| This is the dog breed you'll most likely see running in | | | | can be ver stubborn, so they are best suited to those |
| front of the sleigh in polar expeditions, where the cold | | | | with experience in dog ownership who can quickly |
| keeps normal humans away. They have very thick | | | | establish who is boss. The Alaskan Malamute is also |
| and soft fur that easily protects them from the cold, | | | | very possessive when it comes to food, so feeding |
| and they are accustomed to cold climates as well. It is | | | | should be separate from other dogs or animals. |
| a dog breed that will grow into a very calm and | | | | The Malamute is a descendant of dogs from the |
| intelligent adult, but they never lose their playfulness. | | | | Mahlemuits tribe of upper western Alaska. This breed |
| They have a very strong natural hunting instinct | | | | had an important role towards their human companions |
| however, and even though they are otherwise very | | | | - working, hunting, and living alongside them. The |
| loyal and easy to teach they will react naturally when | | | | relationship between the Mahlemuits and their dogs |
| "prey" appears. | | | | was good for both of them. They helped each other |
| They love running, and need as much exercise as | | | | out and managed to survive in the otherwise not very |
| possible. Most Alaskan Malamutes live approximately | | | | welcoming Arctic Circle. For a short period during the |
| 10 years, and the only known health issue for this race | | | | Klondike Gold Rush of 1896 the Malamuites and their |
| is cancer (which kills about 36%). The Alaskan | | | | sled dogs became valuable to the settlers roaming |
| Malamutes exist in warmer location around the world, | | | | around the area, and they were frequently crossbred |
| but are not suited for this at all and should typically be | | | | with imported breeds as an attempt to improve the |
| kept in a colder environment where their thick furcoat | | | | breed, or to simple create more of them to be used. |
| comes to good use. Though Alaskan Malamutes are | | | | This seems to have had no long standing effect on |
| normally used to transport people or material using | | | | the modern Malamute, and recent DNA analysis |
| sleds, they are sometimes also involved in racing and | | | | shows that Malamutes are one of the oldest breeds |
| kept as family pets. Although they are great | | | | of dog, genetically distinct from other dog breeds. |
| companions and very loving, the Alaskan Malamute | | | | |