| The Alaskan Malamute is a large northern dog | | | | tendency to openly, unreservedly give |
| breed originally bred for use as a sleddog. | | | | affection make them highly attractive to many |
| | | | dog owners; these same qualities make a |
| Appearance | | | | Malamute a poor guard dog. |
| | | | |
| The AKC breed standard calls for a natural | | | | The harsh conditions for which Malamutes were |
| range of size, with a desired freighting | | | | bred rewarded a strong prey drive, as food |
| weight of 75 to 85 pounds (34-38.5 kg) and a | | | | was occasionally scarce. Consequently, |
| height of 23 to 25 inches (58-63.5 cm). | | | | Malamutes may instinctively attack animals |
| Heavier individuals (100+ pounds) and dogs | | | | such as house cats, squirrels, rabbits, |
| smaller than 75 pounds are common--there is | | | | chickens, quail, and even deer (however, many |
| often a marked size difference between males | | | | households enjoy harmonious, mixed "packs" of |
| and females. Weights upwards of 140 pounds or | | | | cats and Malamutes). Historic competition for |
| more are occasionally seen; these dogs are | | | | food is also a reason why Malamutes may |
| uncommon and are produced primarily by | | | | regard dogs outside their own pack or team |
| breeders who market a "giant" malamute. These | | | | with disdain or hostility. |
| "giant" sizes are not in accordance with the | | | | |
| breed's history or the AKC standard. The coat | | | | Malamutes dug for food when required, and |
| is a dense double northern dog coat, somewhat | | | | digging is now a common way in which |
| harsher than that of the Siberian Husky. The | | | | Malamutes deal with boredom. It is not |
| usual colors are various shades of grey and | | | | uncommon to see a Malamute digging madly in |
| white, sable and white, black and white, red | | | | pursuit of a mouse, mole, or gopher. |
| and white, or pure white. Eyes are | | | | Malamutes may also dig to escape a fenced |
| almond-shaped and brown; blue eyes are | | | | yard, and have been known to dig escape |
| sometimes found, but will disqualify the dog | | | | tunnels underneath houses. This tendency to |
| in shows. The physical build of the Malamute | | | | dig can be particularly frustrating to owners |
| is compact with heavy boning. In this context | | | | who maintain yards or gardens. |
| 'compact' means that their height to length | | | | |
| ratio is fairly even, unlike dogs like Great | | | | Owing to the Malamute's independent nature, |
| Danes which are longer and lankier in their | | | | physical strength, and its high levels of |
| ratios. | | | | energy and intelligence, most experts on the |
| | | | breed advise that Malamutes not be adopted by |
| According to the American Kennel Club, the | | | | people who: |
| primary criteria for judging the Malamute in | | | | |
| a show is its function to pull heavy freight | | | | are inexperienced in training dogs |
| as a sled dog; everything else is secondary. | | | | |
| As many an owner has found out, the pulling | | | | lack the time, energy, and space to exercise |
| power of a Malamute is tremendous, and if | | | | them, or |
| this trait is lacking in a show dog, it is | | | | |
| enough for a disqualification. | | | | lack the patience and stamina to repeatedly |
| | | | engage in contests of willpower with a large, |
| Characteristics | | | | powerful animal without becoming angry. |
| | | | |
| Although still in use as sled dogs for | | | | Health |
| recreational mushing, most Malamutes today | | | | |
| are kept as family pets or show dogs. They | | | | Health issues in the Malamute are hip |
| are unable to compete successfully even in | | | | dysplasia, inherited polyneuropathy, chrondo |
| long-distance dogsled racing against smaller | | | | dysplasia, and the usual northern-breed eye |
| and faster breeds and their working | | | | problems (particularly cataract and |
| usefulness is limited to freighting. | | | | progressive retinal atrophy). |
| | | | |
| The Malamute is one of the most "unaltered" | | | | While Malamutes have been successfully raised |
| of breeds, retaining its original form and | | | | in places such as Arizona, their dense coats |
| function. Responsible breeders will want to | | | | generally make them unsuited for hot |
| preserve this heritage of the Malamute's | | | | climates. When the weather gets hot, |
| working abilities. They are widely regarded | | | | they—even more than other |
| as handsome, affectionate toward humans, | | | | dogs—need plenty of water and shade. |
| intelligent, resourceful, and hardworking. | | | | Also, being a winterised breed they will grow |
| | | | a winter coat and subsequently, come spring, |
| While they may bark like other dog breeds, | | | | shed it again. |
| Malamutes normally tend to "talk" by | | | | |
| vocalizing a "woo woo" sound (the | | | | Dogs cool themselves internally by panting, |
| characteristic vocalizations of Chewbacca in | | | | not externally by sweating like humans do. |
| the Star Wars films are based upon a Malamute | | | | Cooling internally means that their thick |
| named Indiana, once owned by George Lucas). | | | | coats allow them to be more resistant to |
| They may howl like wolves or coyotes when | | | | heat, the same as their coats allow them to |
| feeling excited, sad, or lonely. | | | | be resistant to cold. Shaving a dog for the |
| | | | summer will have the opposite effect than |
| Understanding Malamute behavior requires | | | | what is intended. The idea that thick coats |
| understanding life in an aboriginal Arctic | | | | mean bad heat tolerance is a myth. |
| village. | | | | |
| | | | History |
| Malamutes were originally bred to think and | | | | |
| act independently for the sake of protecting | | | | The Malamute is a descendant of dogs of the |
| the sled team. Hazardous and unpredictable | | | | Mahlemuit tribe of upper western Alaska. |
| Arctic trail conditions rewarded the ability | | | | |
| of a Malamute to rely on its own senses and, | | | | For a brief period during the Gold Rush, the |
| when necessary, override the sled driver's | | | | Malamute and other sled dogs became extremely |
| judgment and commands. As such, the breed is | | | | valuable to recently landed prospectors and |
| notorious for displaying a highly independent | | | | settlers, and were frequently crossbred with |
| streak that manifests itself as stubbornness. | | | | imported breeds. This was often a misguided |
| Malamutes are sometimes downright | | | | attempt to improve the type, or to make up |
| insubordinate toward their human handlers and | | | | for how few true Malamutes were up for sale. |
| may ignore commands, particularly when young. | | | | This genetic dilution seems to have had no |
| | | | long standing effect on the modern Malamute, |
| At the same time, Arctic life required that | | | | and recent DNA analysis shows that Malamutes |
| Malamutes be bred to behave as consummate | | | | are one of the oldest breeds of dog, |
| members of the sled team, family, and village | | | | genetically distinct from other dog breeds. |
| community. Therefore they are usually very | | | | |
| affectionate to members of their own pack - | | | | The Malamute dog has had a distinguished |
| human and dog members alike. A Malamute may | | | | history; aiding Admiral Richard Byrd to the |
| talk in glee in greeting a returning family | | | | South Pole, and the miners who came to Alaska |
| or pack member after a period of separation, | | | | during the Gold Rush of 1896. This dog was |
| and howl in protest when it feels ignored, | | | | never destined to be a racing sled dog; |
| neglected, or excluded from group activities. | | | | instead, it was used for heavy freighting, |
| Also, Malamutes are usually friendly to other | | | | pulling hundreds (maybe thousands) of pounds |
| humans outside their own pack, often | | | | of supplies to villages and camps in groups |
| demanding their attention and affection as | | | | of at least 4 dogs for heavy loads. |
| well. The Malamute's gregariousness and | | | | |