Body and Side Gait

Body and Side Gait - The Official Standard

• Neck, Topline, Body

The neck is strong and moderately arched. The chest is well developed. The body is compactly built but not short coupled. The back is straight and gently sloping to the hips. The loins are hard and well muscled. A long loin that may weaken the back is a fault. The tail is moderately set and follows the line of the spine at the base. The tail is carried over the back when not working. It is not a snap tail or curled tight against the back, nor is it short furred like a fox brush. The Malamute tail is well furred and has the appearance of a waving plume.

• Gait

The gait of the Malamute is steady, balanced, and powerful. He is agile for his size and build. When viewed from the side, the hindquarters exhibit strong rear drive that is transmitted through a well-muscled loin to the forequarters. The forequarters receive the drive from the rear with a smooth reaching stride. When viewed from the front or from the rear, the legs move true in line, not too close or too wide. At a fast trot, the feet will converge toward the centerline of the body. A stilted gait, or any gait that is not completely efficient and tireless, is to be penalized.

Body and Side Gait - Hands On Comments

The correct Malamute body will give the appearance of a powerful, compact, hard muscled, substantially built freighting dog. The depth of chest should reach the elbow, the deepest portion just behind the forelegs. This distance is approximately equal to the length of leg. The judge must check depth of chest/length of leg because length of coat on the underline may cause the dog to look too short legged. The chest is well developed, deep, oval in shape, with good spring of rib. This breed should be shown in hard muscled physical condition, LEAN, but not too thin. The body is compactly built, but not short coupled. The back is straight and gently sloping to the hips. There should be no obvious dip behind the top of shoulders nor sagging or roaching in the topline. The loins are broad, well muscled and relatively short. The underline should be firmly held.

It is essential for this breed to be sound in movement. The side gait must be steady, balanced, tireless, powerful, smooth and totally efficient. The topline should be firm, no roach, no sag, no rolling.
Reach and drive should be balanced. The front and rear feet should remain close to the ground, smooth and efficient. The Malamute is light on his feet “effortless”, never ponderous in movement. Again, our standard uses the word moderate almost everywhere and it definitely applies to the angulation and reach and drive of the Malamute. A dog that is not balanced will tire more quickly and be much less efficient than a balanced dog. The correctly moving Malamute will drop its’ head and neck when moving. The tail may be trailing. The Malamute is shown on a LOOSE lead at a moderate trot allowing a judge to truly evaluate its’ movement.

Body and Side Gait - Key Points

• General appearance of body – powerful, substantially built, deep chest, strong, well muscled – NO EXCESS WEIGHT. Emphasize the athletic aspects desired.

• Length of back – spring of rib – depth of chest –length of loin (too long or too short can hamper freighting ability)

• Compact but not short coupled – no interference of front and rear feet during trot Good reach and drive, “moderate”, never stilted or over extended.

• Side gait – watch for SOLID topline that REMAINS LEVEL and MOVES AS ONE PIECE. (balanced angulation is important – no roaching or sagging of the back)

• Position of head when moving (never held or pulled up).

HOC 2003 – Revised by AMCA Board 2003