Alaskan Malamute

From Pet Encyclopedia

Alaskan Malamute

Origin of Breed

Alaska

Breed Nick Names

[edit] Introduction

The Alaskan Malamute breed is known as a Spitz type of dog, other Spitz type dogs include the Akita, Chow Chow and Samoyed to name but a few. The Spitz type of dogs originate from the Artic regions and have evolved to fit three purposes, which are Herding, Hunting and Pulling Sleds. The Alaskan Malamute was bred for use as an Alaskan Sleddog and is classed in the Working Dog Group of dogs.

[edit] Origin and History

The Malamute is a descendant of dogs of the Mahlemuts tribe of upper western Alaska. These dogs had a prominent role with their human companions - working, hunting, and living alongside them.The interdependent relationship between the Mahlemut and their dogs fostered prosperity among both and enabled them to flourish in the inhospitable land above the Arctic Circle.

For a brief period during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, the Malamute and other sled dogs became extremely valuable to recently landed prospectors and settlers, and were frequently crossbred with imported breeds. This was often an attempt to improve the type, or to make up for how few true Malamutes were up for sale. This seems to have had no long standing effect on the modern Malamute, and recent DNA analysis shows that Malamutes are one of the oldest breeds of dog, genetically distinct from other dog breeds

The Malamute dog has had a distinguished history; aiding Rear Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole, and the miners who came to Alaska during the Gold Rush of 1896. This dog was never destined to be a racing sled dog; instead, it was used for heavy freighting, pulling hundreds (maybe thousands) of pounds of supplies to villages and camps in groups of at least 4 dogs for heavy loads.

The Alaskan Malamute is a member of the Spitz group of dogs, traced back 2,000 to 3,000 years ago to the Mahlemuits tribe of Alaska.

"In shape, the Paleolithic dogs most resemble the Siberian husky, but in size, however, they were somewhat larger, probably comparable to large shepherd dogs," stated Germonpré, a paleontologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. This description of recently found 30000 years old dog remains fits the Alaskan Malamute very closely. Though not scientifically confirmed, the Alaskan Malamute may be the closest living relative to the "First Dog".

The first Mals came from America in 1959 (male Pawnee Flash of North Wind and females Preston's Cheechako and her daughter) - and the first litter was born July 28 1960, bred by the Prestons. Before they returned to the US, they bred 3 litters under the kennel name Kananak. In the 70s, several Kotzebue dogs were imported. Subsequent imports, mainly in the 80s, have been Snowline's Polar Night, Kimiska's Arctic Sea Hawk of Highnoon, Can. Ch. (champion) Malnorska's Danikka of Highnoon, Malnorska's Gypsy Lady, Am. Ch. Fire'n Ice in Conclusion and Baron Von Star. Malamutes are what is known as a Rare Breed - this means that they can't win a championship title. Mostly they are imported from the USA and Canada, but there are few from Italy and Sweden. Mals from Britain have been exported to Australia, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Finland and back to Canada. There are probably over 350 Mals in Great Britain today and the Alaskan Malamute Club has over 100 members.

[edit] Appearance

Dogs height: 64-71 cm (25-28 inches) Bitches height: 58-66 cm (23-26 inches)

Weight: 38.5-57 KG (85-125 lb)

The Alaskan Malamute's coat is thick, dense and oily with a woolly undercoat and a coarse guard coat. This means that the dog needs to be brushed daily. Colour: from light grey through intermediate shadings to black, or from gold through shades of red to liver; they always have a white underbody, parts of their legs, feet and part of their facual mask markings. They have a broad powerful head; almond-shaped brown eyes; ears small in proportion to head with a moderatly high set tail.

[edit] Temperament

Alaskan Malamutes are a very people friendly breed and demand a lot of attention. They are often described as "big teddy bears" because of their love of attention. They are a very pack-oriented breed and therefore do best when included in the family rather than shut outside away from the rest of the "pack." Since they are pack oriented, Malamutes are generally not "one-man" dogs. They are an extremely intelligent breed that can be very stubborn and easily bored. They are not typically recommended to a first-time dog owner as mistakes are easy to make and sometimes hard to correct unless you really know what you are doing. They can be a challenge to train, due to their stubbornness. It is said that to teach a Malamute to do something once or twice is very easy, because they are quite intelligent and quickly learn new tasks. To get them to repeatedly do something over and over again is much more challenging, due to their stubbornness and the fact that they become easily bored. This trait is quite common in all of the northern breeds. The sheer size of the Malamute can become an obstacle to novice dog owners. Many Malamutes end up in the pound and even destroyed because an owner fell in love with the cute puppy but could not control the large, stubborn, powerful adult.

Owing to their strong pack nature, Malamutes can be more aggressive towards other dogs than other breeds. Because of this, great care should be taken on the part of the owner to socialize their Malamute puppy as much as possible with other dogs.

[edit] Health

Common health problems

Hip Dysplasia Hip Dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a polygenic trait, that is affected by environmental factors in the production of the final phenotype. It can be found in many animals and occasionally in humans, but is most commonly associated with dogs, and is common in many dog breeds, particularly the larger breeds.

Hip Dysplasia is one of the most studied veterinary conditions in dogs, and the most common single cause of arthritis of the hips. In humans it occurs at a rate of about 1 births per thousand (0.1%)

Dogs might exhibit signs of stiffness or soreness after rising from rest, reluctance to exercise, bunny-hopping or other abnormal gait (legs move more together when running rather than swinging alternately), lameness, pain, reluctance to stand on rear legs, jump up, or climb stairs, subluxation or dislocation of the hip joint, or wasting away of the muscle mass in the hip area. Radiographs (X-rays) often confirm the presence of hip Dysplasia, but radiographic features may not be present until two years of age in some dogs. Moreover, many affected dogs do not show clinical signs, but some dogs manifest the problem before seven months of age, while others do not show it until well into adulthood.

In part this is because the underlying hip problem may be mild or severe, may be worsening or stable, and the body may be more or less able to keep the joint in repair well enough to cope. Also, different animals have different pain tolerances and different weights, and use their bodies differently, so a light dog who only walks, will have a different joint use than a more heavy or very active dog. Some dogs will have a problem early on, others may never have a real problem at all.

Each case must be treated on its own merits, and a range of treatment options exist.

Hereditary Cataract A cataract is defined as an opacity in the lens. The eye's lens usually is clear or transparent, and focuses light rays on the retina. The opacity is usually white, but can have a yellowish or greyish appearance as well, and it scatters the light rays. The extent of the vision impairment is determined by the size and location of the cataract in the lens. The size ranges from pinhead marks to total lens opacity. The larger the cataract, the more severe the effect on sight.

Cataracts usually are discovered first by noticing discoloration in the Malamutes eyes. The center of the eye will appear light gray or yellowish, or white. Also, the owner likely will observe the dog having visual difficulties. The Malamute may bump into things, including familiar objects, or appear tentative about moving up or down on stair steps.

Chondrodysplasia Chondrodysplasia was discovered around 1930-1940s. This disease is neither "dwarfism" as it is commonly referred to nor is it Dysplasia (in the true sense of the word). This debilitating disease is actually birth defect causing the dog's upper foreleg to become overly massive, short, and twisted and appears in Malamute and related breeds. Malamute breeders were appalled by this condition when it appeared and immediately set out to eradicate it.

Pyotraumatic Dermatitis (aka "Hot Spots") Hot spots occur as single, intensely pruitic (itchy) lesions resulting from self-inflicted trauma to the skin. These lesions can appear within minutes and predominantly occur when allergic reactions within the skin cause a sensation of itchiness or pain. The dog attempts to alleviate the symptom by licking, chewing, or scratching which leads to trauma and further inflammation to the skin. Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers, St. Bernards, Collies, and German Shepherds show an increased breed predisposition for developing hot spots most likely because these breeds have a higher incidence for allergic reactions which are the number one underlying cause for hot spots. Regardless of the subsequent choices for topical and/or systemic treatment of the hot spot, all the fur covering and immediately surrounding the lesion must be clipped or shaved. In many cases, sedation or a topical aesthetic is required to perform this task because of the sensitivity and pain associated with the lesion. Once the hair is removed, the lesion is gently washed with an antimicrobial shampoo containing either benzoyl peroxide or benzalkonium chloride. Care should be taken to ensure that all residual soap is removed and the lesion should be gently patted dry.

Mortality There is only one known health survey of Alaskan Malamutes, a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey with a small sample size of 14 dogs The median lifespan of 10.7 years measured in that survey is very typical of a breed their size. The major cause of death was cancer (36%).

Morbidity The most commonly reported health problems of Alaskan Malamutes in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey (based on a sample size of 64 dogs) were musculoskeletal (hip Dysplasia), and hereditary cataracts.

Other health issues in Malamutes include inherited polyneuropathy, Chondrodysplasia, and eye problems (particularly cataract and progressive retinal atrophy).

Climate and Malamutes While Malamutes have been successfully raised in places such as Arizona, their dense coats generally make them unsuited for hot climates. When the weather gets hot, like any other breed of dog, the Malamute needs plenty of water and shade. They will grow a winter coat and subsequently shed it in spring.

[edit] External Links

Alaskan Malamute Club of the UK

Alaskan Malamute Rescue

Alaskan Malamute Working Association

[edit] References