Alaskan Malamute

Alaskan Malamute
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Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamute
[[file:Alaskan.malamute.jpg
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Alaskan Malamute
Nicknames
Mal or Mally
Country of origin
United States (Alaska)
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large, wolf-like breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) originally
bred for use as an Alaskan sled dog. They are sometimes mistaken for a Siberian Husky, but in fact are quite
different in many ways. Malamutes have a very quiet temperament and are often loyal to their owners.
Appearance
The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard calls for a natural range of size, with a desired freighting size of
23 inches (584 mm) and 75 pounds (34 kg) for females, 25 inches (635 mm) 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 120 pounds (54 kg) are occasionally seen,
but this is uncommon and such dogs are produced primarily by breeders who market a 'giant Malamute.' These large
sizes are not in accordance with show standards.
The coat is a dense double northern dog coat, somewhat "harsher" (in a certain sense) than that of the smaller
Siberian Husky. The usual colors are various shades of gray and white, sable and white, black and white, red and
white, or solid white. Blue and white (slate gray with gray pigment) also is seen in the breed. Eyes are
almond-shaped and are always various shades of brown (from dark to light, honey or hazel brown); blue eyed
Malamutes will be disqualified in conformation shows, as they would not be a purebred Malamute, but mixed with
perhaps a Siberian Husky. The physical build of the Malamute is compact with heavy bone, in most (but not all)
cases. In this context 'compact' means that their height to length ratio is slightly longer than tall, unlike dogs like
Great Danes which are longer and lankier in their ratios.
Alaskan Malamute
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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.
An adult Alaskan Malamute
Temperament
Alaskan Malamute puppy
A few Malamutes are still in use as sled dogs for personal travel,
hauling freight, or helping move heavy objects; some however are used
for the recreational pursuit of sledding also known as mushing, as well
as for skijoring, bikejoring, and canicross. However, most Malamutes
today are kept as family pets or show dogs or performance dogs in
weight pulling, dog agility or packing. The Malamute is 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. 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 primitive behaviors are
common in the breed. While intelligent, they are widely believed to be one of the most difficult dogs to train.
However, if the training is kept fun for the dog and not repetitively boring, success is within reach.
There is reason to believe that Alaskan Malamutes sometimes cope greatly with smaller animals, including other
canines; however, this has been difficult to document in detail beyond observational data. It is difficult to pinpoint
why 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 one point cross-breeding with wolves.[1] Due to their naturally
evolved beginnings, the Malamute tends to have a heightened prey drive when compared to some other breeds of
dog. 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 and children.
Alaskan Malamute
Malamutes are quite fond of people, a trait that makes them particularly sought-after family dogs. 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.[2] 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.
The majority of Malamutes are fairly quiet dogs, seldom barking like most other dog breeds. When a malamute does
vocalize, more often than not they tend to "talk" by vocalizing a "woo woo" sound. They may howl like wolves or
coyotes, and for the same reasons.
.
Health
Fatality
There is only one known health survey of Alaskan Malamutes, a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey with a small sample
size of 14 dogs.[3] The median lifespan of 10.7 years measured in that survey is very typical of a breed their size.[4]
The major cause of death was cancer (36%).[5]
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.
Other health issues in Malamutes include inherited polyneuropathy, chondrodysplasia, heart defects, and eye
problems (particularly cataract and progressive retinal atrophy).[6]
Climate and Malamutes
While Malamutes have been successfully raised in places such as Arizona, their dense coats generally make them
unsuited for outdoor living in hot climates. When the weather gets hot, like any other breed of dog, the Malamute
needs plenty of water and shade. They will grow a winter coat and subsequently shed it in spring.
History
The Malamute is a descendant of dogs of the Mahlemut tribe of Inuit in
upper western Alaska. These dogs had a prominent role with their
human companions – working, hunting, and living alongside them.
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
An Inuit family with a Malamute from 1915.
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 up for sale. 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.[7]
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
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Alaskan Malamute
destined to be a racing sled dog; instead, 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 shape, the Paleolithic dogs most resemble the Siberian husky, but in size, however, they were somewhat larger,
probably comparable to large shepherd dogs," stated Germonpré, a paleontologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of
Natural Sciences. This description of recently-found dog remains (30,000 years old) fits the Alaskan Malamute very
closely. Though not scientifically confirmed, the Alaskan Malamute may be the closest living relative to the "First
Dog".[8]
A bill in the Alaska House has been passed to name the Malamute the official state dog of Alaska.[9]
Footnotes
[1] The New York Times > Science > Collie or Pug? Study Finds the Genetic Code (http:/ / www. nytimes. com/ 2004/ 05/ 21/ science/ 21dog.
html?ex=1400472000& en=6b49c839cde80d81& ei=5007& partner=USERLAND)
[2] (http:/ / www. alaskanmalamute. org/ wiki/ Alaskan Malamute- Is It the Right Dog for You. ashx) Alaskan malamute- Is It the Right Dog for
You?
[3] http:/ / users. pullman. com/ lostriver/ breeddata. htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Breed Data page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy. Retrieved July
8, 2007
[4] http:/ / users. pullman. com/ lostriver/ weight_and_lifespan. htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Weight and Longevity page. Compiled by K. M.
Cassidy. Retrieved July 5, 2007
[5] http:/ / www. thekennelclub. org. uk/ item/ 570 Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee. 2004.
Purebred Dog Health Survey. Retrieved July 5, 2007
[6] http:/ / www. alaskanmalamute. org/ Health/ health. asp Alaskan Malamute Club of America Health Committee Retrieved July 10, 2007
[7] NYTimes (http:/ / www. nytimes. com/ 2004/ 05/ 21/ science/ 21dog. html?ex=1400472000& en=6b49c839cde80d81& ei=5007&
partner=USERLAND)
[8] MSNBC (http:/ / www. msnbc. msn. com/ id/ 27240370)
[9] "Sorry, huskies, Malamute now AK's state dog" (http:/ / alaskadispatch. com/ alaska-beat/ 286-april-19/
4958-sorry-huskies-malamute-now-aks-state-dog). Alaska Dispatch. April 10, 2010. . Retrieved 2010-04-20.
External links
• Alaskan Malamute Club of America (http://www.alaskanmalamute.org/amca/index.asp)
• The Alaskan Malamute Club of Canada (http://www.quadrant.net/amcc/)
• The different types of Alaskan Malamute (http://www.alaskanmalamutes.fr/
Alaskan-Malamute-the-different-types)
• World pedigree database (http://www.alaskanmalamutes.fr/Alaskan-Malamute-World-pedigree-database)
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Article Sources and Contributors
Article Sources and Contributors
Alaskan Malamute Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=418028248 Contributors: Abadonn, Acroterion, AdamChirnside, Aiko, Alansohn, Alvinying, Andrzej z Helu,
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Howlatthemoonmalamutes, Hukamastokea, Huntal123, Imasleepviking, Immunize, Insanity Incarnate, J Lee bp, JNW, Java13690, Jmu2108, JohnCD, Johnsonpass, Kanzure, Karichisholm, Kate
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Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors
Image:Alaskan Malamute R Bartz.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Alaskan_Malamute_R_Bartz.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5
Contributors: User:Richard Bartz
Image:Malamute pup.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Malamute_pup.JPG License: Public Domain Contributors: Original uploader was Paulscf at en.wikipedia
image:Eskimo family with Malamute from 1915.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Eskimo_family_with_Malamute_from_1915.JPG License: Public Domain
Contributors: not specified (except those with signature on image)
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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