About Alaskan Malamutes 

Not a dog for just anyone...

Originally an arctic sledge dog, Alaskan Malamutes not only still perform their duties as a sled dog, but in today's times, this working dog also competes in obedience, agility, and conformation showing. The Alaskan Malamute "desirable" size is 70 lbs to 100 lbs. A powerful and substantially built dog. Its head is broad, Eyes are almond-shaped, brown, NEVER BLUE; chest is deep & strong; Double coat, course guard hairs to protect a dense woolly, oily undercoat. Bushy tail, carried over its back, like a waving plume. Colors range from light gray to black, sable to red to all white.

Their activity level is high and they demand daily both a physical & mental workout. A Malamute will insist on having a part in all family activities. A very people friendly breed demanding a lot of attention. They can be dog aggressive and extremely predatory but are very friendly and excellent with children. Pack oriented, try to establish and test the pack order on a seemingly constant basis. They are often described as "big teddy bears" because of their love of attention. They are a very pack-oriented breed and therefore do best when included in the family rather than shut outside away from the rest of the "pack". Virtually always extend a tail-wagging, face-licking welcome to strangers. Blessed with a sunny disposition. Happiest when treated as an intelligent partner. 

Temperament
Since they are pack oriented, Malamutes are generally not "one-man" dogs. They are an extremely intelligent breed that can be very stubborn and easily bored. They are not typically recommended to a first-time dog owner as mistakes are easy to make and sometimes hard to correct unless you really know what you are doing. They can be a challenge to train, due to their stubbornness. It is said that to teach a Malamute to do something once or twice is very easy, because they are quite intelligent and quickly learn new tasks. To get them to repeatedly do something over and over again is much more challenging, due to their stubbornness and the fact that they become easily bored. This trait is quite common in all of the northern breeds. Many Malamutes end up in the pound and even destroyed because an owner fell in love with the cute puppy but could not control the large, stubborn, powerful adult.

  Owing to their strong pack nature, Alaskan Malamutes are Same-sex aggressive and can be more aggressive towards other dogs than other breeds. It is recommended that no more than two Alaskan Malamutes (of opposite sex only) ever be permitted to stay together unattended. They are extremely intelligent, continue to test their limits throughout their life. More often than not, train their owners before the owner knows what has happened! Because of this, great care should be taken on the part of the owner to socialize their Malamute puppy as much as possible with other dogs. Due to the character of the Malamute, they should never be actively trained to be protective, vicious, or aggressive. Their very nature makes them lousy watch dogs. It is against their instincts to make them into watch or guard type dogs. It has been tried in the past with disastrous results. Malamutes are as likely to greet a potential thief as warmly as a trusted family member. This is part of what makes a Malamute a Malamute

Most mals love kids. They are not, however, a child’s pet. Mals are just “too much dog” for a child to handle. It is vital that kids, working under their parents’ supervision, take an active role in training your pet, so she will learn that although not alpha, children do rank above her in the family social order. Start early, and have your children do as many different training exercises with the dog as possible, being sure to choose only exercises which the child can complete successfully. Young children must never be left unsupervised with any puppy or dog — yours or anyone else’s! In spite of the child’s and dog’s affection for each other, it still takes a lot of learning on both sides for them to understand how to behave towards each other. The vast majority of problems involving children and dogs are a result of children behaving like children, dogs behaving like dogs, and parents or other responsible adults failing to provide proper supervision and education.

Talking/Barking
Alaskan Malamutes are rather quiet dogs. They generally do not bark at all. Malamutes make terrible watchdogs with the exception of watching you eat. They do tend to "talk," however. It is sort of a soft "woo woo woo" sound. Malamutes can howl the roof right off of your house however. Especially when it hears sirens! Owners of multiple Malamutes have noticed that when their dogs howl, they will all stop simultaneously. Again, this behavior is due to the fact that they are a very pack-oriented breed.
Feeding
Some people prefer to free-feed their dogs, while others prefer scheduled feeding times. Some Malamute owners have found it impossible to free feed their dogs, due to the fact that some Malamutes will eat all food presented them immediately. This can lead to a variety of health problems, including obesity and bloat. As for the type and "brand" of dog food, not just any dog food manufacturer provides a dog food that is sufficient to keep your Mal healthy. The premium brands of dog food have the advantage that one can feed the dog less and still get very good nourishment. In addition, stool size and amount is generally less with the premium dog foods. Malamutes generally require a food that is high in protein due to their activity level. Even a Raw Diet can be used with Adult Malamutes but research is a must when an owner goes with this route. Ask your breeder  hat they recommend for your Mal.

CARE

Twice a year, Malamutes "blow" their undercoats, that is, they shed their undercoats completely. It is a very intense shedding period that can last up to three weeks from start to finish. The good news is that this only happens twice a year. The remainder of the time, Malamutes are relatively shed free (unlike smooth coated breeds). The bad news is that the shedding period can be rather messy. The hair comes out in large and small clumps. Lots of vacuuming and brushing are in order. It should be noted that some owners that live in very warm climes, ones that lack "seasonal changes," report some shedding year round in the breed. Some dogs like having ice added to their water to help keep it cool. Some also enjoy a children's wading pool filled with water in the summer time. The Alaskan Malamute is a very clean and relatively odor free dog. It tends to clean itself like a cat. Even when a Malamute becomes covered in mud, it will clean itself. Therefore, bathing needs are minimal. Some owners only bathe their dogs once a year or less. Other than during coat-blowing season, the Malamute needs very little grooming. No trimming or shaving of hair is required or recommended. Occasional brushing to remove dead hair and keep the coat fresh and shiny is required. Their nails should be checked and clipped periodically.

  A Heartworm preventative is needed. Here in the States and Canada as we move into the summer months it is important to watch for fleas, ticks, corkscrews, foxtails, and take as many preventable measures as possible to protect your four-legged friends. Highly recommended is FRONTLINE top spot for fleas.

Bath time: 
 

Blowing Coat ( shedding) for the Summer. Malamutes "blow" their undercoats, that is, they shed their undercoats completely. It is a very intense shedding period that can last up to three weeks from start to finish. They can look pretty skinny afterwards but it doesn't last long and their fluffy coats come back.

Housing
Alaskan Malamutes are happiest when they can share in family activities. The best arrangement is one in which the dog can come in and out of the house of its own free-will, through a dog door. If a dog door is not possible, then training the dog to go to an outside door to be let out is also very easy to do.  Outside, the dog should have a large, fenced yard. Alaskan Malamute possess a strong "prey drive" which is part of the hunting instinct. If it moves or squeals, a mal will chase it - sometimes with dangerous consequences. Malamutes have been known to kill rabbits, squirrels & birds, as well as neighborhood cats. Mals only do well with cats when they have been raised with them and have also been taught to control their natural instincts. .Some mals can never be trusted around other small animals, even when raised with them. Since they were bred to run, mals also have a tendency to roam the neighborhood or countryside. Never let your malamute "off-leash" as few are consistently trustworthy to commands (unless they wish to be) and are not particularly mindful to road traffic. In the countryside, they may learn to chase wildlife & livestock, or may be mistaken for wolves (or wolf-hybrids) and killed. A large, fenced yard is preferred for keeping a malamute in the city. Even so, they should be walked or given some other form of exercise every day. Although they can readily adapt to apartment living, this means the owner must be very dedicated to providing the proper amount of exercise. Mals that are kept primarily outside the house or on larger property should be provided a sturdy run with a covered kennel or large doghouse. Mals should be taught caution & control around children. Besides their love of humans, they are also attracted to children because of the quick movements and high-pitched voices ( similar to those of small hurt animals - a natural prey )

The fence should be strong and at least 6 feet tall. It is also a good idea to bury wire in the ground to discourage digging out. Malamutes are notorious diggers. It is usually best to set up a sand box somewhere in a shaded part of the yard and encourage digging there, if possible. Malamutes should not be allowed to roam around the neighborhood. If one chooses to kennel a Malamute, the kennel should be chain link, with a concrete run, and should be 8 ft wide and 15 to 20 ft long. It should be at least 6 ft high with chain link across the top of the kennel. It should be in a shaded location and have an insulated dog house with a door for shelter from the elements. Because the Malamute is an arctic dog, it can remain outside in very cold weather. However, it should be provided with shelter from the elements in the form of a good sturdy house. The house should have a flat roof, as Malamutes love to lay on top of their houses and observe the world. A good insulated house with nice straw bedding is perfect for Malamutes that spend most of their time outside. Heating the dog house is usually not necessary. When it's hot, most dogs like having ice added to their water to help keep it cool. They also enjoy a children's wading pool filled with water in the summer time.

Training
Malamutes are terrific dogs, but they have special needs when it comes to training. You can meet these needs very easily and humanely at an early age, or you can choose to neglect them and end up with an unmanageable, potentially aggressive dog, who nobody will want to live with.

Obedience training this breed can be very interesting and extremely challenging. Many owners will complain that their dogs act perfectly in class, but will not obey at home. This breed is intelligent enough to differentiate situations very well, and will apply different rules of behavior for different situations. You must stay on top of the dog and maintain control, which is easier to do while the dog is of manageable size than with a stubborn adult that has been allowed to get away with undesirable behaviors for a long time.   Malamutes are terrific dogs, but they have special needs when it comes to training. You can meet these needs very easily and humanely at an early age, or you can choose to neglect them and end up with an unmanageable, potentially aggressive dog, who nobody will want to live with. And because nobody will want the dog, he or she will stand an excellent chance of being euthanized. In order to train a mal successfully, you must understand what makes these magnificent animals tick. Along with being affectionate, playful companions, malamutes are intelligent, independent, stubborn, energetic and dominant creatures with a very highly developed sense of pack hierarchy. These traits were essential for survival in the harsh and unforgiving environment which mals first inhabited, and they continue to be the essence of malamute temperament. If you cherish and respect these characteristics, and are able to work with them in training your pet, you will end up with a malamute who is a pleasure to live with. If, however, you ignore your mals’ special training needs, or have expectations which are simply not within a mal’s capabilities, you and your pet will face failure.

Establish rules of the house early, and make sure that the puppy knows that you are in charge. For example, if you do not want the dog on the bed as an adult, do not allow it as a puppy. The rule of thumb is that if you train a dog to do something, expect him to do it. Therefore, if the puppy learns that certain things are allowed, it will be difficult to train them not to do them as adults. Since the dog is pack-oriented, it important to establish yourself as the head of the pack, or alpha, very early. Once you do this, the dog will respect you and training will be much easier. It is best to enroll in a puppy training class (or puppy kindergarten training as they are commonly known) soon after your dog is home and has all of its vaccinations. This training is good for the dog and for you as the owner, as it will help you understand your new puppy and establish you as alpha very early in the puppy's life, which is extremely important with this breed.

  It is very important to remember that Alaskan Malamutes are a working breed. They need something to do. Putting them in the backyard and tossing them a bone and expecting them to be happy us a very bad idea. They need a lot of exercise and interaction to be happy. The exercise can come in the form of mushing, which is of course best, or can easily be in the form of frequent walks, hikes, and playing. The dog makes a wonderful hiking companion, and with a dog pack, can carry food and water.  One final note: unless you are defending yourself or another person, or an animal, from attack, it is never, absolutely never, appropriate to hit, kick, throw or otherwise manhandle a dog. They have a very strong sense of what is and isn't fair, and they know that such behavior is not fair. At best, they will lose respect for you; at worst, one or both of you will be injured. We highly recommend Bark Busters Home Dog Training for your malamutes!