. Today, the trail is marked with the historically correct signs. That year Chinook’s last harness, worn on the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, was discovered. The harness is currently on display at the Remick Museum in Tamworth , New Hampshire courtesy of the Perry Greene Historical Collection. A celebration to commemorate Perry Greene Kennel’s 50th anniversary was held on February 7-9th 1997 in Waldoboro, Maine. 24 Chinooks and their owners met for the second annual Chinook Winter Carnival at the historic Tamworth Inn, Tamworth, New Hampshire. Chinooks and their families attended sled dog races, skijored and ran their Chinook sled teams along the historical Wonalancet trails.

In 1997, Chinooks Worldwide took an aggressive role in forming a Health Committee for the health and welfare of the Chinook. An open registry for canine hip dysplasia and eye disease was established with the Institute for Genetic Disease Control (GDC). CWW became designated breed representative to Penn-Hip and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). CWW appointed a breed representative for the Orthopedic foundation for Animals (OFA). Dr. Gerald Bell, a faculty member of the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine conducted a Chinook Health Survey to identify and prioritize health issues within the Chinook breed. With Dr. Bell’s assistance, Dr. Gary Johnson of the University of Missouri completed a Genetic Diversity Study of the Chinook breed from DNA samples submitted by Chinook owners.

On November 5, 2025 a milestone was passed and history was recorded. After many years of breeding a hybrid line from a Northdown line Amanda Bays (Channahon Chinooks) request to allow Howlin Hills Genesee back in to the purebred registry was granted. “Genna” was granted purebred status and thus became the first Chinook from a hybrid line to enter any Chinook purebred registry. She was included in the AKC foundation stock service.

After several years of research and effort Chinooks Worldwide Inc. obtained entry to the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service for the Chinook. The Chinook Registry was transferred during 2002 to the AKC-FSS. There was unprecedented cooperation from kennels throughout the country and over four hundred Chinooks were registered with the AKC at that time This division of the AKC became the official registering body for the Chinook. CWW continues to maintain a Chinook breeding database to assist breeding kennels in their efforts to keep a healthy stable population of the breed.

In 2003, Chinooks Worldwide Inc. celebrated the Chinook Winter Carnival simultaneously with the Tamworth Winter Carnival. Chinook teams once again ran their sleds to the delight of local children and Tamworth residents who have become part of the Chinook family. A reception was held at Chinook Kennels courtesy of George and Ann Cooke of the Chinook Heritage Foundation. Over 500 people attended this event at the Remick museum. Local residents have supported CWW and their efforts to restore the breed and return the breed back to their place of origin for many years.

Today there are approximately 500 living purebred Chinooks. Breeders continue to carefully increase their numbers. CWW promotes and encourages those with Chinooks to continue to work their dogs in traditional activities. Many families recreationally sled and skijor with their Chinook companions and a few owners have Chinook sled teams. The greatest value of a Chinook, however, remains their calm, gentle disposition with an inherent fondness for children and loyalty to their human family.

THE END for now...

For a photo tribute and history on some of the Breed's famous and beloved ones, check out our section entitled Trail's End which is dedicated to our friends that have passed on.

For more reading on Chinook history, read John Womer's oral story with interviews of Chinook owners and friends... [click here to read the pdf file...]