| When Jack London wrote the novel "Call Of The | | | | interactions to human society than the "society" of a |
| Wild", the main canine character "Buck" was more | | | | team of sled dogs. In the animal kingdom, the society |
| than likely a dog which had at least some Alaskan | | | | of wolves is very similar. Despite his "pack" mentality, |
| Malamute in his bloodline. This dog is a native of | | | | the Alaskan Malamute possess an affinity to humans, |
| Alaska, tracing his roots back to the Mahlemut tribe , | | | | loving not only to work for man, but loving |
| an ancient Indian culture which is seldom mentioned | | | | humankind altogether and without reserve.The |
| without a mention also of their faithful dogs. These | | | | Alaskan Malamute is a beautifully marked dog, with |
| dogs helped them with almost every aspect of their | | | | sharp contrast of white and black or white and gray, |
| daily living, from fishing and hunting to hauling in the | | | | with the darker colors being grizzled with silvery tips |
| hunt. The Alaskan Malamute is just one | | | | on the ends of the hairs. He gives the impression of |
| representative of the many different breeds which | | | | great strength and heavy bone, even though he is |
| were used in the settling of the great territory of | | | | not particularly tall and is not considered a giant breed |
| Alaska, a region whose vast reaches of inhospitable | | | | like the Mastiff or the Newfoundland. His height is 25 |
| climate required a beast of burden who could live off | | | | inches at the shoulder. The coat is double and dense |
| the land, who had great speed and who could pull | | | | and off standing, one or two inches in length all over |
| heavy loads. The fact that there were already large | | | | the body with a large ruff around the neck of longer |
| numbers of dogs being used for these purposes | | | | hair, providing weather resistant protection against |
| made it natural that the cold reaches of the northern | | | | the elements. Weekly brushing is required for good |
| territory would be mostly explored and populated | | | | coat care and skin health.The Alaskan Malamute has a |
| with the help of the dogs.There is a historical | | | | long history of being a companion to man, so it is no |
| possibility that the Alaskan Malamute, one of the | | | | wonder that he is so affectionate. He is one of the |
| largest of the sledge dogs, owes some of his size | | | | dogs that often excels as a Therapy Dog, seeming |
| and strength to the Arctic Wolf, a very large white | | | | to have an understanding of people that is beyond |
| animal nearly twice the size of the Alaska Malamute. | | | | the norm and many people react to this large, loving, |
| This may be true or not. Crosses are routinely | | | | bushy haired dog in the same way. He has gained |
| engineered today in captivity, but no one really | | | | popularity as a pet in the rural areas and loves to go |
| knows whether such a cross would occur in the wild. | | | | on camping trips with his family, or jogging, or almost |
| If it is true that he descended from a cross with the | | | | any outdoor activity. In the city this is a dog that |
| wolves, this may account for his strong acceptance | | | | brings admirers while out walking and can do quite |
| of being a "pack dog" in the sled dog teams and his | | | | well in a townhouse or apartment as long as he is |
| willingness to be within such a group. There are few | | | | exercised daily. |
| "societies" of animals which are as similar in their | | | | |