Working Dog Group - Alaskan Malamute

Alaskan Malamute is a breed that is the friendliest with the humans. A breed that is known to survive toughest of colds and strong, biting winds, Alaskan Malamute is a descendant of Arctic Wolf. They were named after an Innuit tribe Mahlemut, who first petted them. Surprisingly, they are gentle and love to be around humans. They have strong canine instincts and prove to be loyal and trustworthy companion for adults and children. Though they can be easily taught to be polite, they cannot be forced into formal obedience like circus trained dogs.

It can look quite intimidating with its plume-like tail, almond shape eyes, and dual colored coat. The only known single color in this breed is white. It can have a combination of colors like gray, red, black and white. As they are progeny of the wolves living in the snow, they are prone to have large feet shaped like snow shoes. Dark eyes in this breed are considered to be of origin and blue eyes- a crossbreed.

These dogs need a friendly environment and huge outdoor spaces. If you live in an apartment, then it is better not to have this breed as your pet. They are known to have destroyed the furniture in an entire apartment as puppies. Playful and enthusiastic as puppies, they need a fair amount of restraint and a firm hand with discipline. Though they appear to be huge dogs, they have a double coat which creates a deception about their size. Also they are surprisingly poor eaters considering their size, but they do have a tendency to gobble the food given to them.

When they are allowed to exercise their canine instincts from their childhood, they grow up to be calm and mature dogs in their adulthood. They are also playful and fighters by nature, hence they tend to pick fights with dogs of other breeds as well as the same breed. Only a routine of firm discipline exercised from their growing years can curb this habit and tendency.

As these dogs are the descendants of the Arctic Wolves, they need to be in cool temperature. They may not be pleasant company in summers. If you have a special area marked out for them, make sure that it is cool and keep the bowls filled with cool water. They are very active and playful in nature; hence they require a lot of exercise that will channel their energy in the right direction. Long walks will keep them healthy and away from their tendency of bloating, and dwarfism.

Having a considerably long lifespan of approximately 14 years, these dogs prove to be a good friend for your kids while they are growing up. They are known to have survival instincts due to the environment they have descended from. They are not prone to barking often, but they do tend to wail, which is reminiscent of their wolf descent.

They can grow up to a height of 24 to 26 inches. The females are comparatively smaller in height and grow up to 22-24 inches. They weigh up to 85-90 pounds whereas the bitched weigh up to 75-80 pounds. Considering this difference in height and weight, the males are dominant in this breed. When they mate, the female usually has a litter of approximately 4-6 puppies.

Alaskan Malamute are also lovingly known as mal or mally. They are a great breed, perfect for companionship.