The Chinook is a rare dog breed of sled dog. Pronounced as 'Shin-OOK', the dog is developed in the New England region of the United States. They are also sometimes called the New Hampshire State Dog. The dog was bred to be a new sled dog breed who is fast and with great stamina while friendly with a gentle nature yet robust.
The dog is capable of pulling light to heavy loads. They are willing to work, calm, friendly and not aggressive although they can be shy with strangers and unfamiliar surroundings. The dog works in packs which means they can get along with other dogs. These dogs are loyal, easy to train and very intelligent. It is a rare breed with estimated 300-500 purebred dogs in existence today. Many breeders make every effort to maintain the dog's working ability while the breed is seen to be working in a variety of areas including agility, dog sledding, dog packing, skijoring, sheep herding, search and rescue and obedience, etc.