NH students propose Chinook as state dog

(Lauren Collins, NECN: Manchester, NH) - The New Hampshire state bird and state animal better step aside to make way for the new state dog. Seventh graders from Bedford are hoping to propose a bill declaring the Chinook as the New Hampshire state dog. The bill would celebrate the rare breed's origins that begin in the Granite State. Jen Wells' seventh grade science class from the Lurgio Middle School in Bedford want to designate the Chinook as the official New Hampshire canine, and there is plenty of good reason. The breed is inquisitive, gentle, and friendly. But most importantly, its entire history is based in the Granite State. The first chinook was bred in the Carol County village of Wonalancet in 1917. That dog was named Chinook, and it made quite a bit of history. He lead the first successful sled team up Mount Washington and helped popularize sled dog racing in New England. There are only 800 Chinooks in America, with most of them living in the Granite State.