alaskan malamute

Malamute’s are a larger breed with a personality that can be very overpowering for a owner that is not ready for it. Malamutes are a very intelligent and clever breed. A owner must have a lot of time and patience to own a malamute. A malamute requires a lot of daily stimulation to remain health and happy.

The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) originally bred for use as an Alaskan sled dog. It is sometimes mistaken for a Siberian Husky, but in fact is quite different in many ways.

The Alaskan Malamute is a Nordic sled dog, descended from the Arctic wolf. Its name comes from Mahlemuts, an Alaskan tribe that raised and cared for these beautiful snow dogs. Originally used 2000 to 3000 years ago by these Mahlemuit Eskimos of Alaska, these highly valued dogs were their only form of transportation. These amazing dogs have strength, endurance with a will to work. They pulled not only light traveling sleds, but they also hauled heavy loads of food and supplies for the Arctic people. Packs of Malamutes have participated in many polar expeditions, for which they are particularly well adapted due to their tenacity, sense of direction, and excellent sense of smell. They have appeared as unforgettable characters in the stories of Jack London and Rudyard Kipling. The Malamute went with Admiral Byrd's expeditions to the pole. The Alaskan Malamute is cousins with the Arctic breeds, Siberian Husky, Samoyed, and the American Eskimo dog. Some of the Alaskan Malamute's talents are sledding, carting, search & rescue, weight pulling and racing.

The Alaskan Malamute is the largest of the Arctic dogs. This thick well built dog is solid with a plumed tail which is held over the back. The head is wide with erect ears. The eyes are of medium size, dark brown, small, and almond in shape and are obliquely placed in the skull. The dog holds an image of a wolf but with a proud, sweet expression. Dark eyes are preferred. Blue eyes are a fault according to the written standard. The feet are large, of the snowshoe type with tough pads. The thick, coarse double coat averages one to three inches in length and comes in a range of light gray to intermediate shadings of black, sable and shadings of sable to red. Combinations include, wolf gray, black & white, wolf sable (red undercoat with dark gray outer coat), or red. The only solid color allowed is white. The dog often has darker highlights and sometimes has a dark mask or cap. The legs and muzzle are almost always white. In some areas, dogs may be either smaller or larger than the official standard.



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