There is a lot of history surrounding the Alaskan Malamute. To understand their history is a start at understanding the breed itself and how to live with a Mal. Malamutes were used by the native Alaskans to pull heavy loads in harsh arctic conditions and to hunt food. The arctic demands a "survival of the fittest" attitude, so Malamutes retain much of the pack order instinct. Intelligence and problem solving were needed to make independent decisions about hazards on the trail, even to the point of disobeying orders from their human companions. Food being scarce; it was of high importance to eat whenever the opportunity arose and to get the most energy out of that food. Mals often supplemented their diet with prey caught in the wild. Simply put, they have been physically and mentally molded by their environment for centuries, and those characteristics continue to influence their behavior today.

Breed Standard

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Summary

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.

  • For the Alaskan Malalmute, our breed standard describes the appearance, temperment and movement that is ideal for the breed. Excessive deviation from this standard can result in dogs that may not be of sound health or behavior.

  • We strongly recommend that those considering adding an Alaskan Malamute puppy into their lives do their research on where their puppy is coming from. In the links above, we have connected the Alaskan Malamute Club of America’s breeder list, as well as the link to our local Alaskan Malamute Assistance League affiliate, WAMAL. Whether purchasing a puppy/dog from a breeder or rescuing from an organization like WAMAL, we recommend reviewing the AMCA’s website page for what makes a reputable breeder here: http://alaskanmalamute.org/malamutes/finding-a-malamute/

    Most reputable breeders AND rescues will follow many of these practices and can help ensure that you are getting the right dog for your household.

  • Malamutes have a thick double coat that can lead to a lot of shedding. Closest to their body, they have a dense undercoat that keeps them warm and dry in cold weather. Twice a year, they will shed this undercoat, and some dogs can shed all year round. There are a variety of tools that can be helpful in grooming a malamute, such a velocity dryer or force dryer, undercoat rakes, and slicker brushes. They should be brushed regularly to help remove dead hair, as well as have their nails trimmed or ground a few times every month. Never shave a malamute, even in warm weather. Their coats protect them from the sun as well as the cold, and shaving them can result in the coat growing back incorrectly.

  • The specific temperment of your malamute can very, which is why it is important to work with a reputable breeder or rescue to find the right dog for you. Many families have great success with their malamutes around kids, other dogs, and other pets. However, not all malamutes will be able to succeed in these situations.

    Like all large breed dogs, malamutes do not always know their size and strength, so setting good foundations of training for both dogs and kids in the home is important to have success together, as well as constant supervision.

    Alaskan Malalmutes have a strong prey drive and will chase any small, fast moving creature and potentially injure them. It is usually best to avoid having a malamute in your home with cats, rabbits, chickens or other small animals unless they have a known history with them.

    They can get along with other dogs, as seen in their ability to work as a team with other dogs on a sled, but same sex aggression can be common among malamutes and it is a good idea to proceed with caution when thinking about adding another dog of the same sex into your home. Many people are able to make this work with appropriate training and management in place.

  • Malamutes are traditionally a freighting breed, meaning that they were designed to pull large, heavy loads over long distances. This means that a malamute should have a great deal of strength and stamina. Many people use this to compete in weight pull, freight racing, and backpacking with thier malalmutes, but that’s not all they’re good at! While not the fastest, many members of CAMEO mush, skijor, bike, and scooter with their dogs (we recommend connecting with the Cascade Sled Dog Club for more information). Alaskan Malamutes also make excellent companions on hikes and trail runs.

    CAMEO memebrs also enjoy competing in a variety of dog sports with their malalmutes, such as agility, obedience, rally, lure coursing, and nosework.

  • An Alaskan Malalmute is an athletic breed that likes to move. They will need regular physical exercise to stay healthy and challenge themselves. However, it is also important to give them mental challenges as well— a bored malalmute is an excellent problem solver, and often leads to them digging holes in your yard, eating the couch, and other destructive behaviors. They are a working breed that does best when given a job to do.