Salishan is a descendant of the Chinook Owners Association Cross Program. She herself is a purebred Chinook, registered with the United Kennel Club and soon to be listed with the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service. However, you will notice the dogs marked in green in her pedigree. If you follow the links on her sire, Grand Ch. Cloudburst Walden's Quest, you'll see that he comes down from a highly structured and very successful program by which the genes of a racing/show Siberian Husky was introduced into the Chinook gene pool. Quest, by virture of being the fourth generation down, passing his OFA and CERF exams, and being evaluated by a UKC Judge as meeting the UKC Chinook Standard was granted purebred status in the UKC. Quest was one of the very first group of Chinooks to "graduate" from this program and receive purebred status. Kudos go to the owner of that original Siberian Husky, Debbie Premus of Boreayl Siberians and Chinooks, and to Donna Canfield who oversaw the intervening generations.

The dogs that descend from these "graduates" exhibit higher than average scores on their health screens, have excellent working ability, and all are wonderful examples of the Chinook breed both physically and mentally. This progressive and ground breaking program is a model in this country and world wide for how near extinct breeds can be revitalized by the careful introduction of fresh genes. Science has shown us that genetic diversity is critical to maintaining the health of a population and it is this healthy genetic diversity that will carry the Chinook into the 21st Century and beyond as a happy and healthy family pet and recreational sled dog.