Zydeco, also known around home as the Pupster, came to live with us in the fall of 2000.  He's our first Chinook so maybe that's why we think he's what we think of as our "perfect" Chinook.  He's a solid 78 pounds, give or take a few, and has (we think) beautiful conformation -- his long legs can break through all but the very deepest of our Colorado snows and I love being able to touch the top of his head without bending.  He's a lighter color than many Chinooks -- his color is known as buff -- but Andy and I think his gold-over-beige coat is like snow in the summer sun.  He runs like a hot knife through butter and has a nice blocky head (plenty of room for brains), and an incredibly strong hind end.  Zydeco's a strong puller and loves to hear me scream as we zoom downhill while skijoring.  He's done well with agility classes but sometimes gets more distracted by wanting to know what everyone else in class has for treats.  He is a very intelligent dog and I joke that he came to us pre-programmed.  From day one, he could sit, do a spectacular down (flop!), and was very easy to teach new skills.  I think a lot of the credit for his early training goes to Zydeco's breeders, Marne and Corine Lindhorst of High Plains Chinooks in Great Falls, Montana.

Zydeco is the Elder Statesman of Laughing Mountain.  He is the head honcho, leader of our pack of three Chinooks, and watches out for us very well.  As gentle and friendly as he is, I never have to worry if Andy works late or I want to drive back alone (or I should say more appropriately, with no other humans along) to visit my family in Seattle.  He's very gentle with young pups yet is able to discipline the girls Freyja and ZuZu when needed.  It's not uncommon for him to relinquish the toy in his mouth to Freyja since our greedy girl tries to steals it straight away.  He is very attached to his humans, Andy and I, and social with people when he first meets them.  But he is an example of Chinook reserve and once he says hello to a stranger, is rather disinterested, going about doing his own thing.  Unless, of course, you have treats.  Then you are his best friend, at least as long as your cookes hold out.

Click here to view Zydeco's pedigree