Life expectancy

12 years

Age adult

31 months

Height (Shoulder height)

60 cm

Weight

40 kg

Coat texture

medium length / undercoat / wooly / dense / straight

Coat color

light grey to black and sable with or without white

Common illnesses

dysplasia of the hip joint / thyroid diseases (mostly hypothyreosis) / sensitive to heat / polyneuropathy / osteochondritis dissecans (OCD or OD) / cataract / cone degeneration/ achromatopsia

Food expenses per month in €

about € 82

Suitable for children

Rather yes

Needs a garden

Rather yes

Hunting motivated / needs alternative employment

Rather yes

First dog suitable

Rather not

Allergy friendly

Rather not

Athletic

Attention

Care and grooming

Eager to learn

Exercise

Nature

friendly / alert / playful / stubborn / agile / confident / calm, composed

Bred for

sledge dog

Common illnesses

dysplasia of the hip joint / thyroid diseases (mostly hypothyreosis) / sensitive to heat / polyneuropathy / osteochondritis dissecans (OCD or OD) / cataract / cone degeneration/ achromatopsia

Dog type according to FCI

spitz and primitive types

FCI description

Many dogs of this group were kept as guard, hat, hunt, or sled dogs. They are considered to be very strong-willed and often less affectionate than other breeds. Many have a pronounced territorial consciousness and get along with same-sex conspecifics less well. They are often not easy to educate and only participate in things they consider useful.

So if you want a cuddly family dog that does every trick, you wont be happy here. Generally many of these dogs, like Chow Chow, Aktita and Co. are rather one-man dogs, i.e. related to one person and do not bind themselves to the whole family. Spitze in particular tend very much to loud utterances.

Short description

The Alaskan Malamute is a classic sledge dog. He has a massive, very muscular body with a sunken chest. He is a working dog and needs a lot of space and exercise outdoors. He is a passionate runner and loves to pull sledges and heavy objects. He is used to live in a pack and knows how to work and live with other dogs. He needs a soft but firm training and an experienced, competent trainer. He should abslutely not live in a city. He is not very attached to humans, so he is not suitable for families.