Chinook vs Bull Terrier - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

In the early 20th century, in the small town of Wonalancet, New Hampshire a new breed of dog called the Chinook was born. Developed by Arthur Treadwell Walden, the breed is named after the first male ancestor who was named Chinook. The breed is a rare sled dog and the official dog of the state of New Hampshire. The Chinook was born of a cross between a large Mastiff-like street dog and huskies that were part of the Peary North Pole expedition.

Walden was an experienced slender and looking for a dog that was stronger, faster and had more stamina than his current sled dogs. Walden had years of experience including being the trainer and lead on Byrd’s 1929 Antarctic expedition and plenty of Yukon experience. Once he had the male Chinook he bred him with German Shepherds, Belgian Sheepdogs and Canadian Eskimo Dogs at the very least. He then bred those puppies back to Chinook until he had the type and traits he wanted. Following Walden, Julia Lombard and then Perry Greene took over mastery of the breed. From the 1940’s until he died in 1963, Greene was the only person who was breeding Chinooks. So, there were few left after his death. The breed neared extinction by 1981 with only 11 Chinooks available to breed. These dogs were divided between three breeders who saved the breed from becoming extinct.

In 1991, the United Kingdom recognized the Chinook and they were also registered with the UKC. At that time there were about 800 dogs in the breed. To increase the breed, there was a cross-breeding program that took Chinooks and bred them back to the breeds they considered to be apart of the original Chinook lineage. These 4th generation dogs might meet the standards of the Chinook Owners Associations Cross Breeding Program and be accepted as purebred.

In 2001 the Chinook was entered into the AKC Foundation Stock Service and added to the Miscellaneous class of the AKC in 2010. In January of 20113, the Chinook was finally granted full recognition and breed status within the AKC in the working group. He is a large working dog, rugged, patience, loyal and intelligent. He is one of the rarest breeds in the AKC.

The Bull Terrier belongs to the Terrier group of dogs and this already tell you that he is highly energetic and that he is essentially intolerant of other pets.

They are hunters by nature. The Bull Terrier is known as the Gladiator of the canine world. This breed came about through English breeders of the late 19th century, crossing old fighting dogs which carried Bulldog blood with Terriers. It was in the 1850s that James Hinks of Birmingham in the West Midlands was the first person to standardise breed type for the Bull Terrier. Hinks wanted his dogs to be white, and breeding was designed to achieve this.

Because of medical problems with the all-white dogs, Ted Lyon introduced color, using the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and these became a separate variety. It is however, the white strain that is famous for pets as well as for show purposes.

The Chinook is a muscular dog, making him a perfect fit to be a sled dog or a hauler of any type. He has a deep chest and powerful muzzle with enduring teeth. The ears can be pricked up or bent and wind-blown. The nostrils of the Chinook are solid black and wide, while the lips are black, the eyes look like almonds and are dark with intelligence in their glance. The feet are firm and oval, the pads cushioned and with dark pigmentation. The tail should not be docked.

The breed has a double coat and hair of medium length The undercoat is soft and thick while the outercoat is close to the body and coarse. The Chinook is usually a tawny, reddish color.

Strongly Built and Muscular

The Bull Terrier is a strongly built, muscular dog with a distinctive egg-shaped head. The height of this dog is roughly 53 – 61cm and he weighs in at about 24 – 29kg. He has a short, dense coat which comes in different colors such as white, red, fawn and white or brindle.

The ears are medium sized and erect and the eyes are pig-like, small and dark. The medium length tail is carried slightly upwards.

A Temperament of Courage

The Bull Terrier is a determined, strong-willed, stubborn dog and he will require firm handling and training. With socialization and training, he becomes a friendly, loving dog who is good around children.

He tends to be possessive with his human family and their territory, making him aggressive with other pets. Bull Terriers actually have even temperaments and they are good, social dogs with people. He is courageous, brave, full of spirit and character.

This is a playful, affectionate and loyal breed. They have a special love for kids and always want to learn and please you. They are intelligent and very trainable. The Chinook is good with other dogs and as a sled dog they love to work in packs. They can be reserved but they are never aggressive or shy.

The way people bring their dogs up has a lot to do with the way they turn out. The Bull Terrier has often been thought to be a dangerous dog, but this is because of a bad upbringing.

A dog like the Bull Terrier who has received firm, fair and loving training is an absolute pleasure to have as a pet. Yes, he is a strong willed, stubborn and intelligent dog and he has the make-up to turn out to be a handful. It is perhaps why he isn't the best choice for first-time dog owners who aren’t familiar with the breed and who don’t raise him the right way.

If you choose a Bull Terrier, bring him up correctly, have him trained and socialized and never neglect him and he is guaranteed to become a wonderful, loving family member.

For the most part, the Chinook is a healthy dog. There are however some issues they do have to contend with including:

Epilepsy

Sometimes know as Chinook seizures this is really a movement disorder and perhaps not a true epilepsy.

Atopy

This dermatitis may be hereditary. It causes itchy skin and is actual an immune system issue.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Chinook are known for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders manifested by diarrhea and vomiting.

Your Bull Terrier is a robust breed, but there are some health issues that you will want to be aware of. For instance, the white Bull Terrier is more prone to deafness than the Brindle or tri-colored Bull Terriers. With good food and lots of love and care, he can reach 14 years of age. However there are one or two ailments what you want to be aware of.

Patellar Luxation:

This is a common orthopedic condition with dogs, affecting both knees and resulting in loss of function and discomfort. Patellar luxation can sometimes come from a traumatic injury to the knee. However, with non-traumatic patellar luxation, the femoral groove for the knee cap is shallow or absent.

Skin Cancer:

Not every variety of skin cancer in dogs is caused by sun exposure, but sun damage to the skin of the pure white Bull Terrier can be a factor. Dogs with white coats are more susceptible to sun damage. Speak to your vet about symptoms so that a physical examination will reveal the reason for sores on the skin.

Feeding

Don’t overfeed your dog. Based on how hard he is working for you feed twice a day. Dividing 3 to 5 cups into two meals.

Health issues

In addition to the health issues mentioned above, the Chinook might be prone to:

Hip Dysplasia

Can cause arthritis or lameness

Crytorchism

Only affects males as this is the absence of the testes in the scrotum.

Allergies

Ears should be washed on a regular basis to prevent allergies and infections.

Exercise and games

Although the Chinook is still active in recreational sledding, he is mostly a family pet these days. Given this the Chinook need a good deal of exercise and competition. They are great at search and rescue, dog packing, agility, obedience, herding, carting and skijoring. They need some form of solid exercise for 30 to 60 minutes every day.

Exercise:

The Bull Terrier is a stocky, robust breed and he will need plenty of exercise. He thrives on a good run, long walks and ball games. He is notoriously destructive, so you need to recognize this before you buy such a dog, because simply putting one in your back-yard and ignoring him will make him aggressive and destructive. This is a dog that needs lots of physical as well as mental exercise.

Grooming:

With the short coat, Bull Terriers are easy to groom, and a brushing twice a week will keep the coat in tip top condition. He will also love the time you spend with him. Shedding of hair with the Bull Terrier is more frequent in the Spring and Fall.

Nail clipping and brushing of teeth are two other grooming routines for your dog. Remember that with teeth brushing, don’t be tempted to use human toothpaste as this can be toxic for your pet. Speak to your vet if in any doubt about how to brush your pet’s teeth.