The Alaskan Malamute evolved from the ancient dogs that accompanied prehistoric man in his migrations from Asia, across the Arctic to Greenland and back. The migrations, covering thousands of years also produced a natural evolution of species that varied from the long coated varieties found in Greenland to the lesser coated, longed legged varieties found in the forest and lake areas of northern Canada.

Early Russian and English explorers often reported a superior and better kept type of work dog kept by the “Mahlemut” (Malemiut, Mahlmuit, Malemuit) tribes around the Norton Sound area of Alaska They were less “wild”, more tractable and capable of an enormous amount of work.

It must be kept in mind that these were work animals. They were used in hunting seals, were set loose in packs to course the polar bear, and to haul heavy sledges or pack in supplies. Although treated with fondness and exceptional care, there was no room for “pets” on the cruel ice packs and tundra

With the Gold Rush, the demand for pack and sled dogs brought into Alaska all types of breeds that could survive the weather. Soon, especially near the populated areas, the dogs were quite a mixture of breeds and quality. One had to travel many days inland, out of the gold country to find any semblance of the original Alaskan sled dogs. Due to their relative isolation, the dogs of the “Mahlemuts” remained fairly “pure”, but they too suffered from the inroads of civilization.

In the twentieth century the Malamutes came of age:

1909 brought about the Commander Robert Peary -Dr. Frederick Cook controversy on who reached the North Pole first. This remarkable exploration was made possible by the sled dogs, and nobody argues this point. Regardless of which man got to the North Pole first, history bears out the fact that the sled dogs were truly the first ones there.

The great serum run in 1925 when a group of drivers and their stalwart dogs fought their way through fifty below zero weather and an 80 mile an hour blizzard to get serum to the inhabitants of Nome to halt the march of diphtheria.

Later brought the two Admiral Richard Byrd expeditions on the Antarctic continent. To this day there stands a plaque in Little America, Antarctic dedicated to all the dogs whose lives were lost during these two expeditions to Little America, 1928-1930 & 1933-1935

Today

Malamutes are tremendous companions They still work performing weight pulls, back packing, and sledding. They perform in the obedience rings, provide care to elderly folks as service dogs and on occasion they have been known to sit on your lap.

Malamutes are very smart, loving, devious and still the most powerful working dog in the world. All they ask for in return is love, a safe environment, and maybe, a pat on the head.

General Appearance
The Alaskan Malamute, one of the oldest Arctic sled dogs, is a powerful and substantially built dog with a deep chest and strong, well-muscled body. The Malamute stands well over the pads, and this stance gives the appearance of much activity and a proud carriage, with head erect and eyes alert showing interest and curiosity. The head is broad. Ears are triangular and erect when alerted. The muzzle is bulky, only slight diminishing in width from root to nose. The muzzle is not pointed or long, yet not stubby. The coat is thick with a coarse guard coat of sufficient length to protect a woolly undercoat. Malamutes are of various colors. Face markings are a distinguishing feature. These consist of a cap over the head, the face either all white or marked with a bar and/or mask. The tail is well furred, carried over the back, and has the appearance of a waving plume.

The Malamute must be a heavy boned dog with sound legs, good feet, deep chest and powerful shoulders, and have all of the other physical attributes necessary for the efficient performance of his job. The gait must be steady, balanced, tireless and totally efficient. He is not intended as a racing sled dog designed to compete in speed trials. The Malamute is structured for strength and endurance, and any characteristic of the individual specimen, including temperament, which interferes with the accomplishment of this purpose, is to be considered the most serious of faults.

Size, Proportion, Substance
There is a natural range in size in the breed. The desirable freighting sizes are males, 25 inches at the shoulders, 85 pounds; females, 23 inches at the shoulders, 75 pounds. However, size consideration should not outweigh that of type, proportion, movement and other functional attributes. When dogs are judged equal in type, proportion, movement, the dog nearest the desirable freighting size is to be preferred. The depth of chest is approximately one half the height of the dog at the shoulders, the deepest point being just behind the forelegs. The length of the body from point of shoulder to the rear point of pelvis is longer than the height of the body from ground to top of the withers. The body carries no excess weight, and bone is in proportion to size.

Head
The head is broad and deep, not coarse or clumsy, but in proportion to the size of the dog. The expression is soft and indicates an affectionate disposition. The eyes are obliquely placed in the skull. Eyes are brown, almond shaped and of medium size. Dark eyes are preferred. Blue Eyes are a Disqualifying Fault. The ears are of medium size, but small in proportion to the head. The ears are triangular in shape and slightly rounded at the tips. They are set wide apart on the outside back edges of the skull on line with the upper corner of the eye, giving ears the appearance, when erect, of standing off from the skull. Erect ears point slightly forward, but when the dog is at work, the ears are sometimes folded against the skull. High set ears are a fault.

The skull is broad and moderately rounded between the ears, gradually narrowing and flattening on top as it approaches the eyes, rounding off to cheeks that are moderately flat. There is a slight furrow between the eyes. The topline of the skull and the topline of the muzzle show a slight break downward from a straight line as they join. The muzzle is large and bulky in proportion to the size of the skull, diminishing slightly in width and depth from junction with the skull to the nose. In all coat colors, except reds, the nose, lips, and eye rims' pigmentation is black. Brown is permitted in red dogs. The lighter streaked "snow nose" is acceptable. The lips are close fitting. The upper and lower jaws are broad with large teeth. The incisors meet with a scissors grip. Overshot or undershot is a fault.

Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is strong and moderately arched. The chest is well developed. The body is compactly built but not short coupled. The back is straight and gently sloping to the hips. The loins are hard and well muscled. A long loin that may weaken the back is a fault. The tail is moderately set and follows the line of the spine at the base. The tail is carried over the back when not working. It is not a snap tail or curled tight against the back, nor is it short furred like a fox brush. The Malamute tail is well furred and has the appearance of a waving plume.

Forequarters
The shoulders are moderately sloping; forelegs heavily boned and muscled, straight to the pasterns when viewed from the front. Pasterns are short and strong and slightly sloping when viewed from the side. The feet are of the snowshoe type, tight and deep, with well-cushioned pads, giving a firm, compact appearance. The feet are large, toes tight fitting and well arched. There is a protective growth of hair between the toes. The pads are thick and tough; toenails short and strong.

Hindquarters
The rear legs are broad and heavily muscled through the thighs; stifles moderately bent; hock joints are moderately bent and well let down. When viewed from the rear, the legs stand and move true in line with the movement of the front legs, not too close or too wide. Dewclaws on the rear legs are undesirable and should be removed shortly after puppies are whelped.

Coat
The Malamute has a thick, coarse guard coat, never long and soft. The undercoat is dense, from one to two inches in depth, oily and woolly. The coarse guard coat varies in length as does the undercoat. The coat is relatively short to medium along the sides of the body, with the length of the coat increasing around the shoulders and neck, down the back, over the rump, and in the breeching and plume. Malamutes usually have a shorter and less dense coat during the summer months. The Malamute is shown naturally. Trimming is not acceptable except to provide a clean cut appearance of feet.

Color
The usual colors range from light gray through intermediate shadings to black, sable, and shadings of sable to red. Color combinations are acceptable in undercoats, points, and trimmings. The only solid color allowable is all white. White is always the predominant color on underbody, parts of legs, feet, and part of face markings. A white blaze on the forehead and/or collar or a spot on the nape is attractive and acceptable. The Malamute is mantled, and broken colors extending over the body or uneven splashing are undesirable.

Gait
The gait of the Malamute is steady, balanced, and powerful. He is agile for his size and build. When viewed from the side, the hindquarters exhibit strong rear drive that is transmitted through a well-muscled loin to the forequarters. The forequarters receive the drive from the rear with a smooth reaching stride. When viewed from the front or from the rear, the legs move true in line, not too close or too wide. At a fast trot, the feet will converge toward the centerline of the body. A stilted gait, or any gait that is not completely efficient and tireless, is to be penalized.

Temperament
The Alaskan Malamute is an affectionate, friendly dog, not a "one man" dog. He is a loyal, devoted companion, playful in invitation, but generally impressive by his dignity after maturity.

Summary
IMPORTANT: In judging Malamutes, their function as a sledge dog for heavy freighting in the Arctic must be given consideration above all else. The degree to which a dog is penalized should depend upon the extent to which the dog deviates from the description of the ideal Malamute and the extent to which the particular fault would actually affect the working ability of the dog. The legs of the Malamute must indicate unusual strength and tremendous propelling power. Any indication of unsoundness in legs and feet, front or rear, standing or moving, is to be considered a serious fault. Faults under this provision would be splay-footedness, cowhocks, bad pasterns, straight shoulders, lack of angulation, stilted gait (or any gait that isn't balanced, strong and steady), ranginess, shallowness, ponderousness, lightness of bone, and poor overall proportion.

Disqualifications
Blue Eyes

Approved April 12, 1994
Effective May 31, 1994

Training Alaskan Malamutes can be a challenge. With this breed, it is important to start young. 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. Things that are cute as puppies may not be all that cute when the dog weighs 80 lbs or more.

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. Once you have completed the puppy class, and have been working with the dog for a few months, a basic obedience class is in order.

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.

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.

Snow Nose or Bad Pigmentation?

Snow Nose is described as a pink/reddish marking on the black nose. It is commonly experienced amongst the northern breeds. Snow Nose can disappear over the warmer months and reappear over the winter months. There is nothing wrong with snow nose. Bad pigmentation occasionally occurs within specimens of the breed. The pigmentation area generally occurs around the face and is best described as being pinkish skin and it can, in some cases, detract from the dogs appearance. The main problem with this pigmentation is the threat of sun cancer occurring to the area as the pink skin is more at risk of sunburn. It is advisable to cover the affected area with sun screen regularly to protect the dog from this threat of cancer. It is possible to correct pigmentation problems with tattooing and there is a relatively new procedure where a vegetable dye is injected into the area and spread to cover the pigmentation.

Hot spots

Hot spots look like raw grazed skin. They can also take the form of loose coat that does not appear to be attached to the skin. There is a link between hot spots and incorrect diet. Alaskan Malamutes cannot handle rich and spicy food.

Bloat

Bloat is a condition that affects all large, deep chested breeds. It is a potentially life-threatening condition which usually affects dogs in the prime of life. Basically, the dog's stomach will swell from gas, fluid, or both (this is acute gastric dilation). Once distended, the stomach may twist abruptly on its long axis. If it does twist, but the twist is less than 180 degrees, it is called a torsion. If greater than 180 degrees, it is called a volvulus. Therefore, the term bloat can refer to any of these three conditions (acute gastric distortion, torsion, or volvulus). Acute gastric dilation is not serious, and may clear up itself in a few minutes. Torsion or volvulus are life threatening and immediate veterinary attention is required. The chance for recurrence is around fifteen percent. The cause of bloat is unknown.

Eye Problems

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and central progressive retinal atrophy (CPRA) have appeared in a number of breeds, including Malamutes. Hemeralopia, or "day blindness", has also occurred in Malamutes. All of these problems are genetically caused. Careful screening of potential breeding pairs has helped reduce the incidence of these problem in the breed.

Hip Dysplasia

This is another genetic disorder that affects Malamutes. Simply put, hip dysplasia is a deformation in the hip joint. That is, the head of the femur does not sit solidly in the acetabulum. The joint lacks tightness, and the condition results in a painful and often debilitating life for the dog. Hip dysplasia is considered to be a moderately inheritable condition. Breeders will usually have breeding pairs OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) certified prior to breeding. OFA certification can be given only after a dog is over 24 months old.

Chrondrodysplasia (CHD)

This is a genetic disorder in the M'Loot Malamute line. It is also known as dwarfism, although this term is not very descriptive or even entirely correct.

The condition results in delayed endochondral bone formation. In 1970, the Alaskan Malamute Club of America officially recognized CHD and began efforts to combat the disease. By the end of that year, it was proven that the gene for CHD was an autosome recessive (through repetitive matings of CHD dogs) and mathematical models one which pedigrees could be tested were established.

A Malamute with less than a 6.25% CHD probability factor is considered to be breedable. 6.25% corresponds to one carrier as a great-great-great grandfather . Obviously this is not foolproof, but the chances of a dog not carrying CHD are improved considerably the lower the number. CHD probability is computed through the average of the two parents.

There are various ways to test for CHD including blood tests and x-rays. This recessive gene seems to affect blood as well, producing a type of anemia.

X-rays are generally made between the ages of 3 to 12 weeks, if one is overly concerned about CHD detection. Most Malamute breeders are satisfied with the CHD rating and no outward signs.

Is a Malamute part wolf?

No. The Alaskan Malamute is a domesticated pure bred dog, and has been for many centuries. They are often mistaken for wolves, and they are often used in movies to depict wolves, but they are most certainly not wolves or part wolf.

How do they handle the summer heat?

Like any dog, to cope with summer heat the Alaskan Malamute needs a constant supply of water to drink and shade from the sun. If the dog is allowed inside then it will find it's own cool room (probably on the kitchen or bathroom floor if it is tiled or linoleum floored). 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 Malamute sheds a lot of coat directly before summer, as soon as the whether starts to warm up, which also allows them to keep cool. Heavy exercise should be avoided in excessive heat. Curtail exercise times to be early morning or just after sunset. Once the dog is acclimated to his environment, he is usually fine. Malamutes are remarkably adaptable animals. However, one should never try and push a dog beyond his capability to cope with the heat. To do so can be disastrous. One must keep in mind the type of climate the dog is acclimated for and not look for signs of heat stress. Do not ever lock any dog in a car in direct sunlight, or in the shade for a great deal of time, even with the windows down a little for ventilation the heat generated by the dog is still enough to cause heat stress in summer.

What are they like with children?

Due to their gentle temperament the Alaskan Malamute is generally a very good family dog. They seem to enjoy the company of children, though common sense must be used when mixing any dog with young children. They are a very powerful dog and children should not be left in total control of the dog. Alaskan Malamutes are generally patient by nature and will tolerate young children fawning over them, but this should be strictly supervised for the sake of the dog as well as the child. With these caveats in mind, since Malamutes love attention, well behaved children get along wonderfully with well mannered and socialized Malamutes.

What are they like inside a house, being so big?

Alaskan Malamutes, aside from the occasional invasion of masses of fur when they are shedding coat, are excellent house dogs. They are extremely clean dogs and surprisingly quiet. They are very sure-footed and in no way clumsy around furniture. They will often pick out a favorite sleeping spot and stay there for hours. Favorite spots seem to be tiled and linoleum floors in warm weather, soft pillows or beds at other times.

How much do they eat?

Most Malamutes love food, however they eat surprisingly little for their size. The actual amount of food will vary depending on the metabolism and activity level of the dog, and the type of food that is given. A working adult will eat approximately 4 cups of high density food per day. Other dogs will generally eat less. Puppies require smaller, more frequent meals.

How much exercise do they need, and what kind?

You should not strenuously exercise a puppy under 6 months of age. Their muscular-skeleto system is not developed enough yet. Their play is enough to keep them healthy. You should play with your puppy and work on some of the basic obedience commands with him, in a playful way. Once the dog is 6 months old, a kindergarten puppy training class or a basic obedience class is a very good idea. It will start you both out on the right foot. You can then more easily start taking the dog for walks in your area on a leash. By the time the dog is full grown, at around 18 months, he will be ready for much longer walks, an hour per day or more. The obedience training will make the walks much more enjoyable. Alaskan Malamutes also enjoy jogging, but this should not be attempted until the dog is 18 months old or older. Hiking, with a dog backpack is great fun. One can also bike with a dog, with a nifty device known as a "Springer." Finally, sledding is an excellent form of exercise, and is what the dog was bred for. The sled dog part of the FAQ for rec.pets.dogs covers these things in more detail.

Do they pull sleds very fast?

The Malamute is a very strong dog, but not as fast as some of the other northern breeds. Malamutes are not as fast as, say Siberians, and because of this are not typically used in sprint sled racing or a race like the Iditarod (although they sometimes are). Endurance and strength are the Malamute staples, and they are frequently used for exploratory trips across the North Pole or Antarctica (most recently, in the Trans-Antarctic expedition) and in weight pull competitions.

How strong are they?

The Malamute is a very strong dog. They were originally freighting dogs and as such, are able to pull tremendous amounts of weight. Just from looking at the Malamute, and the size of his bones and his stature, it is easy to see that they are indeed very strong animals. For this reason, many people use them in weight pulling competitions, where they will pull thousands of pounds.

Do they shed a lot?

Malamutes blow their undercoats twice per year. They do not typically shed year round like many dog breeds. When they do blow their coat, they loose lots of hair (several grocery sacks full per week).

Do they like to fight other dogs?

No. Malamutes are very pack oriented dogs. As such, they communicate with other dogs in a variety of ways. An ill mannered, aggressive dog is not a good team dog and therefore not a good sled dog. However, poorly socialized and trained Malamutes can be aggressive towards other dogs. For this reason, it is very important for a Malamute owner to train the dog carefully and make sure to properly socialize it with other dogs.

I've heard Malamutes are dumb. Is this true?

No! Alaskan Malamutes are extremely intelligent working dogs. People often mistake the fact that they can be difficult to train as a sign of stupidity. Malamutes are very clever and easily bored. The key to training them is to keep them interested and to challenge their intelligence. A Malamute probably knows what you want him to do, he just may not want to do it!

Just how cold can an Alaskan Malamute live in?

Alaskan Malamutes can work and live in extremely cold conditions, approaching 70 degrees below zero.

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