Alaskan Malamute: Your Complete Guide

Often mistaken for the Siberian husky, the Alaskan Malamute, is a distinct dog breed with a long history of working alongside Inuit tribes in the Arctic. An all-purpose dog, Alaskan Malamutes have been utilized as hunters, sled dogs, and companions for centuries.

This large, fluffy dog breed can be an ideal pet for individuals and families that can provide their dogs with the right conditions. Since they were bred in the Arctic, Alaskan Malamutes can’t adapt to every environment easily. They are cold-weather dogs more suited for places with lots of snowfall and ice.

Our article will go over the breed characteristics of the Alaskan Malamute, covering everything from temperament and size to training and health needs. Read on to find out if the Alaskan Malamute is the right dog breed for you.

Quick Look at the Alaskan Malamute

Below is a quick look at the Alaskan Malamute. You’ll find more details about each point in the coming parts of the article.

What Is the History of Alaskan Malamutes?

The Alaskan Malamute originates from the Arctic and shares a close genetic connection with the Siberian husky, Greenland sled dog, and the Canadian Eskimo dog. The Alaskan Malamute is believed to have been developed by the Mahlemut tribe thousands of years ago, hence the name Malamut in the breed name.

While pulling sleds was the main job of the Alaskan Malamute, it certainly wasn’t the only one. Alaskan Malamutes were utilized as hunters and provided warmth with their thick double coats. As they were kept in large groups, Alaskan Malamutes are pack-oriented animals that bond strongly with their people.

This breed became particularly valuable during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, where their ability to pull multiple times their body weight on sleds became handy for the gold seekers. However, this also led to a significant decrease in purebred Alaskan Malamutes as they were bred with imported dogs.

With the efforts of Eva B. Seeley, the Alaskan Malamute was saved, and the AKC recognized the breed in 1935. Soon after The Second World War, the Alaskan Malamute’s numbers took another toll, and only two dozen registered dogs were left. Luckily, the breed enthusiasts restored the breed’s population to healthy numbers in the following years.

Nowadays, Alaskan Malamutes mainly enjoy their lives as family companions, mostly in Alaska. As for the popularity, the Alaskan Malamute ranks in the 71st place in the AKC’s 2023 list of most popular dog breeds.

What Do Alaskan Malamutes Look Like?

Some Alaskan Malamutes have entirely white coats, but these dogs generally feature a combination of colors with white, such as black, gray, silver, red, agouti, seal, sable, and blue – all of which are among the breed standards.

The Alaskan Malamute’s coat often makes the breed confused with the Siberian husky. However, as many describe the difference between these two breeds, Huskies are racers, and Malamutes are freighters. The Alaskan Malamute is a heavier, bulkier dog breed than the Siberian husky.

Other than coat colors, the Alaskan Malamute has many physical features, proving how well they adapted to the snowy and icy landscape of the Arctic. They have wide paw pads with claws extending to better grip the ice when running and pulling sleds.

This paw structure enables Alaskan Malamutes to distribute their weight evenly to prevent them from sinking into the snow, much like snowshoes. Additionally, Alaskan Malamutes have black pigmentation like other Arctic animals, which prevents blistering and sunburns from strong UV lights that bounce off of ice.

What Size Is an Alaskan Malamute?

The Alaskan Malamute is the largest sled dog breed. These dogs can weigh anywhere between 75 and 120 pounds, with heights reaching up to 26 inches at the shoulder. However, most Alaskan Malamutes appear larger than they are due to their thick coat, which we’ll cover below.

What Is an Alaskan Malamute’s Coat Type and Length?

The Alaskan Malamute has a thick, double coat. Upon petting one, you’ll notice that the coat feels oily to the touch, and you wouldn’t be wrong. The wooly outer coat of the Alaskan Malamute is oily – another common trait in Arctic animals. This coat feature helps the breed keep moisture away and trap warm air within the undercoat.

What Is an Alaskan Malamute’s Temperament?

Alaskan Malamutes are pack-oriented dogs that bond strongly with people and animals in the family. The pack-oriented nature of the Alaskan Malamute also makes this breed an extremely loyal companion. They show their affectionate side to their family through physical contact by nudging and jumping on laps.

Alaskan Malamutes are undoubtedly affectionate, but they become even more loving when they are mentally and physically satisfied with their life. They are working dogs that thrive when they have a purpose.

However, Alaskan Malamutes can sometimes act independently, especially when they set something in their minds. This can lead to stubbornness, which can make going beyond basic obedience training difficult.

These are some of the highlights of the Alaskan Malamute’s temperament. Below, you’ll discover more of their personality traits, covering their family life, barking tendencies, aggression, and more.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Good With Kids?

Alaskan Malamutes typically get along well with children, especially when raised together from a young age. While they may see kids as playmates during puppyhood, grown-up Alaskan Malamutes can be a little protective of children, acting much like an older sibling.

While these are excellent traits, Alaskan Malamutes are large dogs at the end of the day. The importance of supervision, especially during playtime, cannot be overstated. Alaskan Malamutes can get hyper when playing with kids. An adult’s presence is essential to prevent rough play and accidental collisions.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Good With Other Animals?

Alaskan Malamutes are generally good with other dogs in their pack. They bond strongly with every dog in the family and consider them an irreplaceable part of their pack.

However, some Alaskan Malamutes may have aggression towards dogs of the same sex outside their close group. With early and proper socialization, you can prevent your Alaskan Malamute from becoming aggressive around other dogs.

With animals other than dogs, Alaskan Malamutes aren’t the best dogs. This breed has been utilized as a hunter throughout centuries. Naturally, they have a strong prey drive that may make them chase after small animals. If you keep prey animals, like Guinea pigs or rabbits, the Alaskan Malamute may not be an ideal breed.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Aggressive?

Aside from the dog aggression in some Alaskan Malamutes, this breed is generally friendly and outgoing. As long as an Alaskan Malamute receives ample opportunities to socialize, aggression won’t be an issue with this breed.

As with any other breed, however, there may be Alaskan Malamutes that act more aggressively than others. Identifying aggressive behavior and not mistaking it for reactivity is critical to addressing unnecessary aggression when young. Luckily, Alaskan Malamutes can be eager to please with high-value rewards, making it easy to fix such behaviors.

Do Alaskan Malamutes Bark?

The Alaskan Malamute, unlike its close cousin, the Siberian Husky, doesn’t bark much. When these dogs bark, there’s usually something that grabs their full attention.

However, it would be wrong to say that the Alaskan Malamute is a quiet dog breed. They are talkative dogs that are known for woo-wooing at their owners. An Alaskan Malamute may also howl to express their emotions, whether to spread joy or let you know they are experiencing anxiety.

With all these, you may need to think twice before adopting an Alaskan Malamute if in an apartment with noise restrictions. Also, the shedding doesn’t make the Alaskan Malamute a fitting breed for apartment living.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Affectionate?

Being pack-oriented, Alaskan Malamutes are very affectionate dogs. They thrive on the companionship of others. Satisfying these dogs in this regard isn’t difficult. Simply sitting on the sofa with your Alaskan Malamute is enough for these dogs to feel the love of their owners.

While having an affectionate dog up for giving you cuddles anytime you want is heartwarming, it can have its difficulties. Alaskan Malamutes don’t take being left alone for long periods lightly. They are prone to separation anxiety, which can lead to an unhappy dog exhibiting severe behavioral issues.

If you plan on leaving your dog home alone for long periods, this breed may not be the best choice. However, you can minimize separation anxiety to help an Alaskan Malamute cope with being alone when you’re away occasionally.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Intelligent?

Alaskan Malamutes are highly intelligent dogs. The intelligence of these dogs enabled them to be such versatile dogs, praised among the Arctic tribes. Alaskan Malamutes can think for themselves when needed but become eager to please with the help of a tasty treat, giving the handler the upper hand in training – more on the breed’s trainability below.

Intelligence is a trait that many prospective dog owners want to see in their dogs, but it can have its own challenges. Dogs with this much require plenty of mental stimulation to stay fulfilled. If they don’t find satisfaction, behavioral issues, such as destructiveness, are inevitable.

As responsible dog owners, providing our dogs with opportunities to engage their intellect is critical. Going for new routes for daily walks, varying playtime, and incorporating mentally enriching activities like dog puzzles and chewing toys are great ways to engage an Alaskan Malamute’s mind.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Energetic?

Alaskan Malamutes are not only energetic but also very athletic dogs with impressive endurance. These dogs can run up to 20 miles in packs when pulling sleds, making them one of the best sled dogs.

As you can expect, Alaskan Malamutes are very high-energy dogs that require a great deal of physical exercise. Daily walks of at least two hours are essential to keep them healthy. If this much physical exercise is too demanding, consider incorporating playtime with daily walks to ensure your Alaskan Malamute is well-exercised.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Easy to Train?

Whether or not an Alaskan Malamute is easy to train depends largely on individual temperament. As pack-oriented dogs, some have independent minds, while others have a drive to please their owners.

These dogs can learn basic commands quickly, and keeping training sessions short and direct is the best approach with Alaskan Malamutes. During training, the handler should also use high-value rewards to motivate their dog.

Following these, you can have an easier time training an Alaskan Malamute. However, taking training a step further than basic obedience requires familiarizing yourself with the appropriate training methods.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Good Watchdogs?

Similar to training, individual temperament is what matters in the watchdog capabilities of this breed. While naturally protective, Alaskan Malamutes typically don’t have the same aggression as other protective dog breeds. They also aren’t barkers and warm up to strangers quickly.

With these traits, most Alaskan Malamutes don’t make good watchdogs, but some, particularly the ones with more drive, can deter intruders with some training, whether human or animal.

Are Alaskan Malamutes Good Service Dogs?

The possible difficulties in training and the easily distracted nature of Alaskan Malamutes due to their independent minds don’t make them a suitable breed for service animal work.

The best job for these dogs is pulling sleds across vast distances and being the loyal companion of their owners. However, Alaskan Malamutes can be excellent emotional support animals.

How to Care for an Alaskan Malamute?

Alaskan Malamutes are high-maintenance dogs that need an involved owner. The exercise requirements and grooming needs of this breed are much more than others. Knowing the care needs of an Alaskan Malamute can help you understand if this breed is the right one for you.

Below, we’ll cover what it takes to care for an Alaskan Malamute, touching on their grooming, health, and feeding needs.

Do You Need to Groom an Alaskan Malamute?

Alaskan Malamutes have high grooming needs due to their thick double coat. The coat must be brushed at least three to five times a week, depending on the shedding level. This breed doesn’t require haircuts, but frequent bathing is needed to manage shedding. Also, note that each grooming session will take considerable time as they are large dogs.

Aside from coat care, which can be demanding for many, the Alaskan Malamute has other general grooming needs. Regular ear cleaning, daily dental care, tick prevention, and paw care must be a part of their grooming routine.

Do Alaskan Malamutes Shed?

Alaskan Malamutes shed quite a lot year-round and enter a fur storm twice a year during seasonal changes. If you have pet allergies, this breed won’t be a good dog to be around for long periods. They produce a lot of dander that triggers allergic reactions, even when you’re with an Alaskan Malamute outdoors.

What Health Problems Do Alaskan Malamutes Have?

Alaskan Malamutes are generally healthy dogs, but several health conditions affect this breed. When adopting an Alaskan Malamute, working with a breeder who screens their breeding stock is essential.

Some of the health conditions that breeders must watch for are inherited polyneuropathy, hip dysplasia, cataracts, and cone degeneration that may cause day blindness.

Additionally, Alaskan Malamutes may be at risk of dwarfism and heart defects. It is the breeder’s responsibility to screen their dogs for these health conditions, but asking questions about the health of the dogs is a must to ensure you don’t contribute to unethical breeding practices.

How Long Do Alaskan Malamutes Live?

A generally healthy dog breed, the Alaskan Malamute has a life expectancy of 10 to 14 years.

What Should an Alaskan Malamute Eat?

An Alaskan Malamute should eat high-quality dog food appropriate for their age, adult weight, and activity levels. Alaskan Malamutes can also thrive on a raw or homemade diet as long as it is formulated by a licensed vet.

Is an Alaskan Malamute the Right Dog for Me?

Alaskan Malamutes are working dogs with lots of energy and grooming needs. Caring for these dogs requires an involved owner to provide them with everything they need.

If you have enough time to look after your dog, the Alaskan Malamute can make an affectionate and playful companion with undying loyalty. They get along well with children and do just fine with other dogs in the family.

However, Alaskan Malamutes are better-suited for cold weather. Those living in hotter states must make the necessary adjustments to ensure their dog’s well-being.

By going out for walks only in the early morning or evening, limiting exercise intensity, giving them a shaded space in the yard, keeping home at a comfortable temperature, and using cooling products like mats and vests, you can help an Alaskan Malamute adapt to a hotter climate.