ABOUT MALAMUTES
A WELL-BRED ALASKAN MALAMUTE IS A JOY TO OWN
​Independent and loving, this beautiful creature wants nothing more than to be a part of his family. They are, by nature, working animals, but they are frequently trained for the show ring, obedience, agility, sledding, and weight pull. They can make wonderful therapy dogs, too.
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Your puppy’s purchase price is just the beginning of what you spend over its lifetime. Think ahead to 10-12 years of veterinary bills and the importance of choosing a puppy whose ancestors have been screened for common health issues, which have a genetic basis.
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There is a wide variety of colors and “looks” for Alaskan Malamutes. They can be gray, black, or red with a large range of markings on their faces. They can also be pure white.
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The average lifespan of the Alaskan malamute is approximately ten years. While veterinary science has made many exciting advances, malamutes, like other dogs, can have health problems.
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The best source of a healthy, well-socialized puppy is a conscientious breeder with a long-term commitment to the breed and a reputation to uphold.
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These breeders take their dogs very seriously and try their best to breed happy and healthy malamutes.
Alaskan Malamute Breed Standard
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Breed standards cover the externally observable qualities of the animal such as appearance, movement, and temperament. The exact format of the breed standard varies, as breed standards are not scientific documents and change as the needs of the members of the organization which authors them change. In general, a breed standard may include history of the breed, a narrative description of the breed, and details of the ideal externally observable structure and behaviour for the breed. Certain deviations from the standard are considered faults. A large degree of deviation from the breed standard, an excess of faults, or certain defined major faults, may indicate that the animal should not be bred, although its fitness for other uses may not be impeded by the faults. An animal that closely matches (conforms to) the breed standard for its species and breed is said to have good conformation. (Taken from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breed_standard)
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General Appearance
The Alaskan Malamute, one of the oldest Arctic sled dogs, is a powerful and substantially built dog with a deep chest and strong, well-muscled body. The Malamute stands well over the pads, and this stance gives the appearance of much activity and a proud carriage, with head erect and eyes alert showing interest and curiosity. The head is broad. Ears are triangular and erect when alerted. The muzzle is bulky, only slight diminishing in width from root to nose. The muzzle is not pointed or long, yet not stubby. The coat is thick with a coarse guard coat of sufficient length to protect a woolly undercoat. Malamutes are of various colors. Face markings are a distinguishing feature. These consist of a cap over the head, the face either all white or marked with a bar and/or mask. The tail is well furred, carried over the back, and has the appearance of a waving plume. The Malamute must be a heavy boned dog with sound legs, good feet, deep chest and powerful shoulders, and have all of the other physical attributes necessary for the efficient performance of his job. The gait must be steady, balanced, tireless and totally efficient. He is not intended as a racing sled dog designed to compete in speed trials. The Malamute is structured for strength and endurance, and any characteristic of the individual specimen, including temperament, which interferes with the accomplishment of this purpose, is to be considered the most serious of faults.
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Size, Proportion, Substance
There is a natural range in size in the breed. The desirable freighting sizes are males, 25 inches at the shoulders, 85 pounds; females, 23 inches at the shoulders, 75 pounds. However, size consideration should not outweigh that of type, proportion, movement and other functional attributes. When dogs are judged equal in type, proportion, movement, the dog nearest the desirable freighting size is to be preferred. The depth of chest is approximately one half the height of the dog at the shoulders, the deepest point being just behind the forelegs. The length of the body from point of shoulder to the rear point of pelvis is longer than the height of the body from ground to top of the withers. The body carries no excess weight, and bone is in proportion to size.
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Head
The head is broad and deep, not coarse or clumsy, but in proportion to the size of the dog. The expression is soft and indicates an affectionate disposition. The eyes are obliquely placed in the skull. Eyes are brown, almond shaped and of medium size. Dark eyes are preferred. Blue Eyes are a Disqualifying Fault. The ears are of medium size, but small in proportion to the head. The ears are triangular in shape and slightly rounded at the tips. They are set wide apart on the outside back edges of the skull on line with the upper corner of the eye, giving ears the appearance, when erect, of standing off from the skull. Erect ears point slightly forward, but when the dog is at work, the ears are sometimes folded against the skull. High set ears are a fault. The skull is broad and moderately rounded between the ears, gradually narrowing and flattening on top as it approaches the eyes, rounding off to cheeks that are moderately flat. There is a slight furrow between the eyes. The topline of the skull and the topline of the muzzle show a slight break downward from a straight line as they join. The muzzle is large and bulky in proportion to the size of the skull, diminishing slightly in width and depth from junction with the skull to the nose. In all coat colors, except reds, the nose, lips, and eye rims’ pigmentation is black. Brown is permitted in red dogs. The lighter streaked “snow nose” is acceptable. The lips are close fitting. The upper and lower jaws are broad with large teeth. The incisors meet with a scissors grip. Overshot or undershot is a fault.
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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.
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Forequarters
The shoulders are moderately sloping; forelegs heavily boned and muscled, straight to the pasterns when viewed from the front. Pasterns are short and strong and slightly sloping when viewed from the side. The feet are of the snowshoe type, tight and deep, with well-cushioned pads, giving a firm, compact appearance. The feet are large, toes tight fitting and well arched. There is a protective growth of hair between the toes. The pads are thick and tough; toenails short and strong.
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Hindquarters
The rear legs are broad and heavily muscled through the thighs; stifles moderately bent; hock joints are moderately bent and well let down. When viewed from the rear, the legs stand and move true in line with the movement of the front legs, not too close or too wide. Dewclaws on the rear legs are undesirable and should be removed shortly after puppies are whelped.
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Coat
The Malamute has a thick, coarse guard coat, never long and soft. The undercoat is dense, from one to two inches in depth, oily and woolly. The coarse guard coat varies in length as does the undercoat. The coat is relatively short to medium along the sides of the body, with the length of the coat increasing around the shoulders and neck, down the back, over the rump, and in the breeching and plume. Malamutes usually have a shorter and less dense coat during the summer months. The Malamute is shown naturally. Trimming is not acceptable except to provide a clean cut appearance of feet.
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Color
The usual colors range from light gray through intermediate shadings to black, sable, and shadings of sable to red. Color combinations are acceptable in undercoats, points, and trimmings. The only solid color allowable is all white. White is always the predominant color on underbody, parts of legs, feet, and part of face markings. A white blaze on the forehead and/or collar or a spot on the nape is attractive and acceptable. The Malamute is mantled, and broken colors extending over the body or uneven splashing are undesirable.
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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.
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Temperament
The Alaskan Malamute is an affectionate, friendly dog, not a “one man” dog. He is a loyal, devoted companion, playful in invitation, but generally impressive by his dignity after maturity.
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IMPORTANT: In judging Malamutes, their function as a sledge dog for heavy freighting in the Arctic must be given consideration above all else. The degree to which a dog is penalized should depend upon the extent to which the dog deviates from the description of the ideal Malamute and the extent to which the particular fault would actually affect the working ability of the dog. The legs of the Malamute must indicate unusual strength and tremendous propelling power. Any indication of unsoundness in legs and feet, front or rear, standing or moving, is to be considered a serious fault. Faults under this provision would be splay-footedness, cowhocks, bad pasterns, straight shoulders, lack of angulation, stilted gait (or any gait that isn’t balanced, strong and steady), ranginess, shallowness, ponderousness, lightness of bone, and poor overall proportion. Disqualifications Blue Eyes
APPROVED May 31, 1994
Grooming and Care
The Alaskan Malamute has an extremely thick and waterproof double coat that needs daily brushing. Regular brushing is one of the best things you can do to keep your pet healthy and happy. It’s very important to brush a dog with a double coat.
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Mats can develop that harbor fungus and create infection. Hot spots can occur in out breed, regular grooming can help you find them and treat them. If you find a “hot spot” you can self-treat with either a powder such as Gold Bond medicated, or a fungus powder, such as Desenex, another favorite that works is one called “Sulfodene” made by Hartz Mountain and can be simply found in your grocery store. IF these aren’t successful, you will have to take your malamute to the veterinarian for further treatment.
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Brushing:
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Removes dirt and debris
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Invigorates skin
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Spreads oils to moisturize skin and keep a shiny coat
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Prevents mats and tangles which are irritating painful and can harbor bacteria, fungus, other infections
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Keeps your house cleaner during shedding seasons
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Help bonding, massaging, loving interaction
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Early detection of fleas, ticks, eczema, infection and smells that alert you to illness​
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Tools:
Slicker, firm bristled brush. Brush your Alaskan malamute daily with a bristle brush or slicker. Rub it down with a chamois to get a good shiny coat. A rake might come in handy and will pull out the undercoat. The new “furminators” are not recommended for Alaskan Malamutes as they will cut thru the guard hairs.
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Eyes:
Check your dog’s eyes daily. Debris is flushed to the corners of the eyes and daily wiping with a wet cloth or paper towel can prevent the buildup of bacteria. Now many pet stores carry disposable eye wipes, which are disposable and easy to use.
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Ears:
Check ears once a week. Disposable ear wipes are of great value, and they do a great job of cleaning the malamutes inner ears. Your dog’s ears should be pink and healthy inside. Keeping your dogs’ ears clean minimizes odor, removes dirt, bacteria and mites trapped in wax. Do not use cotton swabs in the dogs’ ears. Leave this type of cleaning to your vets or your professional groomers.
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Teeth:
Brush Regularly. 80% of 3 year old dogs have periodontal disease due to lack of brushing. Cavities and gum disease are painful for your dog; they diminish its pleasure and ability to eat. A bacterium that develops can infect the heart, kidney, liver and brain. Really bad breath is usually a sign of gum disease. Never use human toothpaste. It is not edible. There are a variety of products for teeth maintenance of dogs. These include toothbrushes, finger toothbrushes, solution for water etc. Many pet salons now offer a treatment that is sprayed on and then brushed off in 30 minutes and it successfully removes a lot of tartar, which cause the decay. Start off by getting it used to its mouth being handled. Progress to touching the teeth with your finger. Get some meat-flavored toothpaste and apply with your finger. Then introduce the brush. Clean a few teeth at a time and soon you will have a routine that takes just minutes. Brush in a circular motion and get under the gum line. Lots of bones and hard, crunchy foods can minimize plaque but not to a truly effective degree.
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Nails:
trim approximately every 6 weeks. Nail care is very important for your Alaskan Malamute. Nails that aren’t trimmed can splinter and infect the quick or grow and curl into the flesh. This can be painful for your dog to walk on. It will affect its gait, posture, and eventually it’s skeletal and ligament health. Nails should never touch the ground. When your dog is standing its nails should rest above the ground. If you hear clicking on the kitchen floor, clipping is overdue.
Tools:
Doggie Nail Clippers (Scissors, pliers, guillotine), Dremel or file, Styptic or Kwikstop. Introducing your dog to nail clipping should start off by getting it used to its paws being handled. Stroke and touch your Alaskan Malamute’s paws whenever you are giving it affection. Getting it used to a Dremel is your best bet to avoid clipping altogether. A dremmel is a tool that can be found in most grooming supply catalogs, dog shows, or simply in the tool section at WalMart, they have a cordless one and that is very easy to use! Pet Salons usually have very reasonable rates and walk in status for nail trimming and are much more reasonable than the veterinarians. They have dremmels readily available and can grind the nails for you as well.
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Paws:
Check every week, trim hair on bottoms of pads about every 6 weeks or so. It is very important to check between dog pads for foreign objects that may have wedged there and to check the pads themselves for cuts, scrapes and infection. The Alaskan Malamute has hair that grows between its pads, traditionally insulating its feet. This hair can mat and trap bacteria besides becoming painful to walk on. Trim hair around the bottom of the paws to keep them clean. Just trim hair even with the pads. (Only do this when the dog is standing on the paw.)
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Anal Glands:
This is a task normally done when you take your dog in for professional grooming. Your dog uses scent glands in the anus to mark its territory. These glands also excrete when your dog defecates. At times, they may get impacted. Signs of this include: increased doggie odor, excessive licking and chewing of the behind and worst of all, scooting (when your dog drags its bottom along the floor or carpet).
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Bathing the Alaskan Malamute:
Malamutes need regular bathing! Things have changed so much on the grooming front, and while they don’t require frequent grooming… your dog will look nicer, smell better, and it will keep the shedding at a minimum if you do regular bathing and drying every 6-8 weeks. Show malamutes are groomed weekly and it has proven that the coats are in better conditioning, less shedding, and overall good health because of it. Shampoos vary, a good oatmeal shampoo is always a good choice, or a general cleaning shampoo works well too. You can condition the malamutes coat if it feels dry, just don’t overdo it. Most importantly is drying the malamutes coat completely. Getting a high capacity blow dryer is great, but also many grooming salons now offer do it yourself at a very reasonable rate, and they include the shampoos, conditioners, towels, and high velocity dryers, which keeps your home without the mess, and the raised tubs are much easier on your back. Long coated malamutes require brushing every week, as well as good grooming (we recommend professional grooming for long coats every 6 weeks) about every 6-8 weeks If you do not follow this protocol for the long coats, you stand a very good chance of a very matted malamute that only shaving can remedy. If the mats develop to the point that the dog needs shaving, it can create problems for the dog and its seasonal growth cycle is disturbed. The dog will have problems regulating its temperature; it can get windburn or sunburn, and shaving severely alters the color and texture of the coat. Shaving also leaves its skin itchy and irritated because dead hair shafts are left behind. If you cannot keep up with a long coated malamute yourself, find a pet salon near you to take on the task! A good groomer can trim your long coat up very nicely for you. Regular grooming will help your groomer do their jobs properly and keep your long coat in gorgeous condition and grooming! If you have other questions, make certain you contact your breeder, or another knowledgeable malamute breeder for more grooming tips!