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The Canine Chronicles Directory
Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute is a large, strong, heavy-boned, solid Arctic dog with a thick,
coarse, double coat. It is made of a coarse outer guard coat and a dense, wooly,
oily undercoat with a well-furred tail held over the back. This breed is well built,
with a solid body, wide head, and a proud expression. They were not built for speed,
but for endurance and strength. The head is broad with erect ears and brown, triangular,
wide-set eyes. Blue eyes are forbidden when showing this breed. At the shoulders,
the powerful chest is about half as deep as the height. The feet have tough pads
and are furry. It has erect ears and small, dark, almond shaped eyes. The eyes look
like those of a wolf, but with a sweet expression. The coat averages one to three
inches in length and comes in white, black & white, wolf gray, wolf sable, or red,
often with darker highlights and sometimes with a dark mask or cap. The legs and
muzzle are almost always white. White is the only solid color allowed when showing
the breed.
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Origin
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The Alaskan Malamute was originally used 2000 to 3000 years ago by the Alaskan tribe
of Inuit, called the Mahlemuit Eskimos. They developed a breed of dogs for hauling
and transportation in harsh weather. The dogs also assisted in hunting. The Alaskan
Malamute shares its ancestry with other arctic breeds like Samoyed of Russia, Siberian
Husky, Eskimo dogs of Greenland and the Labrador. However, Malamutes were developed
for power and stamina instead of speed. Later, the Malamute went with Admiral Byrd's
expeditions to the North Pole. They have also been attributed to participating in
polar expeditions with Perry and Cook. This breed has amazing tenacity, sense of
direction and an excellent sense of smell. They have appeared as unforgettable characters
in the stories of Jack London and Rudyard Kipling. Mals are recognized by the AKC
and the UKC.
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