Oh,
you are...okay then, join the club! After all, who in their right mind
would want to share their life with a strong-willed, intelligent, independent
dog who's capable of moving 2,000 pounds... all by herself! Surprisingly,
there are quite a few of us out there. We're recognizable by our hoarse
voices (from trying to get our dogs' attention), our long left arms
from hanging onto the leash), and assorted bumps and bruises (from our
dog's exuberance). Of course, we also share our life with a friend who
can join us in all sorts of activities, who is always ready to listen
to our problems and who has an unlimited supply of affection. All in
all, we gain more than enough from our Malamutes to justify the inevitable
headaches.
Still,
before you acquire a Malamute, it's important that you understand them
fully, so you can make a well-informed decision about whether or not
you are interested in meeting the challenges of living with one (or
two, or three....) of these magnificent animals.
Malamutes
have an average life span of between ten and twelve years. Before acquiring
any dog, you must be prepared to make a commitment to providing that
pet with a stable home for its whole life. Obviously, there are times
when personal circumstances change suddenly and unexpectedly - something
for which none of us can plan.
However,
there are also times during our lives when it might be best to delay
getting a dog. As a rule, if you can't say with a reasonable degree
of certainty what you will be doing for the next several years, and
that you will be living in an environment which can accommodate a large
dog, perhaps it might be best to wait until things are a bit more settled.
Malamutes are beautiful, striking dogs and many people want to have
one for that reason alone. It is vital that you look past the pretty
face to the type of dog who comes with it. Malamutes are stubborn, friendly,
independent, energetic, intelligent, dominant and possess a highly developed
sense of pack hierarchy.
Fanciers
of the breed cherish all of these traits, but many people find living
with them too difficult. The time to figure out which group you are
in is before you acquire a puppy. There are so many different breeds
of dogs that there is absolutely no excuse for choosing one whose temperament
and needs will not fit in with yours.
Malamutes
are Pack Animals
Malamutes'
natural dominance and sense of pack hierarchy can get them into lots
of trouble. A Mal's human family becomes her pack, and she must learn
everyone's place in that pack. Her owners' job is to teach her that
her place is at the bottom of the hierarchy - that every person, from
the smallest child on up to the adults, ranks above her. The lessons
are quite simple to teach to a young pup and, done properly, will last
a lifetime. However, if her family does not understand the need to establish
their leadership at a very early age, the Malamute will quite happily
assume the dominant (alpha, leader) role in the family. This can lead
to problems with dominance aggression and is a leading cause of unwanted
Mals being euthanized or abandoned at shelters.
Malamutes
Are Intelligent, Independent Thinkers. Many people believe that Malamutes
are stupid, and untrainable. Nothing could be further from the
truth. In fact, Mals are very intelligent. Of course, this, coupled
with their independent nature and high level of dominance, makes
training them a real challenge. They learn very quickly, but when
it comes to basic obedience, their favourite question is "why"?.
They just don't believe that they were put on this earth to please
people, so owners need to find other ways to motivate their pets.
As
we have said, training must begin at a very early age, and her first
lessons must teach your pet her place in your family. A wise owner will
make a real effort to keep training fun and interesting - nothing turns
a Mal off faster than constant repetition of the same boring routine.
And training is never complete - it is a lifelong task.
Training
can, and should, be very successful, if you approach it with enthusiasm
and an open mind. All Mals can learn to respond reliably to some basic
commands, and a few even excel at competitive obedience.
Malamutes
Need A Job
Malamutes
are working sled dogs, bred with the ability to pull heavy loads all
day, every day. Today, many people do competitive weight pulling with
the Mals - in condition, an average size Mal is capable of pulling over
2,000 pounds... all by herself! As you can imagine, these canine athletes
have a tremendous amount of energy and a desire to be very active. Owners
must provide an outlet for this energy. The list of activities you can
enjoy with your Mal is vast: sledding, skijoring, weight pulling, back
packing, hiking, swimming (sometimes - most Mals don't really like the
water), agility, jogging, biking, roller blading. The only given is
that you must provide serious daily exercise for your Malamute - a walk
around the block just isn't enough!
Malamutes
who do not get adequate exercise quickly become bored and frustrated.
They will exhibit all sorts of undesirable, destructive behaviours:
excessive digging (a certain amount is normal for northern breeds),
barking, howling, self- mutilation, inappropriate chewing, destruction
of property. They are also somewhat more likely to try to escape from
whatever enclosure they are in when outside - in this case, the grass
probably is greener on the other side!
Good
Fences Are A Must This brings us to the next subject. Malamutes are
notorious roamers if left loose. And a Malamute out on the town is not
a good neighbour! She will harass and may fight with other dogs. She
may kill cats or small dogs, and might harass and possibly kill livestock
and wildlife. She can also destroy property and may frighten people,
especially children, who are not accustomed to these dogs who, to them,
look like wolves. A loose Malamute is also at considerable risk herself:
traffic, larger animals, skunks, garbage dumps and irate neighbours
(who, in rural areas, generally have the right to shoot any animal harassing
their livestock) all pose a risk.
If
you are going to have a Malamute, it is absolutely essentially that
you keep your pet physically under control at all times. Ideally, she
will be securely fenced in (or at the very least, tied) anytime she
is outside by herself. When you exercise her, do it on leash or in harness.
If your efforts at obedience training have been very successful, there
is a chance that you may be able to trust your Mal off leash in secluded
areas. Such dogs are the exception, though, and you should count on
having to keep your Malamute safely under control at all times.
Malamutes
Are Not Guard Dogs Malamutes do not make good guard dogs. They lack
the strong protective instincts which are present in the breeds who
do guard work. Although their size and appearance can act as deterrents
to people who are not familiar with the breed, Malamutes simply like
people too much to be effective guard dogs. Most Mals would welcome
a burglar, fix him a meal, show him where all the good stuff is and
make sure he got away before the family arrived home!
Malamutes
Are Big Dogs Physically, they are a medium-large breed. Males should
weigh about 85 pounds; females about 10 pounds less. In fact, the range
in size can be from 65 pounds to nearly 200 pounds.
Hereditary
Problems Within The Breed
Mals
are generally quite healthy and, with good preventive care, can enjoy
long and relatively problem free lives. However, there are a number
of illnesses which you should be particularly aware of, including: hip
dysplasia, chondrodysplasia, hereditary eye disease, hypothyroidism,
epilepsy, auto immune disease, allergies. There are registries which
will certify dogs to be free of the first four (in the case of hereditary
eye disease, breeders living in remote areas may not have access to
veterinary ophthalmologists and may instead give you a signed statement
from their veterinarian). You will have to rely on the breeder's integrity
concerning the presence of any other problems in their lines. Of course,
breeding dogs who are free of recognized disorders only reduces the
chance of their offspring being affected - unfortunately the risk is
never completely eliminated.
Malamutes
Require Grooming
Grooming
requirements for Malamutes are moderate. Their double coat looks magnificent,
and needs to be brushed and combed regularly to keep it that way.
Once or twice each year (spring, and sometimes, fall) Mals "blow" their
coats - lose their fine, dense undercoats. At this time, daily
raking (of the dog, not the yard!) will help to speed the process
and cut down on the mess. Daily vacuuming also helps, but your
house will still be snowy white for several weeks.
Mals
stay relatively clean - their harsh guard coat sheds dirt quite effectively.
However, they do need to be bathed occasionally. If your pet is no longer
huggably clean, it's time for a bath. She must be well combed out first
(any mats in the coat will harden after washing and become very difficult
to remove), washed with dog shampoo and rinsed thoroughly (rinsing will
take several times longer than washing).
Your
Mal's toenails should be trimmed regularly, to help prevent splayed
feet and the possibility of injury and infection if toenails (especially
dew claws) are allowed to grow into the dog's flesh. Mals' erect
ears are not prone to problems; regular checking is generally all
that's needed. Tooth decay and gum disease are leading causes of
illness in older dogs, but both can be largely prevented with regular
cleaning. Daily brushing, using special "doggy" toothpaste
is best, but two or three times a week is usually adequate. Feeding
dry food and providing lots of hard chew toys helps, but there
is no substitute for regular cleaning.
The
Cost Of Owning A Malamute on a very practical level, consider the cost
of keeping and caring for a large dog. During the first year, this can
reach $2,000 very easily: purchasing the puppy, chew toys, completing
puppy shots, chew toys, spaying/neutering, feeding, chew toys (they
go through a lot of chew toys during that first year, and the toys are
cheaper than replacing your furniture), obedience classes, assorted
paraphernalia (collars, leads, bowls, grooming gear, crate, harness,
sled, skijoring belt, etc.), license tags, heartworm prevention, a couple
of visits to the vet for minor problems, books, club memberships and
so on......... After the first year, the average cost for basic feeding
and preventive veterinary care is about $500 to $750 per year. The cost
of different activities varies widely.
And,
of course, an accident or serious illness can easily generate veterinary
expenses in four figures. So, there you have it - a very brief overview
of life with a Malamute or any other dog breed you would choose.
This
is a lifelong commitment (as it is with a child), not a passing fancy,
as has been seen with innumerable people. Although it seems all is fun
and games when you have a cute puppy, without discipline and training
to spark his or her curiosity, you will not have a stable and happy
companion. Any untrained dog will grow into a surly, unpleasant aninal
- you must therefore realize at the OUTSET what is involved - Malamutes
are BIG and surly and unpleasant if not properly handled. However, it
is your responsibility to supervise the puppy and ensure a long and
HAPPY relationship. Dogs are not socks to be discarded when slightly
different or not a pefect fit - animals are not DISPOSABLE.
If
you welcome and can meet the challenges of living with one of these
energetic, intelligent and headstrong critters, wonderful!