Pet Advisor Blog

Alaskan Malamute – Dog Breed Guide

Breed summary

Size: Large
Weight: 70 to 95 pounds
Height: 22 to 26 inches
Longevity: 12
Bark Tendency: Low
Aggression: Low
Compatibility to other pets: High

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Introduction

Wolf-like in appearance, the Alaskan Malamute is one strong and big-boned northern breed of dog. This breed is the working class of all the husky breeds that are famous for being lean and quick arctic dogs. Unlike the Siberian and Alaskan huskies, the Alaskan Malamute dogs are huge sled dogs that weren’t used for racing. They do the “dirty jobs” sledding big cargo from one point to another. Like their very distant cousins, the wolves, they are covered in thick weatherproof coating and their frames are huge with solid bone structures. Alaskan Malamutes are domesticated and a breed who loves to goof around, play rowdy and have a tendency to be rowdy when surrounded by the pack. But overall, the largest of the arctic dogs carry themselves with dignity and power.

Official Name

Alaskan Malamute

Origin

Date – Ancient Times
Country: Alaska, USA
Family / Group – Spitz, Working, Northern

History

Cousins with Arctic sled dog breeds the Siberian Husky, Samoyed, Alaskan Husky and the American Eskimo dogs, the larger Alaskan Malamute is one of the oldest of these breeds. Their precise point of origin is not known, but as far back as 2000 years ago, there were recordings of the Alaskan Malamute dogs by the Inuit tribe Mahlemuts, which is where they got their name. They are believed to be wolf descendants, domesticated by the Mahlemut Tribe for hauling heavy sleds through snow-covered terrain.

On the arctic terrain, the Inuits flourished using the Mally’s powerful sledding skills, they’re the only form of transportation. They were also used as dependable hunting partners, taking down big Arctic games, the likes of polar bears and seals, which they hauled back to the villages. During the late 1890′s, with Alaska’s gold rush booming, the Alaskan Malamutes were used as entertainment by the prospectors. They competed the breed in various weight-pulling and dog sledding races.

The AKC formally registered it as a new breed in 1935, almost a decade long after the Malamute’s formal breeding. In 1933, the malamute came to the global limelight after Admiral Byrd chose this breed for this South Pole expedition. In World War II, the Mally’s served in the war efforts, hauling freight and as search and rescue dogs. The breed also garnered fame when they were used as characters in novels written by Rudyard Kipling and Jack London.

Personality

They may look like wolves, with their size, built and intimidating stance, but the Alaskan Malamutes are just very friendly pack members who are open-minded when it comes to strangers. They are so friendly that they don’t have real guard dog qualities. Hence, this arctic breed rarely barks aggressively at all! As they mature, the easygoing attitude subsides and becomes mellower.

Bred For

Heavy sled pulling, large game hunting

Environment

Prefer cooler temperatures. When in a hot climate, it is advisable to have them indoors for longer periods of time. They are not that great to have in apartment type living conditions.

Grooming

Brushing their coat once a week is sufficient. They shed seasonally, but when they do, expect heavy shedding. This breed is clean and odorless and is able to self-clean their coat like cats.

Training

Males can be very dominant, but training is not that difficult as they are a breed who are eager to please. Owners should be firm and consistent pack leaders to have the Alaskan Malamute obedience.

Health

The Alaskan Malamute is a heavy eater without control. They are prone to obesity so proper and supervised diet is a must. Failure to have them on a proper diet will result in bone and joint ailments. If you use them for sledding, make sure they are given a “performance” diet to keep up to their caloric needs. For house pets, the normal food maintenance for larger breeds is sufficient. They also need cold climates to survive.

Exercise

Bred to endure and possesses awesome strength, Alaskan Malamutes demand a very active lifestyle. They need lots of exercises to avoid them being frustrated and destructive. Having running exercise sessions daily is recommended.

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