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Although we love Alaskan Malamutes, we know everyone is not suited to own them. We want to provide as much information as possible so you can decide if this breed is right for you.
HISTORY
The Alaskan Malamutes are from the Inuit tribe known as the Mahlemuts. They were bred to pull heavy sleds long distances and watch the children. They are still very pack oriented with the instinct to lead or be led. They are the largest and most powerful of the sled dogs.
Links
Health in general-click HERE and HERE
Hip Dysplasia- click HERE
Canine Health Foundation- click HERE
Canine Bloat- click HERE
Temperament
Alaskan Malamutes love people and always want to be the center of attention. Most love to cuddle and are often referred to as big teddy bears. They are very pack orientated and do best when with people. Malamutes are exceptionally smart but are often very stubborn. They are not generally recommend for first time owners, since training them can be challenging.
Malamutes can be aggressive towards other dogs especially dogs of the same sex. To help prevent aggression, puppies should be socialized as early and as much as possible with friendly dogs. Malamutes are rarely good guard dogs, they will greet anyone like they have known them for years and this is what makes them a Malamute.
Training
The Alaskan Malamute learns very quickly because they are so smart but they . Their obedience training should be kept short but occur frequently. The commands should be kept simple like sit, stay, and come. You must be consistent, if you tell them to do something, they should do it.
Teaching them what to do is easy, but getting them to do it consistently, is difficult. Their size can cause problems with training but remember its easier to train a 20 pound puppy when comparing it to a 100 pound, super stubborn, adult. It will never get easier, so start when they are young and not used to getting away with it! Many Alaskan Malamutes are given away because the owners didn't realize the amount of time you have to put into training them, let alone the amount of patience.
Once the puppy has adapted to their new home, you need to establish the rules and make sure the puppy knows you`re the alpha. Once they know you`re the boss, they will be easier to train. Don`t let them get away with bad behavior because they are super cute. If you don`t want them to do it as an adult, don't allow them to do it as a puppy! I HIGHLY suggest enrolling your puppy into a puppy class. This will have to be done after they get all their vaccines, around 12 weeks. We believe re-enrolling your one year old is important, if you are having trouble with them listening and respecting your rules or you.
It`s important to recall the Alaskan Malamute is a working breed. If they don`t have something to cure their boredom they will find something, this often presents itself in a destroyed couch. They need human interaction and lots of exercise to be happy.
HISTORY
The Alaskan Malamutes are from the Inuit tribe known as the Mahlemuts. They were bred to pull heavy sleds long distances and watch the children. They are still very pack oriented with the instinct to lead or be led. They are the largest and most powerful of the sled dogs.
Links
Health in general-click HERE and HERE
Hip Dysplasia- click HERE
Canine Health Foundation- click HERE
Canine Bloat- click HERE
Temperament
Alaskan Malamutes love people and always want to be the center of attention. Most love to cuddle and are often referred to as big teddy bears. They are very pack orientated and do best when with people. Malamutes are exceptionally smart but are often very stubborn. They are not generally recommend for first time owners, since training them can be challenging.
Malamutes can be aggressive towards other dogs especially dogs of the same sex. To help prevent aggression, puppies should be socialized as early and as much as possible with friendly dogs. Malamutes are rarely good guard dogs, they will greet anyone like they have known them for years and this is what makes them a Malamute.
Training
The Alaskan Malamute learns very quickly because they are so smart but they . Their obedience training should be kept short but occur frequently. The commands should be kept simple like sit, stay, and come. You must be consistent, if you tell them to do something, they should do it.
Teaching them what to do is easy, but getting them to do it consistently, is difficult. Their size can cause problems with training but remember its easier to train a 20 pound puppy when comparing it to a 100 pound, super stubborn, adult. It will never get easier, so start when they are young and not used to getting away with it! Many Alaskan Malamutes are given away because the owners didn't realize the amount of time you have to put into training them, let alone the amount of patience.
Once the puppy has adapted to their new home, you need to establish the rules and make sure the puppy knows you`re the alpha. Once they know you`re the boss, they will be easier to train. Don`t let them get away with bad behavior because they are super cute. If you don`t want them to do it as an adult, don't allow them to do it as a puppy! I HIGHLY suggest enrolling your puppy into a puppy class. This will have to be done after they get all their vaccines, around 12 weeks. We believe re-enrolling your one year old is important, if you are having trouble with them listening and respecting your rules or you.
It`s important to recall the Alaskan Malamute is a working breed. If they don`t have something to cure their boredom they will find something, this often presents itself in a destroyed couch. They need human interaction and lots of exercise to be happy.
Colors
I`ve found this great site, that does a wonderful job on explaining the different coat colors found in Malamutes. It also has pictures so you have an idea of what the color will be. Click HERE
Companions
The Alaskan Malamutes tend to be same sex aggressive so when looking for your new pack member it is wise to pick one of the opposite gender. Alaskan Malamute must be socialized with cats at a young age if they are expected to live with one and not harm them. They have to realize the cat is not a play mate and they are not allowed to chase it.
Children
Some Alaskan Malamutes love children and others prefer to have their own space. A dog should always have an area they can go to get away from the children. All children should be watched when they are with any breed of dog, especially if under the age of 7. They don`t realize when the dog is getting upset, until it`s too late which has led to many dog bites. Malamutes are notorious for not realizing their size and strength and can easily knock over a little one because they are so excited to see them. It`s important that the dog knows the rules, when playing with the kids and the kids know the rules, when playing with the dog. It`s a good idea to teach older children what the dog`s body language means so they know when the dog is upset and leave them alone.
Shedding and Nail Trimming
The Alaskan Malamute`s coat is made up of two layers, a dense undercoat and long guard hairs. Twice a year, during the spring and late summer, Malamutes blow their undercoats. This can last up to a month. If you are not prepared to have hair all over your house and you, the Malamute is not the breed you want. Once you notice them start to shed, they will need to be brushed once a day. A good way to help them get all of their old undercoat out is giving them a bath. The good news is, they shed very little during the rest of the year.
When you get your puppy, play with it`s feet and toes, this way they are used to them being touched, which will make trimming their nails much easier. Their nails should be checked and clipped periodically, so they don`t get long. If the nail becomes to long it can cause arthritis and the nail to curl. When the nail curls, it will become embedded in the paw pad, which is very painful and can cause an infection.
Sounds
Some Alaskan Malamutes are quiet most of the time and others love to talk. They don`t normally bark but they do "Woo Woo". Some Malamutes are very loud when they talk and other are quieter. Malamutes can also howl, once again how frequently depends on the Malamute.
Feeding
We give each family a little pack of food that should hold the puppy over until they can get to the store. We recommend they get the same brand we use at least once so they will have enough food to gradually mix in with the new food. If their diet suddenly changes, it can severely disrupt the puppy’s digestive system causing diarrhea and an upset tummy. If you want to switch brands we suggest doing it in a 2 week time period. Start out the first day with 75% of their normal food and 25% of their new food for 5 days. Then go to 50/50 for 5 days. Then 75% new and 25% old for 4 days and on day 15 they are completely off the old food.
Puppies should be fed three times a day; we prefer to use scheduled times instead of free-feeding. We believe free-feeding gives the pup the idea that he/she doesn’t need you to “find” food and can cause him/her to take on a more alpha type personality. If you are not paying attention you will end up with a big dog that is “leading” you. Free-feeding can also be a problem if they are with other animals because they can become food aggressive and if you are not by them, you won`t be able to correct it. The pup will also be harder to potty train because if you don`t know when they are eating, you won`t be able to plan potty times. They could also become overweight since Malamutes tend to eat all the food they are given.
Backyard
They need a big backyard so they have room to run and play, but they should never be kept outside for long periods of time. The taller the fence the better, we recommend at least 4 1/2 feet but this depends on the size of the Malamute. Some malamutes like to dig so it`s a good idea to have the fence buried.
Hip Dysplasia (HD)
Canine hip dysplasia is caused when the ball (head of the femur) and the socket (a portion of the pelvis) do not fit together tightly. Hip dysplasia is one of the most common diseases of the skeletal system seen in dogs. HD develops during puppyhood and commonly occurs in large and giant breeds. HD can affect just one or both hips. In a normal hip, the bones are round and smooth and fit together perfectly so the ball can rotate freely in the socket. They are then held together by strong well developed muscles.
Puppies as young as 4-5 months can begin to show signs of HD but a dog with HD may not show signs until they are an adult. When a dog has HD they will develop arthritis in the hip which causes discomfort and pain.
Until recently HD was considered only hereditary but new research shows a dog`s environment is also a factor. Environmental factors include obesity, injury, nutrition (high energy and calcium) and overexertion of the hip at a young age.
Signs
Reluctance to exercise Lameness/Limping
Difficulty in rising Appears to be in pain
Reluctance to jump up or go up and down stairs Frequent whimpering
Excessive licking of joint/leg Change in eating habits
All dogs are different; some will show all of the signs and others, only a few. This is just a guideline that will help you know what to look for. Dysplastic dogs are at a greater risk of getting injured doing normal activities like jumping or rough housing.
Screening/ Diagnosis
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) can screen for HD by receiving an x-ray of the hips, taken at a veterinary clinic. The x-ray is rated by 3 veterinarians and if rated EXECELLENT, GOOD or FAIR are deemed suitable for breeding/normal. With this in mind, breeding a dog that passed but some of its siblings are found to have HD is bad breeding. HD is caused by many genes so the bad genes can be masked which can cause a dysplastic puppy to be born from two normal parents. They also have a prelim test, which can be done as early as 6 months. As the dog ages the accuracy increases from 80% to 95% until 2 years of age.
PennHIP is another company screening for HD. It is done by x-rays as well and consists of 3 separate radiographs. They are able to rate dogs as young as 16 weeks. They do not rate by Excellent, Good and Fair but by percentage, for example the Malamute could be in the top 90% for the breed.
Preventions
Hip dysplasia is a genetic disease so all responsible, reputable breeders, have their Alaskan Malamute`s hips certified with OFA or PENNHIP before they are bred. If all Malamutes that were bred had passing hip scores, the amount of Malamutes with HD would greatly decrease.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
I`ve found this great site, that does a wonderful job on explaining the different coat colors found in Malamutes. It also has pictures so you have an idea of what the color will be. Click HERE
Companions
The Alaskan Malamutes tend to be same sex aggressive so when looking for your new pack member it is wise to pick one of the opposite gender. Alaskan Malamute must be socialized with cats at a young age if they are expected to live with one and not harm them. They have to realize the cat is not a play mate and they are not allowed to chase it.
Children
Some Alaskan Malamutes love children and others prefer to have their own space. A dog should always have an area they can go to get away from the children. All children should be watched when they are with any breed of dog, especially if under the age of 7. They don`t realize when the dog is getting upset, until it`s too late which has led to many dog bites. Malamutes are notorious for not realizing their size and strength and can easily knock over a little one because they are so excited to see them. It`s important that the dog knows the rules, when playing with the kids and the kids know the rules, when playing with the dog. It`s a good idea to teach older children what the dog`s body language means so they know when the dog is upset and leave them alone.
Shedding and Nail Trimming
The Alaskan Malamute`s coat is made up of two layers, a dense undercoat and long guard hairs. Twice a year, during the spring and late summer, Malamutes blow their undercoats. This can last up to a month. If you are not prepared to have hair all over your house and you, the Malamute is not the breed you want. Once you notice them start to shed, they will need to be brushed once a day. A good way to help them get all of their old undercoat out is giving them a bath. The good news is, they shed very little during the rest of the year.
When you get your puppy, play with it`s feet and toes, this way they are used to them being touched, which will make trimming their nails much easier. Their nails should be checked and clipped periodically, so they don`t get long. If the nail becomes to long it can cause arthritis and the nail to curl. When the nail curls, it will become embedded in the paw pad, which is very painful and can cause an infection.
Sounds
Some Alaskan Malamutes are quiet most of the time and others love to talk. They don`t normally bark but they do "Woo Woo". Some Malamutes are very loud when they talk and other are quieter. Malamutes can also howl, once again how frequently depends on the Malamute.
Feeding
We give each family a little pack of food that should hold the puppy over until they can get to the store. We recommend they get the same brand we use at least once so they will have enough food to gradually mix in with the new food. If their diet suddenly changes, it can severely disrupt the puppy’s digestive system causing diarrhea and an upset tummy. If you want to switch brands we suggest doing it in a 2 week time period. Start out the first day with 75% of their normal food and 25% of their new food for 5 days. Then go to 50/50 for 5 days. Then 75% new and 25% old for 4 days and on day 15 they are completely off the old food.
Puppies should be fed three times a day; we prefer to use scheduled times instead of free-feeding. We believe free-feeding gives the pup the idea that he/she doesn’t need you to “find” food and can cause him/her to take on a more alpha type personality. If you are not paying attention you will end up with a big dog that is “leading” you. Free-feeding can also be a problem if they are with other animals because they can become food aggressive and if you are not by them, you won`t be able to correct it. The pup will also be harder to potty train because if you don`t know when they are eating, you won`t be able to plan potty times. They could also become overweight since Malamutes tend to eat all the food they are given.
Backyard
They need a big backyard so they have room to run and play, but they should never be kept outside for long periods of time. The taller the fence the better, we recommend at least 4 1/2 feet but this depends on the size of the Malamute. Some malamutes like to dig so it`s a good idea to have the fence buried.
Hip Dysplasia (HD)
Canine hip dysplasia is caused when the ball (head of the femur) and the socket (a portion of the pelvis) do not fit together tightly. Hip dysplasia is one of the most common diseases of the skeletal system seen in dogs. HD develops during puppyhood and commonly occurs in large and giant breeds. HD can affect just one or both hips. In a normal hip, the bones are round and smooth and fit together perfectly so the ball can rotate freely in the socket. They are then held together by strong well developed muscles.
Puppies as young as 4-5 months can begin to show signs of HD but a dog with HD may not show signs until they are an adult. When a dog has HD they will develop arthritis in the hip which causes discomfort and pain.
Until recently HD was considered only hereditary but new research shows a dog`s environment is also a factor. Environmental factors include obesity, injury, nutrition (high energy and calcium) and overexertion of the hip at a young age.
Signs
Reluctance to exercise Lameness/Limping
Difficulty in rising Appears to be in pain
Reluctance to jump up or go up and down stairs Frequent whimpering
Excessive licking of joint/leg Change in eating habits
All dogs are different; some will show all of the signs and others, only a few. This is just a guideline that will help you know what to look for. Dysplastic dogs are at a greater risk of getting injured doing normal activities like jumping or rough housing.
Screening/ Diagnosis
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) can screen for HD by receiving an x-ray of the hips, taken at a veterinary clinic. The x-ray is rated by 3 veterinarians and if rated EXECELLENT, GOOD or FAIR are deemed suitable for breeding/normal. With this in mind, breeding a dog that passed but some of its siblings are found to have HD is bad breeding. HD is caused by many genes so the bad genes can be masked which can cause a dysplastic puppy to be born from two normal parents. They also have a prelim test, which can be done as early as 6 months. As the dog ages the accuracy increases from 80% to 95% until 2 years of age.
PennHIP is another company screening for HD. It is done by x-rays as well and consists of 3 separate radiographs. They are able to rate dogs as young as 16 weeks. They do not rate by Excellent, Good and Fair but by percentage, for example the Malamute could be in the top 90% for the breed.
Preventions
Hip dysplasia is a genetic disease so all responsible, reputable breeders, have their Alaskan Malamute`s hips certified with OFA or PENNHIP before they are bred. If all Malamutes that were bred had passing hip scores, the amount of Malamutes with HD would greatly decrease.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________