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    Chinooks--An Experience
    Written by Joyce Maley
    Copyright Chinook Owners Association, 1996

    NOTE: During my time as Chinook Owners Association (COA) President (1996-1998), I had the opportunity to address and COA Membership with a series of letters in the Chinook Quarterly. The following is from my Letter from the President in the Fall 1996 edition of the Chinook Quarterly.

    How to describe a Chinook--that is the question. I'm often asked to describe Chinooks to people that have never known one. Because Tundra, my 3-year-old female, just had a litter of nine puppies, I recently experienced answering many questions from prospective families. However, it was really a question on Chinook-L (the Internet) that caused me to think about our Chinooks as a distinct breed. The question concerned ear sets, and if we could predict them, or if they were still a"surprise package." I started to answer it by just saying "they are very much a surprise package," but I felt there was more I could say . . . I was just not sure what. To me, the most important characteristics of the Chinook are personality and health. Everything else is secondary. However, if that is true, how do we describe them as a distinct breed rather than just another big yellow dog?

    I have to start by relating an experience I had with my first two Chinooks. Singing Woods Ayla (now age 11) was my first Chinook. To an untrained eye, she looks much like a reddish-gold German Shepherd Dog. North Wind Kodiac (now age 10) came into my home about a year later. He resembles a very light yellow Labrador Retriever. When I picked him up from the airport, I took him for his incoming checkup. Ayla went along too, and when the Veterinarian saw them, he exclaimed that these certainly were not the same breed. I assured him they were, and he went on with the exam. After a moment, the Vet had a puzzled expression come over his face and he exclaimed, "They ARE both the same breed!" Once he experienced them, he found something so distinctive that he knew they were the same breed.

    Once you get to know Chinooks, you see why there are sayings such as, "Do not judge a book by its cover." Chinooks are more than just a physical description. They are more than the stories we can tell about them. They are an experience. When we go into the show ring or hit the trail, Chinooks do resemble one another, but the breed is not a "cookie-cutter" breed. It probably will never be. Yes, we can describe their physical characteristics. Yes, we focus on breeding only the best to produce offspring that reflect the historical look of the original Chinooks. Yes, we focus on breeding for better movement and workability and all have great stories that describe our Chinooks. However, along with focusing toward this traditional look and performance we should not forget that Chinooks are not just a picture or a story. They are an experience.

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  • Contact Info

    If you are interested in finding out more information about Hurricane Chinooks, Joyce can be contacted by e-mail at hurricane@chinookdogs.com

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    This page is designed and maintained by
    Joyce Maley
    Questions and comments can be e-mailed to
    hurricane@chinookdogs.com
    Copyright Joyce Maley, 1999 - 2002

    Chinook Education Center Contents
    Chinook Education Center Home Page
    Chinook History| Arthur Walden Era| Perry Greene Era| Chinook Bibliography
    Chinook Standard
    How to Select a Chinook Puppy| Chinook Stud Dogs
    Visit the sponsor, Hurricane Chinooks

    Last updated: July 17, 1999