In 1987 I went in search of the perfect dog. It had to
be friendly, trainable, weather tolerant,
and not require excessive grooming.
It had to be large enough that I felt protected
yet not too large to be a house dog and for
me to easily handle. I wanted to try the drafting
sports so a Northern breed interested me. Yet
friends with Siberian Huskies had trouble with their
dogs roaming; friends with Alaskan Malamutes had dog
aggression problems; Samoyeds had too much hair. I wanted
a gentle dog that would fit in with the other dogs already
in my household.
My search led me from the Seattle area to Waldoboro,
Maine where I purchased Northdown Skykomish, a five-month-old female
Chinook pup. Soon after that,
Joyce Maley asked me to take in Hurricane
Cheechako. The floodgates were opened and
since that time, I have been hooked on Chinooks.
Over fifty pups carry the Rain Mountain, Rain
Dancer, Rain Runner, or Enatai name and are now happy
family pets. I've also shared my home with more than a
dozen adult Chinooks, each one leading me to understand
and love the breed more.
My Chinooks and I live
in Kirkland, a suburb of Seattle.
There is no huge kennel facility. The Chinooks
are my house mates and all pups are raised in the house
too. I've been involved with dogs since I was
a child, living with a Beagle, many Dachshunds and
German Shepherds, and some wonderful mixed breeds.
My day job in the high tech industry helps pay for dog
food, show entries, and the inevitable vet bills.
I'm very involved with the United Kennel Club, Chinook
Owners Association, International Federation of Chinook
Breeders & Exhibitors, and Seattle Purebred Dog
Rescue. For many years I was on the Board of Directors
of the Chinook Owners Association and edited the award
winning Chinook Quarterly. Now that
I've retired from the Board (though I'm still a very active
member), I write a monthly column on responsible dog
breeding for a Northwest canine events newspaper, the Eventer.
(You'll find some of my columns from both these publications
in "The View From Rain Mountain.") I spend a great
deal of time studying canine genetics and work continually
on training and behavior modification techniques
for dogs.
Thunder and I on a visit to the town of Chinook,
Washington.
Rain Mountain consists of a number of people. Primarily is Ginger
Corley (me), along with JoAnn Filce and her daughter Anna. Over the
years the family has included my roommate of many years, Chad Peterson, and
another former roommate and trainer Kurt Dally. I would have been lost
without them during the years that I was laid up. Shannon Brimm helps
with whelping litters and her daughter Sarah is in charge of playing with
puppies. I'd be lost without my vet of over twenty years, Dr. Dan Frey
(Woodinville Animal Hospital), and Dr. Jessica Willcock (Evergreen Veterinary
Hospital) helps out with fertility issues.
I also have done joint projects with a number of other breeders, which
makes the family even bigger. Susan Fletcher and I have our joint
"Rain Dancer" line of Chinooks. If they are born at my house, the
kennel name is "Mountain Rain Dancer" (like U-WP Grand Ch. PR Mountain Rain
Dancer Quinault FDX) and if they are born at her house, they are "Frontier
Rain Dancer" (like Ch. PR Frontier Rain Dancer Klickitat HCT). With
Bob and Connie Jones of WoodsRunner Chinooks, we have the "Rain Runner" line
(such as PR Rain Runner Johnny Rebel). Joyce Maley of Hurricane Chinooks
and I have collaborated on many "Hurricane-Rain" Chinooks (such as PR Hurricane
Cheyenne Rain) and Kathleen Daniels of Outlaw Chinooks and I have collaborated
on our "Irish Outlaws". I also have many Chinooks on co ownerships
with folks such as Marne and Corine Lindhorst of High Plains Chinooks and
Mary and Andy Malkiel (Laughing Mountain). Carie Taylor (Moonsong Chinooks)
and I not only co own dogs together but Carie has been a visitor here for
many months now following her relocation to the Seattle area. Many
of us joke that we are related through our dogs. Can you imagine the
family reunion?
Photos above: Top - PR Rain Mountain
Kutaan Taaku of Bear Creek at 8 months. Middle - the Rain Mountain
team winter of 2000 resting during a day of sledding. Bottom - Thunder
and I. All photos taken by Ginger Corley, Rain Mountain Chinooks
.
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Rain Mountain
Chinooks is located in Washington state.
Please
contact Ginger
Corley for additional
information about Rain Mountain
Chinooks or any of the information you see here.
Copyright
© Ginger Corley, Rain Mountain Chinooks, 1988
to 2004. No material may be reproduced without permission,
though permission is usually granted.
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