Alaskan Malamute

Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamute
Common nicknames	Mal or Mally
Origin	United States (Alaska)
Traits Height Males 63.5 cm Females 58.4 cm Weight Males 38.5 kg Females 34 kg Coat Thick, a double coat, with plush undercoat Color Gray, sable, black, or red, always with white, as well as all white Litter size 4-10 puppies
Kennel club standards Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) originally bred for use as a utilitarian dog and later an Alaskan sled dog. They are sometimes mistaken for a Siberian Husky due to color and markings, but in fact are quite different in many ways including size, structure and personality. As pets, once mature, Alaskan Malamutes have a very quiet, dignified temperament and are loyal to their owners.

Appearance

The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard describes a natural range of size, with a desired freighting size of 23 inches (58 cm) and 75 pounds (34 kg) for females, 25 inches (64 cm) and 85 pounds (39 kg) for males. Heavier individuals (90 lb (41 kg)) and dogs smaller than 75 pounds (34 kg) are commonly seen. There is often a marked size difference between males and females. Weights upwards of 100 pounds (45 kg) are also seen.

The coat of the Alaskan Malamute is a double coat. The undercoat has an oily and woolly texture and can be as thick as two inches. The outer guard coat is coarse and stands off the body—longer at the withers but not more than one inch off the sides of the body. Ears are small in proportion to the head and stand firmly erect when at attention. The Alaskan Malamute is a brown eyed, heavy dog, with a more formidable nature and structure than the Siberian Husky; which is a dog of small and slim stature, with the ability to have blue, brown, and bi-eyes, and is fine-boned specifically bred for speed. The Alaskan Malamute is bred for power and endurance, which is its original function and what the standard of the breed requires of Alaskan Malamute breeders. The usual colors are various shades of gray and white, sable and white, black and white, seal and white, red and white, or solid white. There are a wide range of markings in the breed including face markings, blazes, a splash at the nape of the neck, a collar or a half collar. In terms of color variants, some Malamutes exhibit a dark grey to buff colored undertone around their trimmings and white areas; presenting with a color-linked gene known as 'Agouti'. The eyes of the Alaskan Malamute are almond-shaped and are varied shades of brown; however, the darker eye is preferred. The physical build of the Malamute is compact and strong with substance, bone and snowshoe feet.

An adult Alaskan Malamute

According to the AKC breed standard, the Malamute's tail is well furred and is carried over the back like a "waving plume". Corkscrew tails are occasionally seen but are faulted in the AKC breed standard (a corkscrew tail is commonly seen in the Akita). The Malamutes' well-furred tails aid in keeping them warm when they curl up in the snow. They are often seen wrapping the tail around their nose and face, which presumably helps protect them against harsh weather such as blowing snow. Their ears are generally upright, wedge shaped, small in proportion to the head and set to the side of the skull. The muzzle is deep and broad, tapering slightly from the skull to the nose. Nose and gums are black but some Malamutes have a snow nose which is black with a pink undertone that can get darker or lighter, depending on the season.

Alaskan Malamute puppy

Temperament

Alaskan Malamutes are still in use as sled dogs for personal travel, hauling freight, or helping move light objects; some however are used for the recreational pursuit of sledding, also known as mushing, as well as for skijoring, bikejoring, carting, and canicross. However, most Malamutes today are kept as family pets or as show or performance dogs in weight pulling, dog agility, or packing. Malamutes are generally slower in long-distance dogsled racing against smaller and faster breeds and their working usefulness is limited to freighting or traveling over long distances at a far slower rate than that required for racing. They can also help move heavy objects over shorter distances.

The Malamute retains more of its original form and function than many other modern breeds. The Malamute personality is one of strong independence. Malamutes require considerable exercise, thus they require an owner who can serve in an "Alpha" role to gain respect of the dog. If a dog owner cannot cope with a dog that will not comply with the owner's every command, a more compliant breed should be selected. This dog has a long genetic foundation of living in the harshest environment imaginable, and many of its behaviors are evolved to conform with "survival of the fittest." Independence, resourcefulness, and natural behaviors are common in the breed. Because of their intelligence, they can be difficult dogs to train. However, if the trainer understands Malamutes and how to keep them motivated, success is possible.

Malamutes sometimes cope poorly with smaller animals, including other canines; however, this has been difficult to document in detail beyond observational data. Many Malamute owners have observed this behavior with smaller animals, though some might speculate this is due to the Malamute's uniquely divergent ancestry, at some points cross-breeding with wolves. Due to their naturally evolved beginnings, Malamutes tend to have natural hunting instincts which often leads them to chase smaller animals, such as rabbits, squirrels, and cats. So while Malamutes are, as a general rule, particularly amiable around people and can be taught to tolerate other pets, it is necessary to be mindful of them around smaller animals.

Malamutes are quite fond of people, a trait that makes them particularly sought-after family dogs but unreliable watchdogs. Malamutes are nimble around furniture and smaller items, making them ideal house dogs, provided they get plenty of time outdoors meeting their considerable exercise requirements. If they are year-round outdoor dogs, letting them play in a baby pool filled with cold water in summer keeps them cool. In the winter, they love snow.

Malamutes are usually quiet dogs, seldom barking. When a Malamute does vocalize, it often appears to be "talking" by vocalizing a "woo woo" sound. It may howl like a wolf or coyote, and for the same reason.

Health

Longevity

There is only one known health survey of Alaskan Malamutes, a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey with a small sample size of 14 dogs. The median lifespan of 10.7 years measured in that survey is typical of a breed their size. The major cause of death was cancer (36%). However, Malamutes in the US typically have longer life spans and less genetic issues than those in the UK, since the UK population stemmed from a smaller number of imports with a higher proportion of inbreeding.

Morbidity

The most commonly reported health problems of Alaskan Malamutes in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey (based on a sample size of 64 dogs) were musculoskeletal (hip dysplasia), and hereditary cataracts. There are additional health issues in the breed whose origins are unknown at this time including varied seizure disorders found in young puppies as well as adults, Epilepsy, congenital heart problems, kidney problems and skin disorders.

Other health issues in Malamutes include inherited polyneuropathy, chondrodysplasia, heart defects, and eye problems (particularly cataract and progressive retinal atrophy).

History

An Inupiat family with a Malamute from 1915

The Malamute is a descendant of dogs of the Mahlemut (now known as Kuuvangmiut or more commonly Kobuk) group of Inupiat in upper western Alaska. These dogs had a prominent role with their human companions – as a utilitarian dog, working, hunting, and living alongside humans. The dogs were renowned for their excellent hunting abilities and were used to hunt large predators such as bears. They also aided their owners in finding seals by alerting to seal blow holes. The interdependent relationship between the Mahlemut and their dogs fostered prosperity among both and enabled them to flourish in the inhospitable land above the Arctic Circle.

For a brief period during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, the Malamute and other sled dogs became extremely valuable to recently landed prospectors and settlers, and were frequently crossbred with imported breeds. This was often an attempt to improve the type, or to make up for how few true Malamutes were available to purchase. This seems to have had no long-standing effect on the modern Malamute, and recent DNA analysis shows that Malamutes are one of the oldest breeds of dog, genetically distinct from other dog breeds.

The Malamute dog has had a distinguished history; aiding Rear Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole, and the miners who came to Alaska during the Gold Rush of 1896, as well as serving in World War II primarily as search and rescue dogs in Greenland, although also used as freighting and packing dogs in Europe. This dog was never destined to be a racing sled dog; it was used for heavy freighting, pulling hundreds (maybe thousands) of pounds of supplies to villages and camps in groups of at least 4 dogs for heavy loads.

The Alaskan Malamute is a member of the Spitz group of dogs, traced back 2,000 to 3,000 years ago to the Mahlemuits tribe of Alaska.

In 2010 the Alaskan Malamute was named the official state dog of Alaska.

See also

• Canadian Eskimo Dog
• Eight Below (Film, 2006)
• Dead to Rights: Retribution
• The Good Dog (book, 2001)
• Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (Film, 1961)

External links

• Template:AKC standard
• Alaskan Malamute Club of America
• The Alaskan Malamute Club of Canada
• Facts and Information about Alaskan Malamute
• The different types of Alaskan Malamute
• World pedigree database