Why choose an Alaskan Malamute?

Anyone who is researching different breeds (as they should) should also be researching their own reasons and desires for what they want in a canine companion. Every breed has physical traits that attract people to them – but the handsome adult or adorable fuzzy puppy is just that – an appearance. Each breed evolved (in the case of the Alaskan Malamute) or was created by breeders to fulfill a purpose. Those purposes are still in the various breeds – terriers dig, pointers point, retrievers retrieve, and sled dogs pull. So, with that thought in mind, why does the Alaskan Malamute appeal to you? What do you want to do with the dog? What do you know about the breed as a whole? Have you educated yourself as to the negative aspects as well as the positive aspects? Are you aware of how much work and commitment is necessary in the education of the Malamute? Educating the Malamute puppy is crucial to help the pup develop into a dignified adult. Do you know where you can get help with educating your Malamute?

People usually get a dog to fill some sort of purpose or gap in one’s life. What’s yours? Adopting a puppy, of any breed, is a huge commitment. Adopting a primitive sled dog is a much bigger one. Because of the breed’s independent nature and innate intelligence, the Alaskan Malamute is not sought after by people who want to get a dog that easily is "trained" and doesn’t need much in the way of teaching. This breed needs a lot of time – particularly in the first year – of consistent, positive teaching – not training. They are not like other breeds. (To elaborate on that, read the article "Malamutes are not Goldens" on my website of www.inharmonymalamutes.com ) Unless you are fortunate to find a breeder who understands Alaskan Malamutes and is willing and able to help you navigate the puppy and adolescent times as well as be a coach for educating your puppy, please re-think getting this breed. Some people do not consider Alaskan Malamutes suitable for first time dog owners at all. (Having a family dog as a child doesn’t ‘count’ as owning a dog!)

Have you thought about where the dog will spend his nights and days? How much time are you home with the dog? Do you have any other dogs or pets in the household? Have you had another dog before – and if so, what happened to that dog? Who’s in the household? Are there any children – and what ages? Ideally, Malamutes shouldn’t be placed in homes with children younger than six years of age. (This is because of the educational and socializing needs of both the children and the pup.) Will you get a dog crate? A kennel run? Do you have a safely fenced yard? What kind of training classes will to go to? These are all questions that concerned breeders do ask.

Are you prepared for a relationship with your dog? Alaskan Malamutes are unlike many different breeds in that they are close to the grey wolf in behavior in many ways. No, there is no "wolf in them", but they have retained all of the "wolfie behaviors" that some dogs have lost through their breed developments. Alaskan Malamutes are a more "mature" dog – have little puppy-like characteristics when they are mature. The relationship with a mature Malamute is truly a give and take one – as we earn respect of our dog (through our behavior and treatment of him), so he respects us (as a Benevolent Leader). Relationships are built upon mutual trust, respect, fairness, consistency, and affection. The Alaskan Malamute is a dog who welcomes people he respects in his life with absolute joy. But if there is no respect of the person, the Malamute probably won’t have much to do with that individual. (For more on becoming a Benevolent Leader , access my website.)

First and foremost, is the breeder one who displays ethical behavior? Does she really "walk her talk?" an ethical and responsible breeder is one who places equal emphasis on health, temperament, correct athletic structure, and breed type. But that’s not all. A responsible breeder places the need of her puppies to go to the best possible homes over the money the sales will generate. The responsible breeder screens interested puppy buyers using the tools of questionnaires, interviews, and instinct to find the homes that will meet the pups’ physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. The breeder must ascertain that the physical needs are met by having a safe environment (fenced yard, crates, kennels), compatible dogs for the puppy (if applicable) in the household, good nutrition, and good health care. The mental, emotional, and spiritual needs are met through a combination of the pup’s education, quality and quantity of time spent with the owner, how much the pup will be part of the new household, and the client’s on-going self-education.

Do all the conversations (written or verbal) have a ring of insincerity and her actions show that she doesn’t do what she preaches? Is she honest? Do you get a feeling of transparency about her kennel and practice in that nothing is hidden? Is the breeder forthcoming about anything about her dogs – positive and/or negative? Are there any health concerns that are glossed over and/or ignored when asked directly? Does the breeder teach about the health concerns in the breed – both the ones that can be tested for (e.g. hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, eye problems) that have been around for a while and the health concerns that are rapidly emerging such as epilepsy and polyneuropathy?

Does the breeder give the impression she just wants to get rid of the puppies to get paid? Is there a screening process that may include any/all of the following: questionnaire, interviews, and references?

Are you are able to visit the breeder’s kennel preferably before the puppies are born? During the visit, what impression do you have? Do you get the impression that you must "qualify" to be able to adopt a puppy from that breeder? Concerned breeders are/should be very concerned about matching the pups with the most suitable homes. Before this, though, the concerned breeder does ascertain if the inquiring people are suitable for being good owners for Malamutes.

Does the breeder have a waiting list for puppies? Ask how many litters of pups her kennel has each year. Ask how many litters the mother of the litter you are interested in has had. Most breeders agree that the maximum number of times a large breed female should be bred is once a year or every second year. This usually begins after the bitch has turned two years of age. The bitch has to be at least two years old to get all the health checks done and be physically and mentally mature enough to handle the stress of a family. Do ask the breeder if the bitch has had pups before and what are the pups like in temperament, health, appearance, and accomplishments.

Does the breeder give the impression that she won’t be available for any help after the sale or does the breeder give the impression that she will be a true mentor for all clients?

What are the goals of the breeder and her breeding program? Would you want to support her ethics and goals by purchasing a puppy and/or breeding to one of her studs?

Are the dogs housed in clean and safe environments and appear happy and healthy? Are the dogs clean and groomed? Are any of the dogs kept as house dogs and/or do the dogs come inside the house at all? Do any of them show any questionable temperaments such as shyness or aggressiveness? How do the dogs react to strangers?

Does the breeder introduce you to all the dogs of the kennel? Are you able to handle or meet any and all of the dogs related to the litter you are interested in? What are the parents like when you meet them? Does the breeder give any excuse about a dog (particularly a parent) saying something like "he’s not good with strangers"? Temperament has an extremely large genetic factor, e.g. aggression and shyness are inherited.

Is the breeder honest about the dogs? Are show wins that the dogs may have won dominate the conversations or does the breeder talk about the dogs’ characters as individuals and what they are like to live with? Does the breeder talk about any problems that may have occurred in the program such as health concerns, temperament concerns, or breeding concerns? Are the positive and negative attributes of the dogs freely discussed? What are the dogs like with each other in the kennel?

Is there any information (or offering of information) about any of the relatives of the kennel’s dogs? Health concerns and temperament traits (such as shyness or aggression) are either inherited or have the predisposition to be inherited.

Do any of the dogs do anything besides show in conformation? Malamutes are working dogs that should be worked in something. Doing activities other than conformation classes at dog shows demonstrate good aptitudes and attitudes for working with people.

Are the breeding dogs certified clear of any genetic problems. Malamutes should, at the least, be certified clear of chondrodysplasia (a recessive genetic growth disorder that is in Alaskan Malamutes), hip dysplasia, and have documentation from a veterinary ophthalmologist that their eyes are normal.

Does the breeder supply copies of all health clearances of the parents (in digital or hard copy format)? While these clearances only clear the parents, having this documentation helps the new owner know that the chance of the new puppy being afflicted by these problems is lessened.

Where are the pups raised and how much attention do they get daily? Research has demonstrated that a scrupulously clean, non-stimulating environment for pups is not ideal. Those pups do not receive the necessary stimulation to develop normally at critical times of their development.

What health care do the pups receive? Are they dewormed (at least twice)? Do they get a veterinarian’s examination? Veterinarians are able to check puppies far better than any breeder for problems (e.g. heart murmurs, hernias, subluxating patellas) that they may have. If the breeder has been unfortunate enough to get coccidiosis in the kennel (which cannot be eliminated totally as the dogs carry it), are the pups given the three week course of prophylactic antibiotics and the new owners told about it before the puppy leaves the kennel?

What stimulation do the pups get? Do they have toys to play with? Are they exposed to different surfaces, places, and people? Do they get any baby puppy training? Anything? Breeders who have a litter infrequently would have considerably more time to spend giving the pups the very best start possible. Having one litter of puppies takes a lot of time to raise the pups up with a good start. It is doubtful that puppies in multiple litters at the same kennel get anything more than the absolute basics of feeding and cleaning.

A responsible and ethical breeder knows that not all people inquiring about a puppy would be suitable owners. Some people shouldn’t have dogs (or children) at all. Some people would not be suited for one breed of dog yet another breed would be a much better match. With the more primitive Alaskan Malamute, this is extremely important.

Common questions that breeders ask and want truthful answers to are:
- Why do you want an Alaskan Malamute?
- How were you referred to this kennel?
- Have you contacted any other breeders?
- Who is in your household? What are the ages? Occupations?
- Any children in the household? What are the ages?
- Have you had a dog before?
- Do you have any dogs now? What are they, what sex, what ages?
- Have you euthanized a dog before? Why?
- Do you have a fenced yard?
- Would you use a crate or a kennel run?
- Where will the dog spend its days?
- Where will the dog sleep?
- What do you want to do with your Alaskan Malamute?
- Are you familiar with Alaskan Malamutes and the necessity of educating and socializing them?
- Are you prepared to go to puppy classes?
- Are you prepared to go to further training classes?
- Will you spay or neuter your dog?
- Will you follow the breeder’s recommendations for care and education of the pup?
- Is there any further information that you could add?

While it may seem daunting and perhaps nosy to ask these questions, the answers, if truthfully given, assist the breeder in either matching the person(s) with the most suitable pup or deciding that the inquiring person would not be a good match with the breeder, the kennel, and/or the breed itself. The thoroughness of answers is also an indication to the breeder if the inquiring person would follow the breeder’s guidelines and continue their own self-education on Alaskan Malamutes after adopting a puppy.

Is there an exchange of information between breeder and prospective client that enables the breeder to match the pup with an appropriate "forever" home? Or does the new owner just select whatever puppy appeals no matter how unsuitable a match it may be?

If the prospective client asks the breeder about other kennels, what type of answer does the breeder give? Does the breeder spread gossip (which could border on slander) about another breeder or does the breeder answer in the effect of ‘I can only speak about my own dogs and my own practices’?

Does the breeder supply any photos (hard copy or digital) of the parents, family, and puppy as it grows? Is there any information that goes home with the new owners to help them raise and educate their puppy? Is the breeder available for help after the pup leaves? Or is the money more important?

Does the breeder explain thoroughly her contracts? Does she use the CKC Non-Breeding contracts (they can always be lifted at a later date)? Are the registration papers supplied to the purchaser in a timely manner at no extra charge? Both of these conditions are required by the CKC and the Livestock Protection Act.

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Adopting a puppy should not be done in an impulsive manner. Taking the time and doing one’s research is time well spent. Now, with the internet and many websites available, there is more opportunity for research into the family of Alaskan Malamutes and/or the breeder that can be done. Researching the family of Malamutes is important as health, correct body structure, correct Alaskan Malamute type, and temperament all have strong genetic basis.

When I’m looking for a new puppy or a dog to breed my bitch to, I use the analogy of a level table with each of the four legs having equal importance in order to keep the table level. These "legs" are health, temperament, athletic conformation, and breed type.

Health: We all want a dog to be healthy and be able to live a long and active life. The pup’s chances are greater of being healthy if he comes from healthy parents from healthy families. The health checks that breeders do are just that – checks to ensure that the breeding dogs are, themselves, healthy.

Temperament: Living with a dog who has a great temperament (smart, confident, and with a ‘want to learn’ attitude) just can’t be beat. Having a dog, who with proper education and socialization, be a joy to take anywhere and be around anyone is, I believe, what any dog lover wants. Any dog – no matter what their heritage is – who is aggressive with people should never be bred. Alaskan Malamutes are a primitive breed and temperament must be an important consideration. An anti-social, aggressive or nasty Alaskan Malamute is a dangerous animal. There is no excuse for anyone to intentionally breed a Malamute who has, with intent to do harm, bitten a person. The breed standard clearly says: "The Alaskan Malamute is an affectionate, friendly dog, not a "one-man" dog. He is a loyal devoted companion, playful on invitation, but generally impressive by his dignity after maturity."

Correct body structure: This means that the dog has the correct bone structure in able to be athletic and be able to do what the breed evolved to be – a working dog. The Alaskan Malamute is a working dog and should be easily to work easily and without pain. Sadly, many dogs are bred intentionally by people who are just looking at their pretty faces and outline in profile. When these dogs move, they are unable to physically move correctly – their bone structure (including the angles of the bones to one another) are unable to let the dog have the full reach in the front and powerful hindquarters behind in order to work day after day efficiently and without pain. Straight angled fronts and /or rears are, sadly, becoming far too prevalent now.

Breed Type: Breed type is what defines one breed from another. As an example, Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian huskies share many similar characteristics – but there are very definitive differences in their breed type. The breed standard is the blueprint for breeders to follow when selecting breeding stock. Malamutes are the draft dog of the Arctic and are endurance workers. The Malamute’s appearance evolved through natural selection. As an example: the size, almond shape, and placement of the Malamute’s eyes are for protection from driving snow; small thick ears are less likely to freeze than thin large ears; large snowshoe shaped feet help with working in snow; the thick double coat with a guard coat that is not long and soft is for warmth and protection from the elements; and the heavy bone is for strength and muscle attachment to aid the dog working. Even the size (25" for males, 23" for females) is the most efficient size of this large breed for working. Larger Malamutes (especially the so-called "Giant Alaskan Malamutes") are all inefficient workers as they are too big and heavy and cannot work as well as the standard sized dogs as they tire much faster. At the end of the breed standard appears: "IMPORTANT – In judging Alaskan Malamutes their function as a sledge dog for heavy freighting must be given consideration above all else."

When it comes down to it, it makes no difference what method of advertising was used by the breeder or what method was used by the prospective client to find the breeder, if the breeder doesn’t take true care to place her pups in the right homes, problems will arise. Untreated problems and Malamutes usually end poorly with the dogs going to shelters, rescue organizations or veterinarians for euthanasia.