Alaskan Malamute

[nezza]

I rarely see much written about the beautiful Alaskan Malamute, so i thought i might try to give some information here. My experience is not as extensive as some, however I have had the wonderful pleasure and privilege of owning one of these amazing dogs.

Often times they are confused with a Husky. Also, there are many who are convinced that they are cross bred from wolves, which is completely untrue. I've come across the situation where a (blue eyed, one or both)Malamute/Mix or Husky is tried to be passed off as a purebred Malamute. A purebred Malamute will NEVER have blue eyes, not one or both. This breed is a large breed, but not a giant breed. Giant Malamutes are not natural of this breed.

This breed also needs room to run! They need a large, fenced in yard, so as to keep them out of trouble because they get bored very easily and they are very smart, yet very stubborn.

They love and thrive on human interaction and tend to be wonderful with children. They have big hearts and really are (surprising to most) big softies.

When it comes to other dogs, the Malamute is a leader and will want to dominate "his pack". They are not aggressive, yet the Malamute will dominate if confronted and forced to fight and they will fight to the end. The heavy scruff below their neck was for protection against predators in Alaska. If they were attacked, (and most animals go for the neck), they have added protection that would prevent a life threatening injury. In a multi-pet household, It is necessary to have all pets neutered/spayed. If your male is not neutered, it is recommended to not have any other intact male dogs in the house, as this creates tension.

Malamutes have their own mind and are not easily trained. They tend to like to do things when they feel like doing it, not when you necessarily want. They require more patience when it comes to training them.

They are very strong animals. Remember, they are sled dogs! A Malamute can pull up to 15 times his body weight!! They love to pull and they love the physical challenge. This breed requires a lot of exercise and a lot of grooming! Because of their coat, they can withstand very cold temperatures. Those beautiful coats shed, a lot!

This is not a breed for someone who lives in an apartment or who does not have a lot of time to devote to the needs of this dog. Because of their conditioning and breeding, they have slow metabolisms that help them to survive the harsh winters of Alaska when food is limited. They actually require less food than most large breed dogs. They can gain weight quickly because an owner may not be aware of this. They are not barkers, but they howl and "talk". However, not overly. They are a quieter breed than most others.

They may look intimidating, however this is NOT a guard dog. They are very friendly and tend to want to make friends with everyone, they love people. They are very alert and inquisitive. This is a breed that really needs to be researched before a person decides to acquire one.

I must mention, these are prey driven animals and are NOT farm animals. It is in their blood, because of their Alaskan climate where they would have to hunt for food. It is instinctual. They are very strong and can take down just about any prey. They may be taught, at a young age, to tolerate farm animals, yet they can never be broken of their true instinct.

Listed below are two links with the most comprehensive information (in my opinion) available anywhere.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/alaskan_malamute/

http://omalmalamutes.com/omal/homepage.htm

[iheartmydog]

Been considering researching into Malamutes, but I don't think their coat type would be a good match for my area. Gets to be in the 110s and there's a lot, a lot of stickers.

[nezza]

That is a rather warm climate for a Malamute. They do love to be in the cool AC in the summer time but you have to be able to exercise him/her and they can become over heated quickly in a high temperature climate. They are not super comfortable in the summer time and tend to want to lazy-around...and understandably so with that heavy coat. And, in regards to the stickers, they need brushing every day even without stickers...so you would be brushing A LOT! I would say that if your heart is set on a Malamute in that type of climate...exercising him/her in the late evening when the sun is going down or has set, would be best or early in the morning before the temperature has risen. The rest of the day, the Malamute is QUITE comfortable lounging around an AC cooled house! They love it!!!! This situation is do-able as long as you provide the exercise and comfort he/she needs.

*Edit* i did forget to mention that in the summer time a Malamute will "blow" his coat. He will shed MUCH of his coat in accordance with the weather....he may look like he is "losing his hair"! This is a natural occurence to keep him cool in the summer months...in the fall/winter, the coat will come back in full.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Vanessa, that is a great "Introduction" to the Alaskan Malamute!

What are "stickers"? Are they "Burrs" from the Burdock weed?

[nezza]

Thank you, Deb I took a lot of time to put it together, so i hope others will find it useful as well....

yes, "stickers" can be burrs, or any kind of sticky thing that comes from certain weeds/vegetation/grass/bush/brush.....

[kian]

Love this Nezza! It's a labor of love. ♥

[nezza]

Thank you, Kian. I really enjoyed writing it

[iheartmydog]

Yeah, I'm really on the fence about it. Do they tend to have a lot of prey drive and are eager to work or are they more of a do their own thing dog?

I'd love to do weight pulling with a Malamute if I got one.

This sort


I was thinking I'd snatch one up if I found one with a temperament I desire in a shelter. But I'd be taking a gamble on whether or not they're physically sound enough to compete. So I'm leaning towards looking for a responsible breeder, and know a few folk I could contact.

[nezza]

They are prey driven animals and i wouldn't recommend owning one on a farm where there may be free roaming livestock. They are working dogs and love to pull and can pull up to 15 times their body weight. They love the challenge of it. They only like to do their own thing when they are bored and not mentally stimulated or challenged enough. I would, personally, recommend going with a breeder. Not that a shelter is a bad option, it's just that it's going to be harder to train an adult Malamute to do what you're looking for. It's best to start that kind of training at a young age and usually it's very hard to find Malamute puppies at a shelter. Hope i've helped to answer some of your questions.

[iheartmydog]

Yes, thank you very much I appreciate all the input.


I enjoy dogs that require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation, it's why I like sporting American Pit Bull Terriers and working bred German Shepherds. I actually don't want to own a dog that's really easy when it comes to needs.


It'll be a long way down the road until I add another dog, and first I'll be getting a working bred GSD. So we'll see if everything falls into place.


Also, I think the Malamute weight pull record is around 3k

[Phyrie]

Excellent article, Vanessa! Well-thought out, and well-balanced. I learned a lot about a breed with which I am not that familiar. Thanks.

[nezza]

Also, I think the Malamute weight pull record is around 3k

Yes, for competition.

I found this website that i think you might like. It's all about weight pulling and training and competition.

http://alaskanmalamutes.us/weightpull-basic-introduction.html


Phyrie, thank you so much! I really appreciate that

[Dane lover]

I had the honor of owning a Malamute. He was such a great, loving dog! They do get very large and have very thick coats.

We live in Michigan and on the coldest nights he wouldn't come inside. He preferred to lay under a covered porch on the snowy ground.

The main reason why I am writing is to address the fact that Malamutes are hunters. It is very true and I have had many experiences with my Malamute. He would hunt in our backyard and I often found dead racoons and opossums while mowing the lawn. The neighbor's cat came in our yard and that didn't go so well. They are hunters! One time he ran to a farm in our neighborhood and I found him with a chicken in his mouth. (I was able to save the chicken.) All these stories make him sound awful, but hunting is really in their nature. Also, I have read they tend to be the dominant dog, but he was great friends with our male lab and he was very loving.

As for having a dog in such a high-heat area I know from watching my brother's Newfoundland in Arizona that it can be uncomforatable for him in the summer months when it reaches over 100. Newfoundlands have thick and dense coats simliar to a Malamute. Even with the air on he pants a lot and get's relief from laying on the cold tile floor. I know Malamute's and Newphies are considered one of the "top ten best dog breeds" for cold weather. That being said, I think as long as a dog is loved and cared for then that is what is most important. You are doing the research and most people don't even do that.

[nezza]

Thank you, for your input.

i did state that they are prey driven animals...meaning they love to hunt, and will hunt pretty much anything!

MOST male un-neutered Mals are VERY dominant dogs, of course, there are exceptions.

[iheartmydog]

My dogs would be crated or kenneled inside the house when I'm not home, or at home, so there will be AC to keep them cool. And I generally don't heavily the dogs until it cools off. Also keep a kiddy pool in the backyard.

I'm big on researching, I enjoy it as well. Forums are great places to learn, I just tend to have a hard time finding forums that are tolerant of opposing views.