Alaskan Malamute

Temperament:

Friendly, Loyal, Playful
Size: Large
Height: 58-64 cm
Weight: 34-43 kg
Lifespan: 10-12 years
Coat: Longhair
Colors: Beige-white, Black-white, Brown-white, Red-white, Grey-white
FCI Group: Spitz and primitive types

Malamutes are affectionate and hard-working dogs. Dog lovers affectionately call them "Mali". Alaskan Malamutes belong to the sled dog family. The dogs are known as the working animals of the cold north, but are also very popular here in Europe. If you decide to get an Alaskan Malamute, you should know that the dog makes special demands on its owner.

Alaskan Malamute
Artboard 26

Characteristics

There is a saying: There are dogs and there are Alaskan Malamutes. This old saying is not entirely wrong, because these dogs are something very special.

The Alaskan Malamute is the largest and most powerful representative of the sled dogs. The breed is characterized by its compact build and broad shoulders. The dog's dense coat consists of the oily undercoat and the protruding top coat. The dense coat warms the dog and protects it from the cold. The tail holds the dog upright and gives it a dignified appearance.

The dog is an affectionate and loyal companion. Nevertheless, it is and remains a workhorse full of drive. If you don't keep your Alaskan Malamute busy enough, he will take care of things himself. Major damage to the house and garden is then inevitable.

The Alaskan Malamute is not a dog that will feel at home in a small city apartment. Your darling needs the outdoors and plenty of exercise. It needs consistent training and contact with other dogs of the same species.

His character doesn't always make training him easy. He is an independent dog, sometimes even stubborn, but in any case he has a mind of his own. The Alaskan Malamute is known for its tendency to go its own way. You have to be careful, because the dog uses every opportunity to escape.

Two souls live in the Alaskan Malamute: On the one hand, the stubborn, untrainable dog, and on the other, the hard-working, good-natured creature. If the Alaskan Malamute is harnessed to a sled, it is attentive and follows the command. The breed impresses with its stamina and robustness.

You need a lot of patience when training your dog. Do not try to achieve anything with this breed by force, pressure or coercion. You will not be successful.

Even if the training and keeping demands a lot from you, the effort is worth it. With the Alaskan Malamute, you get a dog that is known for its close human-animal bond. The reason for this lies in its origins.

Inuit animals have lived in family groups for centuries. Back then, it was common for the children and puppies to keep each other warm at bedtime. From puppies to adult dogs, this breed loves people and enjoys being stroked.

Another characteristic of this breed is its pronounced social behavior towards conspecifics. The Alaskan Malamute is happy to receive visitors and hardly ever barks. It is therefore rather unsuitable as a guard dog. The dog is a pack animal and staying at home alone can be a problem for it. Some four-legged friends complain about their longing for companions by howling loudly.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

Like any other dog, the Alaskan Malamute needs a species-appropriate diet. Whether you feed them dry or wet food plays a subordinate role in their diet. What is important is that you feed your Alaskan Malamute high-quality food with plenty of meat.

You should avoid sugar and grain in the food. Both have no place in high-quality dog food.

Puppies and young dogs are best fed three to four times a day, your adult dog can manage with two meals a day. Only feed your pet after a walk and give it a longer break afterwards. As with all large breeds, there is a risk of life-threatening gastric torsion.

Whether you give your dog treats or not is purely a question of opinion. Some experts are in favor of treats, others believe they are not beneficial to your dog's health. If you decide to give treats, reward your dog with sugar-free snacks.

Fresh water should always be available. Don't forget to take enough water with you on longer trips.

Health & Care

Regular grooming takes some time. Ideally, you should brush your dog's coat daily. The Alaskan Malamute is prone to heavy shedding. This dog breed loses tufts of hair, especially during the shedding season in fall and spring.

If the coat is wet and dirty, wait until it is dry again and then brush it out thoroughly. Regular bathing is not necessary. If the coat is very dirty, bathe your pet with a mild dog shampoo.

Grooming also includes checking the ears and claws. If the ears are dirty, clean them with an ear cleaner. You can trim claws that are too long with claw scissors.

Dental care is important for every dog. Buy a toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs and brush your pet's teeth every day. He will quickly get used to it.

Suitable accessories

You will need a good dog brush for grooming. You will also need a harness and a lead.

This breed loves dog toys to chew on and a chew bone is much healthier than a treat.

Alaskan Malamute History

Origin & History

Alaskan Malamutes have lived with people around the Arctic Circle for thousands of years. This dog breed is considered the original form of sled dog. The dogs owe their name to an Inuit people, the Mahlemiuts. The working dogs arrived in America overland via Siberia.

Until the invention of the snowmobile, dogs were vital for the people of Alaska. Only with the help of the animals, which tirelessly pulled the sledges, was the existence of entire peoples secured. No wonder the dogs were affectionately known as the locomotive of the north. Dog sledding became popular in Alaska around 1900. These races were not only about the honor of the owners, but also about very high stakes.

In the past, Alaskan Malamutes were not only an important means of transportation and travel. They also helped their owners hunt and warned them of dangerous polar bears.

Just how important dogs were to people back then is demonstrated by their depiction in the national coat of arms.

The breed standards were first established in 1935 and recognized by the American Kennel Club. The FCI recognized the breed in 1963. The first Alaskan Malamute came to Germany in 1970.

The Alaskan Malamutes bred today are somewhat slimmer, but are similar in temperament to their ancestors. If you put your Alaskan Malamute in front of a sled, it is unstoppable.

Unfortunately, there is a persistent prejudice that these dogs are not suitable for our latitudes. This is not true, as they have been bred in Central Europe for generations. Our climatic conditions therefore pose no major problem for this dog breed.

Nevertheless, you should bear in mind that although dogs lose their thick undercoat in summer, they cannot perform at their best in the heat.