Chinook Dog History

Chinook Dogs: The Beginning

The Chinook Breed was developed by author, innkeeper, dog breeder and explorer Arthur Treadwell Walden during the early 1900s at Walden's farm and Inn, in Wonalancet, New Hampshire. Walden’s homestead is located along the same quiet country road called the Chinook Trail, where Milton and Eva Seeley helped to develop the AKC Siberian and Malamute sled dog breeds and Julia Lombard of Old Mother Hubbard Dog Foods helped Walden develop and display the Chinooks.

1926 movie featuring Arthur Walden, Chinook, and Chinook dogs in harness!

Chinook and Walden

Famous portrait of Arthur Walden's Chinook, the founding sire of the Chinook Breed.

Portrait of Arthur Walden, Polar Explorer, author, adventurer and original Chinook Breeder.

Walden and his Chinooks became famous in New England and beyond. In 1925, Arthur Walden’s Chinook sled dog team was the first dog team to summit Mt. Washington. In 1928, Walden, along with 16 of his male Chinooks, went with Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s first expedition to Antarctica, where the Chinook dogs were used to haul the expedition freighting sleds. Walden was in charge of the expedition dogs.

Chinook's sire Kim

Chinook's dam Ningo and sire Kim

Walden succeeded in creating an American breed of sled dog with down ears and signature tawny coats. His Chinook dogs had power, endurance and trainability, with a friendly, gentle nature, and a distinctive, thick tawny color. Today's Chinooks bear these qualities, and many owners carry on the sledding tradition by engaging in pulling sports with their Chinook dogs.

Chinook poses with his dam and their pups.

Chinook and family, the dam is thought to be Erika

Walden honed his interest in the breeding and racing of sled dogs, and is known for both bringing sled dog racing to New England, and for the founding of the New England Sled Dog Club in 1924.

Chinook in lead

Team of Chinook Dogs train on the Intervale with Walden, wearing his famous hat, running ahead of the sled.

Dog driving on the Intervale

Team of Chinook Dogs: sled dog races were a popular spectator event in the early 1900's.

Sled dog races in Berlin, NH

Katherine was an innkeeper, a noted White Mountain conservationist, and a trail builder, responsible for founding the Wonalancet Outdoor Club in 1892. Referred to as the “Matriarch of Wonalancet and the WODC,” Katherine has the Sandwich Range features of Mt. Katherine, the Sleeper Ridge, and the Kate Sleeper Trail named in her honor.

At home with the Walden Family and Chinook who was both a working sled dog and a beloved family pet.

Wanalancet Farm

Walden with Chinook on the right, and Chinook's son Karluk perusing the mail.

Walden with his dog Chinook in a favored pose and at home on Wonalancet Farm.

A favorite pose of Walden's with Chinook

Chinook puppies: historical photo taken in 1925.

Arthur Walden with his dog Chinook, the original couch potatoes and a trait well ingrained in the Chinooks of today!

Walden and Chinook: the first couch potatoes!

Expedition Photos

In 1927, Walden was appointed to head the Dog Department for Admiral Richard Byrd's first Antarctic Expedition (BAE I). Walden and his sixteen Chinook dogs were described by Admiral Byrd as the backbone of the expedition transport.

BAE 1 Antarctic Team: the A team of polar explorers headed to Antarctica.

Expedition Team Members: Walden, Crockett, Goodall and Norman Vaughn

Admiral Richard E. Byrd poses with Arthur Walden and lead dog Chinook in New Hampshire.

Byrd, Chinook and Walden

BAE 1 sled dogs loading up, includes Byrd, Walden and lead dog Chinook.

Walden, Chinook and Byrd, Norfolk 1928. Heading out.

Admiral Richard E. Byrd with lead BAE 1 Expedition Sled Dog Chinook.

BAE 1 in Antarctica: Chinook plays with a penguin on the ice.

Chinook play bows to a penguin in Antarctica

Antarctica

It was in Antarctica that Chinook, nearing his twelfth birthday, was lost. Reports of Chinook's death made news around the world and many mourned the loss of one of the greatest lead dogs in history.

At Walden's request, Route 113A from Tamworth to Wonalancet, New Hampshire, now bears the name "Chinook Trail" to honor his famous lead dog.