Dog breed · Alaska
The Alaskan Malamute () is a large breed of dog that was originally bred for its strength and endurance to haul heavy freight as a sled dog. It is similar to other arctic breeds such as the husky, the spitz, the Greenland Dog, Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Siberian Husky, and the Samoyed.
Appearance: The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard describes a natural range of size, with a desired size of 23 inches (58 cm) tall and 75 pounds ([dose — ask your vet]) for females, 25 inches (64 cm) tall and 85 pounds ([dose — ask your vet]) for males. Heavier individuals (90 lb ([dose — ask your vet])) and dogs smaller than 75 pounds ([dose — ask your vet]) are commonly seen. There is often a marked size difference between males and females. Weights upwards of 100 pounds ([dose — ask your vet]) are also seen.
The Alaskan Malamute is double coated. 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 heavy dog, with a more formidable nature and structure than the Siberian Husky, which is 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 grey 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, and a collar or half collar. White is often the predominant color on the body, parts of the legs, feet, and part of the markings of the face. 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. Two agouti alleles, with the possibility of a third, appear to be found in Malamutes: aw (agouti pattern or wolf/wild pattern), at (tan point pattern or black pattern), and awat (heterozygous agouti or dark agouti).
The eyes of the Alaskan Malamute are almond shaped and varied shades of brown; however, the darker eye is preferred. Purebred Alaskan Malamutes will not have blue eyes. The physical build of the Malamute is compact and strong with substance, bone and snowshoe feet.
Health: A 2024 UK study found an average life expectancy of 11.3 years, compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.
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. Additional health issues, the origins of which are unknown, include epilepsy, congenital heart disease, kidney problems, and skin disorders.
Other health issues in Malamutes include elbow dysplasia, inherited polyneuropathy, osteochondrodysplasia, cerebellar hypoplasia, heart defects, and eye problems (particularly cataract and progressive retinal atrophy). A growing problem among arctic dog breeds, including the Alaskan Malamute, is canine diabetes, with onset occurring typically in middle age (5 to 7 years).
Another health issue with Malamutes is zinc deficiency, as this breed cannot easily absorb zinc, which can lead to infections or skin and coat problems.
Thyroid disorders are the most common hormonal issue in dogs, and hypothyroidism is common in Malamutes.
History: The Alaskan Malamute 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 them to seal blowholes. The interdependent relationship between the Malamute 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.
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, perhaps thousands of pounds of supplies to villages and camps in groups of at least four dogs for heavy loads.
